Updated Honda City Hatchback launched in PH for Php 1.189M, now comes with Honda SENSING

It may have taken almost a year since the updated version of its sedan sibling was launched locally, but it’s finally here. Say hello to the refreshed Honda City Hatchback.

The Honda City Hatchback replaced the popular Jazz in the Japanese automaker’s local lineup in 2021. Since then, it has slowly gained popularity especially with the lack of other options in its segment, limited to the similarly-priced Mazda2, especially after the Toyota Yaris was discontinued last year.

Like it was before, the Honda City Hatchback is only available in one variant–1.5 RS CVT. For this update, it receives some minor styling and tech differences, as well as additional safety that aligns it with most of Honda’s local lineup.

First things first, the biggest update to the Honda City Hatchback is that it now comes equipped with the Honda SENSING advanced driver-assist safety suite. This gives it Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Auto High Beams, and Lead Car Departure Notification.

In the design department, the City Hatchback is no longer just set apart from the sedan by its body. It gets a new and wider front grille while the bumper has been redesigned with new fog light housings and new lower grille design. As for the rest of the vehicle, there’s a new set of 16-inch alloy wheels (shared with the sedan) and a more aggressive rear bumper that now properly integrates (somewhat) its exhaust pipe.

The Honda City Hatchback also gains a new exterior paint job option for this update—Sonic Gray Pearl. This is in addition to Ignite Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Meteoroid Gray Metallic, and Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic.

Moving inside, it’s largely unchanged with the exception of new two-tone leather seat material and an updated infotainment system (still 8-inches in size) that now gets wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity (it was wired before) in addition to Android Auto. Being an RS, red accents and stitching can be found around the cabin.

Of course, Honda’s ULTR seats are still present giving added versatility and practicality with its Utility, Long, Tall, and Refresh modes.

As before, standard equipment are full LED headlights, LED fog lights, power-folding side mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, lever-type parking brake, and an analog instrument cluster with 4.2-inch multi-information display.

Under the hood of the refreshed Honda City Hatchback is still a 1.5-liter Inline 4-cylinder DOHC L15 i-VTEC engine that produces 121 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque, mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). No hybrid or turbocharged engine here yet.

Going back to safety, standard are dual front airbags, side airbags, side curtain airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, vehicle stability assist, emergency stop signal, hill start assist, Agile Handling Assist, and ISOFIX childseat tethers.

Now for its price, the 2024 Honda City Hatchback is priced at Php 1,189,000 or an increase of just Php 36,000 compared to the pre-refresh model. As it has been for a while now, customers will also get a three-year or 100,000 kilometer vehicle warranty, whichever comes first.

With its supposed main rival, the Toyota Yaris, now gone from local showrooms, Honda Cars Philippines (HCPI) has the market all to itself. Do the changes make the 2024 Honda City Hatchback more enticing to you?