Honda City - One of the Best Used cars in Pakistan

The Honda City is a well-known subcompact car that was originally released in 1981 in Japan and soon around the world. 

In Pakistan, Honda Global partnered with Atlas Motors in 1991, but initially, the Joint Venture only focused on the Honda Civic. It wasn’t until 1997 that Pakistan got its first locally assembled Honda City and has been a top pick for people who want to buy used cars in Pakistan ever since. 

The City has undergone several upgrades and improvements over the years, resulting in a total of seven different generations of the vehicle. Each new generation has included enhancements such as improved features, better performance, and increased safety. 

The Honda Atlas group stretched the 5th generation for 12 years instead of the normal 6. Thereby, Pakistan only got its 6th generation in 2021. Nonetheless, let's start dissecting the Honda City from its third generation, until now to see why it has been one of the best-used cars in Pakistan.

Third Generation (1997-2002)

The Third generation Honda City was a subcompact sedan, rather than a small hatchback, and was developed by Honda Thailand rather than Honda Japan. It was code-named the SX8, and Honda used the chassis of the fourth generation EF-series Civic and the proven D-series engines and gave the car a new exterior and interior design. This allowed Honda to create a new car while using existing resources and technology.

Honda's goal with the City model was to offer a low-priced sedan in the Asian market that provided the comfort and performance of a Civic. The City was highly successful in the region, but not as much in Pakistan, which is why you’ll hardly find many as you look to buy used cars in Pakistan today. 

The third generation City weighed approximately 960kg and was available with either a carbureted 1.3L D13B engine or a fuel-injected 1.5L D15B engine, both of which could be paired with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

In Pakistan, the pre-facelift versions of the third-generation Honda City did not come with an automatic transmission option. However, the facelift version, which was introduced in January 2000, offered a 4-speed automatic transmission and dropped the 1.5L engine option. 

That’s exactly why the pre-facelift version of this Honda City did not attract as many sales but after the facelift version was launched, it became highly popular in Pakistan. 

Fourth Generation (2002-2008)

The fourth generation of the Honda City is what helped the brand establish itself as a serious competitor in the Pakistani market. Although many did not like its exterior design, its fuel economy attracted most buyers. That’s why even after all these years it is one of the best-used cars in Pakistan. 

The fourth generation Honda City featured a twin-spark L13A "i-DSI" (Intelligence Dual & Sequential Ignition) engine that was designed to be fuel efficient. This was also the first City model to come with electric power steering and a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gearbox in addition to the traditional 5-speed manual transmission option.

The fourth generation Honda City was introduced in Pakistan in August 2003, initially only available with a 1.3L engine. However, a facelift version was released in 2006, which offered a more powerful 1.5L VTEC engine paired with a 7-speed multi-Matic CVT transmission, called the "Steermatic" in the Pakistani market. 

The fourth generation City also had several unique features, including a flat rear floor that provided plenty of legroom for rear passengers and a fuel tank located under the passenger compartment, which resulted in a large cargo space.

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Fifth Generation (2008-2021)

The 5th generation Honda City launched in Pakistan in 2008, Just as it did everywhere else. Ahhh! Those were the times. The fifth generation of the Honda City generated such good sales that Honda Atlas decided to retain it until 2022 unlike ending it in 2015 like it did in the rest of the world. 

The fifth generation Honda City had a completely new design, new engines, and a spacious interior, as well as various active and passive safety features. Honda referred to the design as "Arrow Shot Form," which gave the City a sporty and imposing appearance. This was probably the reason for its good sales figures and why it's still desired by so many people who are looking to buy used cars in Pakistan.

The City was equipped with 1.3L and 1.5L VTEC engines, while the lean burn i-DSI engine of the previous generation was no longer offered. In China, a 1.8L R18A engine producing 140hp was also available with the 5th generation City. Transmission options included a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic.

In 2012, Honda Atlas launched the “Aspire” variant of the Honda City which included a number of options such as keyless Entry, alloy Rims, Built-in Navigation Screen, Multimedia System (with silver-on-black panel), Side Mirror Indicators, Prosmatec Transmission option, and leather Interior.

That was the end of innovation for Honda Atlas until 2021 when the backlash against the automaker for continuing with the older models increased a lot. Even its sales had started falling as Toyota had for the first time launched the Yaris in Pakistan, and Changan had launched its Alsvin. 

6th Generation (2021- Present)

As we’ve said before the 6th generation of the Honda City was launched elsewhere as early as 2015, and the latest by 2017, in Pakistan it didn’t make an entrance until 2021. Keep in mind, everywhere else, the seventh generation of the Honda City was launched in 2021, but we can’t expect it until 2027, that too if we’re lucky. 

You’ll find some 6th generation models of the Honda City in Pakistan with the badging of Honda Grace. These are imported JDMs, but they are also quite sought after by people looking to buy used cars in Pakistan. 

Even after the launch of the 6th generation of the Honda City, the Honda Grace models are quite superior. Combine with the emergence of the Toyota Yaris and Changan Alsvin, you can guess why the sales of this generation of the Honda City struggled first. 

Further salt to the injury has been the price point of the Honda City which is the highest in its segment. Lastly, the delivery time of this Honda City since its launch has been over four months. That’s why, despite all this, it’s still one of the best-used cars in Pakistan. 

Nonetheless, Honda’s fanboys will buy the car no matter what, and although there are some things about the Honda City that are appealing. 

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