At present, Honda City is one of the most successful sedans in the Indian automobile market. Since inception in India, this sedan has been appreciated by critics and customers alike. Off late, the popularity of this car has gained a lot of ground due to an increasing demand in the domestic market. As such, the fact remains tidy that this sedan is one of the best sellers of Honda Cars India in the country. Furthermore, sales of Honda City are gradually inching up, which indicates a strong liking of buyers towards it. However, here, the petrol version of Honda City is being discussed. Reportedly, the Japanese firm is likely to proceed with the launch of next generation model of this flagship sedan on 25th November 2013 in the Indian automobile market, sources have claimed. Since the news of next generation Honda City being launched has surfaced, excitement has started building up.
Notably, the petrol version of City has already set benchmarks in the market due to its longevity and consistent performance. So, there are even more chances that Honda City diesel might spark an altogether different race with peers in sedan segment. As strange it may sound, experts believe that sales of utility vehicles Duster and EcoSport might get affected once Honda City Diesel is launched. This certainly mean that the diesel variant may be able to set a high standards in the exclusive sedan segment. It also means that the competition in this segment is bound to intensify to new extremes with the arrival of Honda City Diesel in the Indian automobile market. Once launched in India, the diesel version of City will be competing with likes of Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki DZire, Ford Classic, Hyundai Verna and Toyota Etios.
Honda City diesel is likely to come with a tweaked i-DTEC engine that powers the Amaze sedan. Earlier, the auto manufacturer had refrained from the launch of City diesel as it wanted to suitably tune the engine and its performance. Switching just the engine would not have been too conducive for Honda Cars India. Notably, the i-DTEC engine that is used in Amaze is able to generate a maximum power of up to 98 bhp at 3600 rpm and torque of up to 200 Nm at low 1750 rpm. Hence, it is imperative that the new diesel version of Honda City is likely to boast of improved power and torque levels as compared to Amaze.
The diesel version of Maruti Suzuki DZire is powered by a 1.3-litre DOHC engine with peak power and torque of 74 bhp at 4000 rpm and 190 Nm at 2000 rpm, respectively. Ford Classic is also getting a good response in the Indian automobile market. The diesel version of this sedan is propelled by a 1.4-litre Duratorq TDCi engine that is mated to a five speed manual gearbox. This diesel engine can produce a maximum power of up to 67 bhp at 4000 rpm and torque output of up to 160 Nm at 2000 rpm.
Hyundai offers diesel version of Verna in two engine options. The 1.4-litre powertrain generates a peak power of 88 bhp at 4000 rpm and highest torque of 219.96 Nm while the other 1.6-litre engine delivers power of up to 126.08 bhp and torque of up to 259.87 Nm at 1900-2750 rpm. The diesel variant of Toyota Etios comes with a 1364 cc four cylinder 8-valve SOHC engine with power and torque outputs of 66 bhp and 170 Nm at 1800-2400 rpm, respectively.
A closer look at engine specifications of above mentioned sedans and likely figures of Honda City Diesel indicates that only Hyundai Verna is figuratively posing a close encounter. But, nonetheless, the Diesel City is yet not launched in the Indian automobile market. So, it is all guess work until a successful launch.
