Next-generation 2014 Honda City to be unveiled next month?

Honda car dealers across India are clearing stocks of the current version of the City sedan, one of the Japanese brand's hot selling cars. This stock clearance is in anticipation of the next-generation 2014 version of the City sedan, due to be launched in India and other South East Asian car markets shortly. While an early 2014 launch in India is likely for the City sedan, EconomicTimes reports that the car could be unveiled as early as next month. 

The 2014 City sedan's unveiling at the Tokyo Motor Show is unlikely as Honda's official release detailing its exhibits at the motor show doesn't mention the City. In that light, a separate event to showcase the 2014 Honda City could be held next month. The location of the 2014 City's unveil remains unknown for now. While three generations of the Honda City were available with petrol engines, the fourth generation 2014 model will get a turbo diesel engine, tailor made for the Indian car market. 

The diesel engine in question is said to be a retuned version of the 1.5 liter i-DTEC unit that currently does duty in the Amaze compact sedan. The diesel engine for the 2014 City is likely to get a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) to handle the extra weight that the City packs in vis-a-vis the Amaze, which makes do with a fixed geometry turbocharger equipped diesel engine. With the 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel engine outputting 100 PS-200 Nm on the Amaze, expect these numbers to increase on the City diesel sedan. 

The 2014 City will also be available with a petrol engine, with both manual and automatic gearbox options. The diesel engined model is likely to be available only with a manual gearbox though. Based on the next-generation Jazz platform, the 2014 City is likely to get bigger than the current model. Higher variants of the car are also likely to pack in more features and creature comforts. Although rumours suggest than the 2014 City sedan's higher variants could be an alternate to the now-discontinued Civic, that possibility seems unlikely given the fact that Honda does need a well priced car in the C-segment space populated by the likes of the Hyundai Verna and the Ford Fiesta.

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