Up close with the 2022 Honda City 1.5 V Sensing, the best-equipped car for under RM 100k?

Previously, if you wanted a GN-series Honda City with all the bells and whistles, the only option is the hybrid-powered City RS. Granted, it’s a great car but at RM 105,950, it’s a huge price that not many are willing to part with especially for a City.

Honda Malaysia realizes that and earlier this month, it launched the updated 2022 Honda City 1.5 V Sensing variant. Priced from RM 90,212 (inclusive of SST, valid until 30-June 2022), it is around RM 4,000 more than the non-Sensing version of the 1.5 V (from RM 86,561).

As mentioned in the name itself, the 1.5 V Sensing comes equipped with the Honda Sensing ADAS suite that is similar on the City RS. These include:

• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
• Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
• Auto High Beam (AHB)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

Also read: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ADAS, more harm than good?

Also included in this updated variant is a 7-inch digital display in lieu of an analogue gauge that is found in the City RS. Granted, you do still get an analogue speedometer so it’s not a fully digital unit but it adds a bit of sophistication to the petrol-powered B-segment favourite.

Also read: Shopping for a B sedan? Here's our top 3 choices for under RM 100k

Though the City 1.5 V Sensing gains Honda Sensing and a snazzy 7-inch TFT display, not everything from the City RS gets transferred here. It uses a traditional mechanical hand brake as opposed to an electric parking brake (EPB) and it is powered by a conventional petrol engine rather than a hybrid powerplant.

Just like the rest of the City range, the 1.5 V Sensing is powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre DOHC petrol engine that makes 121 PS and 145 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a CVT automatic.

The ‘Sensing-less’ 1.5 V is already a pretty well-packaged sedan, especially within the B-segment. When it was introduced a little more than a year ago, the then-top petrol variant was equipped with a host of features including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, 6 airbags, and Honda LaneWatch but it lacks AEB, unlike rivals.

Also read: Pros and Cons: Honda City 1.5V – Still the most spacious but why no AEB?

Yet, the City boasts a spacious interior, a very supple ride, and is quite fuel-efficient in our tests. It’s no wonder that the City was chosen as the Editors’ Pick at our inaugural WapCar Car of the Year (COTY) Award in 2020.

Also read: Nissan Almera bags WapCar’s 2020 Car of the Year, Honda City wins Editors’ Pick

With the addition of Honda Sensing at a fairly affordable price, the Honda City 1.5 V Sensing might be the most complete car on sale in Malaysia for less than RM 100k.