Thailand to debut 2021 Honda City Hatchback e:HEV this month; i-MMD hybrid like Malaysia's City RS
Sanjay ยท Jun 21, 2021 03:59 PM
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Reports out of Thailand suggests that the hybrid 2021Honda City Hatchbacke:HEV will be making its debut this month over in the Land of Smiles.
If the name is familiar, it's because the new suffix on the City Hatchback's name indicates that it'll be sharing the same Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system that's found in Malaysia's Honda City RS, and in a variant of Thailand's City sedan.
To recap, this full-hybrid powertrain encompasses a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine (98 PS, 127 Nm) and an electric traction motor (109 PS, 253 Nm).
Currently, Thailand's Yaris-thrashing City Hatchback is powered by a 1.0-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder mill that's exclusive to them because it qualifies for lower excise duties under the country's stringent EcoCar II policy.
For the rest of the region that has the model - like Indonesia, and more recently the Philippines - no such rules apply, which means the City Hatchback gets a 1.5-litre, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine instead.
The same is expected for Malaysia as well. Upon its introduction here, it's almost certain that it'll get the same 121 PS / 145 Nm four-cylinder engine that's currently seeing duty in the regular City sedan, while (perhaps) the City Hatchback RS will employ the hybrid system.
With humble beginnings collecting diecast models and spending hours virtually tuning dream cars on the computer, his love of cars has delightfully transformed into a career. Sanjay enjoys how the same passion for cars transcends boundaries and brings people together.