77% of Japanese see the Honda City Hatchback as successor to G1 Civic

While Malaysians are still divided over Honda’s decision the discontinue the Honda Jazz in this region (except for Singapore), replacing it with the Honda City Hatchback, Japanese car fans observing from afar have responded to the City Hatchback in an oddly positive way.

In a survey conducted by Kuruma News, 76.9 percent of the Japanese publications' users agree that the City Hatchback looks like a successor to the original first generation Honda Civic.

The current FC generation Honda Civic is still on sale in Japan, but only as a hatchback, and changing consumer needs also means that the Civic is no longer a big seller there as Japanese buyers trend towards sliding minivans like the Freed and Step WGN, or SUVs like the HR-V (Vezel).

Also read: Japanese buyers holding off purchase of Honda Jazz for all-new 2021 Honda HR-V

Honda’s top-two most popular models in Japan now is the Honda N-Series (N-Box, N-One, N-Van) ‘kei’ minicar and the Honda Jazz (Fit).

However, Japanese car fans still look back to the original Civic with nostalgia, as it represented a simpler era, when cars were cheaper and the Civic one-make race in Suzuka, for better or for worse, inspired many street races, often with Civic of course.

The Civic is still popular in many parts of the world, and faster too, even if it’s just a regular 1.5 TC-P variant. But it’s also gotten bigger, heavier, and a lot more expensive. Japanese fans wondered if some of the Civic nameplate’s old charm is lost on the current generation tech-laden Civic.

The role of a simple, fun to drive hatchback, in the opinion of Kurumano News’ users, is now best represented not by the Civic, but the City Hatchback.

It’s probably also because people always want what they can’t have. Since the City Hatchback is not sold in Japan, and it looks quite different the usual range of boxy-looking Japanese cars, the City Hatchback has a bit of an exotic, unobtainable vibe to it, at least to some Japanese.

Some users commented that it will be great if the City Hatchback is introduced in Japan with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated DOHC engine, making 100 PS / litre, harking back to the days of the legendary B16A. But of course, these are merely imaginary concepts.

Current emission regulations and fuel economy standards make such an engine impossible, not even in Thailand.

The Thailand market 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder 122 PS / 173 Nm Honda City Hatchback has to keep to the Kingdom’s Eco-Car Phase 2 regulations (CO2 less than 100 g/km, fuel consumption less than 4-litre/100 km, UNECE standards) to qualify for the tax incentives it currently enjoys.

Also read: 2021 Honda City Hatchback launched in Thailand, priced from THB 599K, a budget A-Class?

In Indonesia, the City Hatchback is also offered with a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder DOHC engine that makes 121 PS and 145 Nm. It’s also available with a 6-speed manual! A CVT-type automatic is also offered.

Also read: Indonesia launches 2021 Honda City Hatchback, Malaysia to get same 1.5L engine

The Malaysian market Honda City Hatchback should mirror Indonesia’s specifications, minus the 6-speed manual. You don’t need to know too much about manufacturing to know that the City Hatchback will of course share the same powertrain as the City sedan.

The only question left is whether will the City Hatchback also come with an e:HEV variant as the sedan.

Also read: 2021 Honda City Hatchback vs Toyota Yaris facelift – Should you wait or not?