Honda begins sales of City-based Grace compact hybrid sedan in Japan

Honda Motor Co has begun sales of the all-new Grace hybrid sedan at dealerships across Japan today. This is the same as car the new Cityin India but with hybrid tech and LED tail-amps, among other things. 

According to Honda, the all-new Grace has been developed as a compact sedan for a new era under the development concept of ‘innovation of the compact sedan’. The carmaker says, “The car fuses together the easy handling and excellent fuel economy of a compact vehicle in 5-number size category and spacious cabin, stately styling, high visibility and tactile qualities and agile driving experience of an upper-middle-class sedan.”

While a compact sedan, the cabin space for rear seat occupants comes close to that of the Accord Hybrid thanks to Honda’s ingenious packaging developed within a vehicle that features a long wheelbase and stately styling. The combination of high-quality occupant comfort and excellent quietness provides all occupants with a relaxing, enjoyable and comfortable drive.

As for the powertrain, the all-new Grace is equipped with Honda’s Sport Hybrid i-DCD (intelligent Dual Clutch Drive) one-motor hybrid system that enables the driver to start in EV mode and realizes both outstanding fuel economy of 34.4 km/litre (JC08mode), which is the best among all hybrid sedan models in the market, and highly-responsive and dynamic driving performance. Moreover, for the first time as a compact hybrid sedan in 5-number size category, the all-new Grace offers a 4WD version in its lineup, enhancing security for customers who drive in colder climates and/or snowy areas while benefiting from the excellent fuel economy that can be achieved only by a hybrid vehicle.

Honda, which has priced the base DX FF model at 1,950,000 Yen (Rs 10.14 lakh) with 8 percent consumption tax, is targeting sales of 300 units a month of the Grace.