Ratings: 2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Meet the new boss of B-segment sedans
Shaun · Dec 17, 2021 09:43 PM
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The Honda City RS e:HEV is the range-topping variant that sits above the Honda City 1.5L E, S, and V. As always, we'll put it through our very own WapCar Rating system to break things down for you.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Driving Performance - 34/50 pts, quick but doesn't feel like it
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Facts and Figures
Engine
1.5-litre 4-cylinder i-MMD Hybrid
Transmission
eCVT
Power
121 PS (engine), 109 PS (motor)
Torque
127 Nm (engine), 253 Nm (motor)
Weight
1,246 kg
0-100 km/h
10.2 seconds
100-0 km/h
42.9 metres
Among all the B-segment sedans that we have tested, the 2021 Honda City RS e:HEV is the quickest, being powered by an electrified drivetrain.
We recorded a 0-100 km/h time of 10.2 seconds for the Honda City RS. (Toyota Vios - 12.7s, Proton Persona - 11.7s, Nissan Almera - 12.4s).
Braking distance of the Honda City is also decent in its segment with a recorded 42.9 metres. An obvious thing you will feel in the Honda City RS is the electric propulsion. It feels more akin to an electric car than most other hybrids.
Handling of the Honda City RS is decent. The added weight makes the car feel a little more surefooted.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Driving Performances Breakdown
The seats in the Honda City RS are plush and the seat back supports your lower back nicely. Pair that with the supple suspension, and the cabin of this B-segment sedan is fairly comfortable.
Cabin noise in the Honda City is kept low. When the combustion engine kicks in, it is quite audible and can sound rough at times. But the cabin is well-insulated from rolling noise. There are no jarring turbulent wind noises too, so we'll give some points to that.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Noise Level
60 km/h
57 dB
90 km/h
61 dB
110 km/h
68 dB
In the back, the seat base offers decent thigh support, and the recline angle allows for a good seating position.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Ride Comfort Breakdown
Sound Proofing
8 / 10
Suspension
7 / 10
Passenger Comfort
7 / 10
Seat Support
4 / 5
Ergonomics
3 / 5
Engine Refinement
6 / 10
Total points
35 / 50 pts
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Quality and Features - 36/50 pts, Honda Sensing puts it ahead
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Panel Gaps (mm)
Location
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Difference
Bonnet
4.5
4.5
0
Front Fender
4.5
4.5
0
Front to Rear Door
4.5
4.5
0
Rear Door to quarter panel
3
3.5
0.5
Tailgate
4
4.5
0.5
Exterior build quality of the Honda City RS is excellent. The panel gaps only show a maximum of 0.5 mm difference between the left and right side.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Paint thickness (µm)
Location
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Front Bonnet
133
Front Fender
99
93
Front Door
117
108
Rear Door
105
102
Rear Quarter Panel
103
95
Tailgate
120
Roof
109
Average paint thickness: 108 µm ±12
Paint thickness is consistent and the averages are comparable to its rivals.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Exterior Material Use
Bonnet
Soundproofing Material
Thin
Struts
Manual
Front Fenders
Soundproofing Material
Yes
Doors
Front Windows
Single Glazed
Rear Windows
Single Glazed
Construction
One Piece
Tailgate/Boot
Opening
Manual
As B-segment car, the Honda City RS doesn't go beyond necessary in terms of exterior materials. There are no gas hood struts, elaborate styling pieces, or double-glazed windows.
The amount of hard plastics in the cabin is as expected of a B-segment saloon. The critical touch points have a slight luxurious feel, such as the leather pieces on the dashboard and centre console.
Android Auto/Apple Carplay connection is quick and stable with a dedicated USB port.
The bulk of the controls feel tactile and intuitive, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road as opposed to touch-sensitive controls only in some cars.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Cabin Material Use
Seat
Seat Cover
Leather
Armrest
Armrest Cover
Leather
Dashboard
Upper Section
Hard plastic
Lower Section
Hard Plastic
Front Doors
Upper Section
Hard Plastic
Middle Section
Leather
Lower Section
Hard Plastic
A full suite of ADAS is available on the Honda City RS e:HEV, including adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. There's also Honda's proprietary LaneWatch camera. These have earned the City RS significant points over its lower rung variants as well as rivals.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Quality & Feature Breakdown
Exterior
Paint Finish
3 / 4
Panel Gaps
4 / 4
Assembly Quality
2 / 2
Interior
Build Quality
3 / 5
Materials Used
3 / 5
Features
Safety
9 / 10
ADAS
4 / 5
Luxury
2 / 5
Convenience
3 / 5
Infotainment
3 / 5
Total
36 / 50 pts
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Space and Practicality - 32/50 pts, slightly compromised boot space
As with other Honda cars, passenger room is excellent in the Honda City. Honda's brilliant interior packaging has maximised space on the inside without destroying the proportions on the outside.
Boot space of the Honda City is rated 410 litres (non-hybrid City has 506 litres). Adding to the convenience of the Honda City are the seat release levers in the trunk for loading long items.
Although the Honda City is capable of seating 5 people, fitting 3 adults abreast in the rear is a squeeze due to the narrow body.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Interior Space Breakdown
Front Row
7 / 10
Middle/Back Row
8 / 10
Third Row
0 / 5
Boot Space
2.5 / 5
Practicality
4 / 5
Storage Space
3.5 / 5
Visibility
4 / 5
Storage Flexibility
3 / 5
Total
32 / 50 pts
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Fuel Consumption – 16/20 pts, efficient without trying
After a journey of 125 km broken down to about 40% highway and 60% city driving, it required 6.51 litres of fuel to brim the tank. This translates to a calculated fuel consumption of 5.2-litre/100 km.
As a caveat, it must be said that given the driving conditions and weather were not particularly kind to the City RS.
As a saving grace, a fellow colleague, which separately drove a City RS claimed a fuel economy of 4.2-litre/100km over a total distance of over 1,000 km, which is closer to Honda's claimed figure of 3.6-litre/100km.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV - Fuel Consumption Test Breakdown
Fuel Consumption
13 / 15
Eco Mode
2 / 2
Indicator Accuracy
11 / 3
Total points
16 / 20 pts
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Purchase and Cost – 23/30, priciest B-segment but you do get a lot in return
The Honda City RS e:HEV is priced at RM 105,950*, which puts it above all other B-segment sedans on sale, including the Mazda 2 that currently retails for RM 100,770*.
*OTR without SST
The given warranty for the Honda City is of 5-year/unlimited mileage while the hybrid battery has a separate 8-year/unlimited mileage warranty. Total maintenance cost over 5 years for the Honda City is only RM 56 more than the 1.5L V.
2021 Honda City RS e:HEV: Conclusion - 173/250 pts overall
Overall, the Honda City RS e:HEV proved to be a strong all-rounder with good comfort, a spacious and practical interior, and it's very fuel efficient.
Most impressively, it features the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS which makes it the most complete in its segment in terms of advanced safety features.
Negative points of the Honda City RS e:HEV are the slightly compromised boot and relatively high asking price, depending on your perspective.
Still, it packs the most advanced hybrid powertrain on sale in Malaysia and not to forget that it's the safest car in its segment thanks to Honda Sensing. It offers these at an accessible price for the common man.
The quest for automotive knowledge began as soon as the earliest memories. Various sources information, even questionable ones, have been explored including video games, television, magazines, or even internet forums. Still stuck in that rabbit hole.