Honda’s strategy to introduce a diesel engine in the City sedan line-up with the latest rendition of the mid-sizer seems to be working in its favour. While the Honda City had always been a popular seller in the segment, the lack of a diesel engine took away from the edge it had over competitors. As a result, it had been pipped by the Hyundai Verna as the most popular mid-sizer in 2011. Across the next two years as well, the Hyundai far outsold the Honda.
But now, with the launch of the fourth-generation Honda City, which comes equipped with Honda’s made-for-India 1.5-litre diesel motor, the Japanese carmaker has managed to wrestle back the mid-size sedan crown. Across the first two months of 2014, the City’s sales stood at 14,397 units compared to the Verna’s 7,145. And it’s not like Hyundai sat idle either, introducing a new variant for the Verna to take the fight to the newly launched City. However, at the moment, the battle seems to be going Honda’s way.