Honda · 1981–present

Honda City

The Honda City (Japanese: ホンダ・シティ, Hepburn: Honda Shiti) is a subcompact car which has been produced by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981. The City was originally a three-door hatchback for the Japanese, European, and Australasian markets. The three-door City was retired in 1995 after the second-generation and replaced by the Logo. The nameplate was revived in 1996 for use on a series of subcompact four-door sedans aimed primarily at developing markets, first mainly sold in Asia but later also in Latin America and Australia. Since then, it has been a subcompact sedan built on Honda's Global Small Car platform, which is shared with the Fit/Jazz (a 5-door hatchback), the Airwave/Partner, and the first-generation Mobilio — all of which share the location of the fuel tank under the front seats rather than rear seats. The seventh-generation model launched in 2019 features a significant size growth, offering an exterior dimension on par with the ninth-generation Civic sedan. This generation also marks the introduction of the five-door hatchback model starting from 2020. From 2002 to 2008, the City was also sold as the Honda Fit Aria (Japanese: ホンダ・フィット アリア, Hepburn: Honda Fitto Aria) in Japan. The City is also sold as the Honda Ballade in South Africa since 2011. The City was reintroduced in Japan in 2014, this time called the Honda Grace (Japanese: ホンダ・グレイス, Hepburn: Honda Gureisu) up to its discontinuation in 2020. Between 2015 and 2019, Dongfeng Honda sold a remodelled version of the City called the Honda Greiz, and its 5-door liftback counterpart Honda Gienia.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Honda Logo

All Honda City data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

First generation (AA/FV/FA; 1981)

The first Honda City (AA for sedans, VF for vans and FA for the wider Turbo II and Cabriolets) was introduced in November 1981 with the innovative "Tallboy" design; of unusual height, this enabled four adults to fit comfortably in the very short City (under 3.4 m [11.2 ft] long). Produced as a 3-door hatchback in a variety of trim levels, the City was also available together with the Motocompo, a special 50 cc 'foldaway' scooter with 2.5 PS (1.8 kW) designed to fit in the City's small luggage area ("trunk"); called a "trunk bike", Honda invented the compound word "trabai" for this scooter. At the time of its introduction, it was Honda's smallest car, while not being in compliance with Japanese government kei regulations. It was longer than the Honda N360 by 385 mm (15.2 in), but shorter than the first-generation Honda Civic by 171 millimetres (6.7 in). The Honda City Turbo was introduced in September 1982. It was powered by a turbocharged version of the 1231 cc Honda ER engine. The City Turbo II was introduced in October 1983. The fender was widened by 30 mm at the front and 20 mm at the rear. Technically, the engine used is the same as the previous City turbo, but the power output is 110 PS (81 kW) more powerful. Due to its wider dimensions, The City Turbo II was nicknamed the "Bulldog". On 4 July Pininfarina designed drop-top Cabriolet utilised the wider fenders and bigger bumpers of the Turbo II "Bulldog", but was only available with the naturally aspirated 67 PS (49 kW) engine. There was also a Pro-series of van versions with either two or four seats. A high-roof "R Manhattan Roof" version with a 10-centimetre (3.9 in) taller roof also appeared. Exports of the City were primarily to Europe (where it was renamed Honda Jazz, due to Opel having trademarked the City n

Second generation (GA; 1986)

Honda replaced the original City series AA in November 1986 with this generation (designated GA1), and again with an update in 1989 (GA2). This model was produced until 1994. The Fit name also first appeared as a trim variant of the second-generation City. There was no convertible model, with both the convertible and Turbo models of the previous generation continuing on sale for a little while. In most markets aside from Japan, the City's market position was left open until filled by the Honda Logo in 1999. On 31 October 1986, the second-generation City was introduced with the slogan "City of Talent." in Japan, and was available at Honda Clio dealerships. The Honda Clio dealership chain was being positioned as Honda's purveyor of luxuriously equipped vehicles like the Honda Legend, the Honda Concerto, and the Honda Accord, and this generation City enabled Clio locations to sell economically priced vehicles normally found at Honda Primo. In this remodel, there are major changes in the appearance of the vehicle Honda called "Crouching form", which consisted of a low and wide design that contributed to lighter vehicle weight (basic trim 680 kg) combined with improvements in driving performance. The styling reflects a corporate decision to enact a shared appearance with the first-generation Honda Today (a kei car), the internationally strong seller, third-generation Honda Civic (a subcompact car), and the third-generation Honda Accord AeroDeck (a compact car). This generation shared its exterior dimensions and engine size almost exactly with the first-generation Civic. The Honda CR-X was the only three-door hatchback that adopted a fastback, sloping rear hatch, similar to the Honda Verno products during the mid-1980s. The engine configuration introduced the Honda D series,

Third generation (3A/SX; 1996)

The City was revived as a subcompact four-door sedan, slotting beneath the Honda Civic, for developing markets in Asia. The third-generation City (first-generation as a sedan), codenamed SX8 but with chassis codes 3A2 (1.3) and 3A3 (1.5), was based on the EF Civic platform to cut costs. It was designed for and sold in the Southeast Asian market only, and launched with the slogan "Smart for the new generation" for the 1.3-litre version and "Top-in-class smart" slogan for the 1.5-litre model. First production began in an all-new plant in Ayutthaya, Thailand, in April 1996. The car had a dominant position in the market. From the beginning, the Thai-made City models had more than 70% local content. The bumpers were constructed in three separate pieces to allow for easier shipping from Japan. There were originally a lower trim LXi and a higher-spec EXi available. The sedan also marked Honda's entrance in the Indian market in 1998 and it quickly became a success and one of the top selling cars in its segment. The City was built in additional markets including: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Taiwan. In Pakistan, the City received a lukewarm reception at first, but the third generation was a massive hit. A revised, facelifted third-generation City was released in 2000, called the "Type Z" in some markets. By 2001 a model powered by Honda's 1.5 L VTEC engines (VTI) appeared, with a rear-stabilizer for better handling. The facelift model received new front end tail lights, as well as one-piece bumpers. The third-generation City had fuel-injected SOHC 16-valve D-series engines, namely variations of the D13B and D15B. The original 1.3 L (1,343 cc) D13B produced 95 PS (70 kW) at 6,400 rpm for a claimed top speed of 171 km/h and 0–100 km/h in 11.3 seconds.

Fourth generation (GD/GE; 2002)

The fourth-generation City (second-generation as a sedan) made its world debut at the Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok in November 2002. Development of the vehicle continued to be handled by Honda Thailand. It was launched in Japan as the Fit Aria on 20 December 2002, as a captive import sourced from Thailand. The word "aria" is a type of expressive melody, usually heard in opera. Honda chose the word, continuing its musical naming tradition used with the Honda Prelude, the Honda Accord, the Honda Ballade, the Honda Quint, and the Honda Concerto. It was offered as a four-wheel drive version. The City was initially launched with a twin-spark, lean burn ‘i-DSI’ engine producing 88PS that was primarily designed to provide outstanding fuel economy. The VTEC version was unveiled late in the fourth-generation City's lifespan in 2004. The VTEC variant of the City is offered with 15-inch alloy wheels compared to the 14-inch offered in the i-DSI and the rear brakes are solid discs on the VTEC variant instead of drums in the i-DSI. Also, the VTEC model uses a 7-speed Multimatic CVT automatic transmission. Facelift. In September 2005, a facelifted version of the City was launched in Thailand, in October 2005 in Malaysia, and in November 2005 in Indonesia. In Thailand, it is known as the City ZX. The most significant changes are a new exterior (new front grille, new headlamps, new fog lights, new tail lights and bumpers). The front end has been extended forward by 65 mm (2.6 in) while the rear has been extended by 15 mm (0.6 in). The side mirror is electronically foldable. Both the i-DSI and VTEC trim levels have 15-inch alloy wheels as standard equipment. The changes in interior are minor but it does include an armrest for the driver and additional map lights. The inte

Fifth generation (GM2/3; 2008)

The fifth-generation City (third-generation as a sedan) was unveiled in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2008 followed by launches in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and China (Guangzhou Honda) in the following months. For the third-generation of the City, Honda has given the car a longer front overhang and wheelbase as well as a lower roof than the hatchback to give it more of an ideal sedan proportions compared to its predecessor. The City was available with a range of four-cylinder engines include a 1.3-litre engine producing 73 kW (98 hp) at 6,000 rpm, a 1.5-litre engine L15A7 putting out 120 PS (88 kW) (118 hp), which both are available in manual and automatic transmissions with a paddle shifters variant (India, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) For the 1.8-litre R18A engine only produce in (China markets only). In South America the range is offered with the i-VTEC 1.5-litre flex-fuel engine that is shared with the Brazilian Honda Fit. The power output is 115 hp with petrol and 116 hp using ethanol. Manual and automatic gearboxes are available. The City was also briefly offered in selected European countries including Poland with a 1.4-litre i-VTEC engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed i-SHIFT automated manual transmission. In the Philippines, the fifth-generation City was launched in 2009 available in two variants: 1.3 S and 1.5 E. The 1.3 S was offered in either 5-speed manual transmission or 5-speed automatic while the E trim was only available in 5-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It was released in India in November 2008. The City became the best-selling model of the company in the country, with sales volume even surpassing that of Thailand, previously the best selling market for the City. The Ci

Sixth generation (GM4–9; 2013)

The sixth-generation City (fourth-generation as a sedan) is Honda's second model to incorporate the new "Exciting H" design which was first seen on the third-generation Fit/Jazz that launched in September 2013. It also won the award of 'Middle East Car of the Year 2014'. It is continued to be built on the Fit/Jazz platform. The notable change of this generation is the repositioning of the fuel tank from the middle to the rear of the vehicle. This allowed the seating position to be lowered to give a sportier driving feel, while the height of the roof also lowered to achieve lower centre of gravity and sleeker exterior design. The new City in its range topping trim features extensive premium equipment and kits, such as touch-panel auto climate control, rear AC vents, a 5-inch LCD screen with navigation, Bluetooth audio, a reverse camera, eight speakers, and four power outlets. Based on Honda's new "Exciting H-Design" philosophy, the sedan gave a more refreshing and a premium look than its predecessor. The overall height is increased by 10 mm, while rest of the dimensions remain the same. A new hybrid variant was also introduced, though only exclusive to Japan (as the Grace) and Malaysia (as the City). It uses Honda's Intelligent-Dual Clutch Drive (i-DCD) Sport Hybrid system, paired with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. It is powered by a hybridised version of the 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine, making a combined output of 132 PS (97 kW; 130 hp) and 178 N⋅m (131 lb⋅ft), equivalent to that of a conventional 1.8-litre engine. In Japan, range topping variant of the hybrid received a dual projector lens similar to the Honda Vezel, and receiving LED tail lamps in its hybrid models only. Facelift. The mid-life facelift for the sixth-generation City was launched in Thailand on 1

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Honda City

Manufacturer

Honda

Production

1981–1995, 1996–present

Class

Subcompact car (B)

Body style

3-door hatchback (1981–1995), 2-door convertible (1984–1986), 4-door sedan (1996–present), 5-door liftback (Gienia, 2016–2020), 5-door hatchback (2020–present)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1162891CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CityCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1376638153 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Honda_City_1.5_i-VTEC_V_(VIII,_Facelift)_%E2%80%93_f_22032025.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 de · Photo: © M 93 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — https://rpmnews.com/Link only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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