2021 Honda City Hatchback RS debuts in Indonesia – 1.5L NA engine; manual and CVT; Malaysia next?

Following its world debut in Thailand last November, the Honda City Hatchback has now been launched in Indonesia, replacing the third-generation Jazz that was previously offered there. Interestingly enough, the archipelagic country is welcoming the hatchback version of the latest City first, before the sedan that is already available to us in Malaysia.

For the Indonesian market, the City Hatchback comes in a sole RS trim level, although customers will get to choose between a six-speed manual (yes, you read right) and a CVT, both mated to the same engine.

Just like our market, that engine is not the 1.0 litre VTEC Turbo three-cylinder petrol unit offered in Thailand. Instead, it’s a 1.5 litre DOHC i-VTEC naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that makes 121 PS at 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm of torque, which Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) – the local distributor there – says is the most powerful in its class.

In terms of equipment, the City Hatchback is identically specced regardless of transmission choice, with the RS look being standard and represented by a black front grille, shark fin antenna, tailgate spoiler, door handles, side mirror caps, rear diffuser element and fog lamp garnish.

Standard exterior equipment includes LED lighting for the exterior (headlamps, DRLs, fog lamps and taillights), 16-inch alloy wheels with 185/55 profile tyres, keyless entry, heat-rejecting tinted glass and a multi-angle reverse camera.

Inside, you’ll find a combination of leather, suede and fabric upholstery, manually-operated front seats, keyless engine start, an eight-inch touchscreen head unit with WebLink and Apple CarPlay support, four speakers, along with single-zone automatic air-conditioning. The CVT option does come with remote engine start and paddle shifters, which aren’t on the manual.

The City Hatchback in RS guise also comes with a red and black interior, the latter as a contrast to showcase its sportiness. Said colour is seen on the AC panel, stitching on the leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob as well as instrument cluster. Honda’s Ultra Seats are also present, allowing for a variety of seat configurations that either maximise comfort or practicality.

On the safety front, the model comes with six airbags as standard, along with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), hill start assist, front seat belt reminders, Isofix child seat anchors on the outer rear seats and four rear parking sensors.

Customers will have six colours to choose from, including Phoenix Orange Pearl, Rallye Red, Crystal Black Pearl, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic and Platinum White Pearl. They can also purchase Modulo accessories for the exterior, which include door visors, plus front, side and rear skirting.

Official pricing for the City Hatchback is unavailable for now, with HPM only set to reveal figures later in April. With the model making its way to more ASEAN markets, could we be next? There have been rumours that the Jazz will be dropped here, with the City Hatchback being its replacement. Excited?