Impressed with the latest Honda City’s features and design? Or are you more enticed by the performance and efficiency of the Jazz’s hybrid variant? Why not have them both? Because now Honda Malaysia has introduced – rather sneakily, we must say – the Honda City Sport Hybrid i-DCD, which can now be booked at any of the 91 authorised Honda dealer nationwide.

Just like with the Honda Jazz Hybrid, Malaysia is the first market outside Japan to have a City with this powertrain option on sale.

After a very impressive public response from the public, with over 12,000 units of the facelifted City sold since its launch four months ago, the new City Hybrid will further increase the appeal of this feature-packed B-segment sedan.

The New City Hybrid is powered by a 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine combined with 7-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) with Integrated High Power Motor. Both the engine and Integrated High Power Motor allow the engine to deliver up to 137hp and 170Nm torque that is equivalent to a 1.8L engine. The fuel efficiency of the New City Hybrid is recorded at 3.9L/100km, and for better power delivery, Honda uses a Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery, which has higher capacity and is more durable.

Some may think that the hybrid system compromises boot space; a justified view of course, since a hybrid’s battery does require extra space. But Honda claims that the upcoming City Hybrid will still offer 536 litres of boot space, which is exactly the same as the petrol-engined types.

The fuel tank size in the Hybrid is the same as in the other City variants (40 litre) but kerb weight, expectedly, is higher at 1,188kg compared to the petrol’s maximum of 1,112kg.

The driver can get information regarding the hybrid drive from a multi-information display that provide readings that include Energy Flow, Sport Meter, Fuel Economy, Drive Info, Customisation, and Eco Display.

Other features include touch panel air-conditioning, 6.8-inch display, DRL, LED tail lights and 16-inch alloys.

Vehicle Stability Assist, a reverse camera and four airbags are all standard equipment.

The new Honda City Hybrid is priced at RM89,200, a negligible amount lower than the top-spec City 1.5L V’s RM89,240.

Production of the Hybrid has already started and is already available for test drive at selected dealerships.