Honda City, a household name in India, has completed 25 successful years in the domestic market. Being first launched in 1998, the sedan is currently in its fifth generation avatar and one of the longest running mainstream models in the Indian automotive history. It is the highest-selling mid-sized sedan in the country.

Honda Cars India has sold more than 9 lakh units of the City sedan in domestic and export markets and accounts for over 28 percent of the car’s sales in Honda’s Asia Oceania region (Jan-Aug ’22). Recently, the Japanese brand introduced Honda City e:HEV which marked its electrification journey in India. Honda City, initially developed as an Asian model, is presently sold in 80 countries across the globe with sales exceeding 4.5 Mn units.

Also Read: Honda City Scores 4 out of 5 Stars in Crash Test Safety Rating from GNCAP

Speaking about the milestone achievement for Honda City in India, Mr Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Limited said, “This is a landmark year for Honda brand in India. Our most successful model Honda City is among the most loved car brands in India. As the model turns 25 years young, we express our gratitude to all our customers and partners who have supported us over the years and invite everyone to continue to be with us on the journey ahead.”

First-gen Honda City

The first-gen Honda City was retailed between 1998-2003 in India while it was based on sixth-generation Honda Civic (FERIO). The sedan was powered by a VTEC Hyper 16 valve engine which churned out top power of 106 bhp, making it one of the fastest machines of its time.

Second-gen Honda City

Underpinning the Honda Jazz platform, it was designed with the fuel-tank being at the center of the car known as ‘Centre tank-layout.’ The second-gen model was equipped with a new 1.5L i-DSI or “Intelligent Dual & Sequential Ignition”. Furthermore, it also featured a CVT gearbox – a first for any car in India. Being on sale between 2003-2008 for five years, the sedan also boasted of ABS as standard safety feature which none of its rivals had at that time.

Third-gen Honda City

The third-gen Honda City had a radical departure in terms of design and styling as compared to the previous-gen model. It flaunted Arrow-Shot styling which was an instant hit among auto enthusiasts in the country. Mechanically, it came loaded with the all-new 1.5L i-VTEC engine. On the safety front, it had dual front airbags and ABS with EBD as standard in all variants. Sold between 2008-2013, it was far ahead of its times in terms of safety as the safety regulations making dual airbags and ABS mandatory in cars in India came into effect 11 years later in 2019.

Fourth-gen Honda City

The fourth-gen City sedan went on sale in 2014 and till 2020. For the first time, Honda City was presented with a choice of diesel engine with the fourth-gen version. The new CVT gearbox offered with this model returned better fuel efficiency than the manual variant.

Fifth-gen Honda City

The fifth-gen model of the sedan was launched in July 2020 with connected car tech as standard. It became India’s first connected car with Alexa Remote Capability.Last but not the least, the City e:HEV, touted as India’s first supreme hybrid electric model, was launched earlier this year to further accentuate the City range.

“Honda City’s Silver Jubilee celebrations are being organized across our pan-India dealer network of 330 facilities in 242 cities and we are taking this opportunity to engage with our consumers and Honda City fans. A communication campaign around this special milestone will also be promoted extensively on digital and social mediums,” he added.

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