Honda City Hatchback RS e:HEV Malaysia: It costs RM20,000 more than the petrol version

Two months after the Honda City Hatchback was launched in Malaysia, the Japanese carmaker has finally announced the pricing for its top-spec RS e:HEV variant. This is their petrol hybrid model that comes with Level 2 semi-autonomous driving and safety features

The Honda City Hatchback RS e:HEV is officially priced at RM107,783.09 (OTR without insurance) in Malaysia inclusive of the current Sales Tax Exemption that’s valid until 30th June 2022. That’s RM1,832.64 more than the sedan RS e:HEV version which is currently going for RM105,950.45. The City Hatchback RS e:HEV model is offered in Ignite Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, and Meteoroid Grey Metallic.

According to Honda Malaysia, they have received over 5,200 bookings for the all-new City Hatchback since December 2021. They are confident that the RS e-HEV variant will set the benchmark in the market with its complete package of stylish RS exterior, e:HEV powertrain, Honda Sensing and advanced telematics Honda Connect.

Here’s a recap on the pricing for the entire Honda City Hatchback range in Malaysia:

• Honda City Hatchback S – RM75,670
• Honda City Hatchback E – RM83,080
• Honda City Hatchback V – RM87,860
• Honda City Hatchback RS e:HEV – RM107,789

The biggest difference between the Hatchback RS and the Sedan RS is the flexibility of the magic seats and a larger rear door opening which can be used to accommodate longer and taller items. The boot capacity of the City Hatchback is 289 litres versus 410 litres in the hybrid sedan.

e:HEV costs RM20,000 more over the petrol version

There’s a huge RM20,000 price gap between the RS e:HEV and the petrol V variant of the City Hatchback. The biggest difference is the drivetrain as the e:HEV variant gets a 1.5L 4-cylinder i-MMD with eCVT which produces 109PS and 253Nm of torque. The i-MMD setup features a dual-motor setup for power generation and propulsion. In most scenarios, the petrol engine works as a generator to power the electric motor which then moves the front wheels. The petrol engine is only directly moving the front wheels at highway cruising speeds when it is the most efficient.

Honda claims the performance of its hybrid powertrain is equivalent to a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine and it has a rated fuel economy of 3.6 litre per 100km (27.7km per litre).

Meanwhile, the other lower-spec variants get a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine that produces 121PS and 145Nm of torque. The petrol engine has a rated fuel consumption of 5.6 litre per 100km (17.8 km per litre) which is still pretty frugal in its class. The City Hatchback RS e:HEV has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.7 seconds, which is a second quicker than the rated 10.7 seconds for the petrol version.

In addition, the RS e:HEV also gets an electric parking brake with auto hold, rear disc brakes and an impressive array of Honda Sensing features which include Lane Keep Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Adaptive Cruise Control which works from 30km/h and above. The car also gets Honda LaneWatch which is also available on the V spec petrol variant.

In the interior, the RS e:HEV also gets a semi-digital instrument cluster with a 7″ TFT screen and rear air-con vents, which aren’t available for the petrol City Hatchback models. Being the “sporty” version of the range, you also get additional cosmetic touches including a blacked-out front grille with RS badging.

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