The Honda City, now in its seventh generation, is now in its 2nd facelift cycle in Thailand.
The B-segment gets a minor shake in India and in Thailand thanks to the introduction of a facelifted 2026 Honda City. This is the 2nd facelift of the 7th generation Honda City and it arrives in sedan form for India and both sedan and hatchback form in Thailand. The changes to the City bring a refreshed visual character and some equipment upgrades too.
The Thailand Pre-Launch Phase and Trims
For the Thai market, the rollout is currently moving through a structured pre-launch timeline. Pre-orders for the Thai market are open until June 30, 2026. Following this initial booking phase, the official launch and pricing announcement will happen on July 1, 2026. When it officially hits showrooms, customers will note a highly streamlined model lineup.
Both body styles are offered in four distinct grades in Thailand:
- 1.0 Turbo S CVT
- e:HEV V
- e:HEV SV
- e:HEV RS
The variant matrix reveals a continuation of the 1.0L Turbo engine for the Thai market, but it is confined to the base S grade, serving as the entry point into the lineup. Meanwhile, the V, SV, and RS grades are powered exclusively by hybrid system. The 1.0L three-cylinder VTEC Turbo is able to run on E20 ethanol-blended fuel.
This highly efficient, downsized DOHC 12-valve 988cc motor is built to comply with local eco-car regulations. The Thai turbo engine produces 122 PS at 5,500 rpm and 173 Nm of torque between 2,000–4,500 rpm paired with a CVT driving the front wheels.
India continues to get the same 1.5L naturally-aspirated petrol engine as its base powertrain option as we get here in our current model, generating 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque.
Advanced e:HEV Hybrid System Specifications
The premium core of the 2026 lineup relies on Honda’s dual-motor intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system, which is marketed under the e:HEV brand. The e:HEV hybrid powertrain uses a 1.5L four-cylinder Atkinson-type petrol engine. On its own, this DOHC 16-valve 1,498cc internal combustion unit generates 98 PS at 5,600–6,400 rpm and 127 Nm of torque at 4,500–5,000 rpm.
New Looks and Equipment
Visually, the new City’s biggest distinguishing figure is the new LED ‘connecting’ headlights, which consists of a new LED strip between the two daytime running lights on each side. The face of the car has also been shifted down slightly with lower headlights, a lower front grille and this has been emphasized by moving the Honda logo to the top, close to the hood. The rear doesn’t look quite as extensively refreshed.
Inside, there’s a new 10″ infotainment system with a multi-view camera system, promising a 360-degree parking camera for the new City. Inside you’ll also find ventilated seats and a wireless charging pad.
It’ll be interesting to see how soon Malaysia gets this City. Perhaps Honda Malaysia will also change the powertrain options in Malaysia too, but that seems highly unlikely.
