New Honda City Facelift Gets Sportier RS Variant In Thailand

In Thailand, Honda offers the City sedan and the hatchback version, both of which have received comprehensive updates

Honda recently launched the City facelift in India, with prices starting at Rs 12 lakh. As part of the gradual rollout plan in other global markets, Honda has announced the City facelift for Thailand. While pre-bookings are open, official bookings can be done in July. Deliveries of the City facelift in Thailand are expected by August 2026.

Honda City facelift debuts in Thailand – Variants, performance

In Thailand, Honda has revised the variant line-up for the City facelift (sedan + hatchback). There are four options, with the base S variant getting a turbo petrol engine. The other three variants get Honda’s hybrid e:HEV powertrain. These variants are e:HEV V, e:HEV SV and e:HEV RS. For the Indian market, Honda is offering the hybrid e:HEV powertrain with only the top-spec variant of the City facelift.

Non-hybrid variants of City facelift in India are offered with a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine. It generates 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque and is paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed CVT automatic transmission. In Thailand, the non-hybrid variant of City facelift is equipped with a 1.0 litre inline-three VTEC turbo petrol engine. It generates 122 PS and 173 Nm of torque and is paired with a CVT unit. In other markets like Malaysia, Honda City non-hybrid variants use the same engine as in India.

e:HEV hybrid variants of the new Honda City facelift utilize the brand’s Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) hybrid system. The integrated electric motor generates 109 PS and 253 Nm of torque, sending power to the front wheels. City facelift utilizes a lithium-ion battery pack, which is charged via the petrol engine using a secondary generator motor.

Honda City facelift e:HEV variants support EV drive mode, hybrid drive mode and engine drive mode. The 1.5 litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine used with the hybrid variants generates 98 PS and 127 Nm. This works mostly to charge the battery, but can also provide propulsion when needed.

Design and features

Most of the exterior updates for Honda City facelift in Thailand are the same as the India-spec model. If even the finer detailing is factored in, the closest match to the India-spec version is the e:HEV RS variant in Thailand. Of course, the RS-specific badging is exclusive to the Thai version. In India, the City facelift has five broad trim levels – SV, V, ZX, ZX+ and ZX+ e:HEV.

Key features of City facelift in Thailand include ‘Blade-Eye’ bi-LED headlamps and integrated segmented LED DRLs that also work as turn indicators. Other exterior highlights include a honeycomb-patterned grille, full-width LED light bar and a redesigned bumper. Alloy wheels used with the e:HEV RS variant in Thailand are the same as the ones seen with the City facelift in India.

At the rear, the City facelift in Thailand gets a new bumper with a mesh pattern in the centre. Tail lights appear to be largely the same as earlier. Just like in India, Honda is offering the Honda SENSING ADAS package in Thailand with the City facelift. However, features like front ventilated seats offered in India are yet to be confirmed for the Thai market.