Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS Review: Small Size, Big Fuel Savings

November 18, 2024

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Instead of arguing EVs over petrol, the Honda City e:HEV RS proves hybrids are superior

So in conjunction with Deepavali, Honda Malaysia has loaned me the coolest hatchback in town, even if it is self proclaimed, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS and although I was a bit sceptical at first, I am now a full on passenger on the hybrid hype train because while many are still arguing the transition from petrol to electric vehicles (EVs), I think hybrids are just better.

Okay, relax. I know the EV fanboys are already furiously raising their pitchforks, screaming, “burn the heretic,” allow me to explain. While EVs do have their merits, the unbearably long charging times and inferior range they offer simply make them a less viable option. Meanwhile, petrol cars, while tried and tested, can be boring as they are limited by emissions regulations.

Now is this the fault of EVs and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles? No. of course not, but is it also a fact that hybrids offer the best of both worlds? Well, it is hard to say that this is a fact but it is my opinion that hybrids are far superior. Moreover, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS is a very good example of how hybrids work.

For me, the really impressive bit is the fact that I did not lose a single bar of fuel from PJ all the way to Nilai. In any other traditional Petrol car, I would have easily lost 2 bars of petrol at least, however, the hybrid tech in the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS was simply exceptional at saving fuel in a way no EV or fully ICE car could be. Okay, let’s start this review.

Small Size, Big Space

All right, so for anyone wondering, when I reached Seremban after driving around Nilai for lunch and some grocery shopping, the fuel tank finally lost 1 bar of petrol, a truly impressive feat considering my right foot is practically made from lead compared to the rest of my body which is why I will continue to tout hybrids as the superior choice until something better comes along.

Okay, so obviously, the Honda City Hatchback comes in some petrol engine only variants as well and to be fair, the hybrid e:HEV RS spec, does not suffer too much of a blow in terms of space and practicality when compared to the aforementioned petrol engine only variants. If anything, I feel that this is one of the more spacious B-segment hybrids out there.

Measuring 4,349mm long, 1,748mm wide, 1,488mm tall and sporting a wheelbase of 2,600mm, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS is by no means the biggest hatchback one will ever see, let alone in the B-Segment, but in true Honda fashion, it makes excellent use of its space. It appears Honda really meant it when they said “man maximum, machine minimum.”

The addition of the Honda “magic seat,” yes that is what I will be calling it, get off my back, also make the already very spacious rear seats far more usable than any other hatchback in this price range as it allows one to carry longer and even taller items to a certain extent without needing to fold the rear seats down or use the boot at all.

Speaking of which, the rear seats also split 60;40 and the rear cabin is more than spacious enough to fit 2 adults and either a smaller adult or a child. Naturally, the 2 outer seats are far more spacious and comfortable but then again, that is the case in any car. You won’t get a rear armrest embedded in the seat either but the door cards do come with cupholders.

The front 2 seats are very comfortable and more than wide enough for the average Malaysian. I’d wager even if one was on the bigger side, they would still find the seats comfortable enough though because the entire cabin is spacious and practical throughout. Despite its compact size, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS is deceptively spacious and practical.

Performance

All right, now for my favourite section in any review. Naturally, the electric motor in any hybrid is meant to supplement the petrol (or diesel in some cases) engine in terms of power and help increase range. I, obviously, prefer the former of its 2 uses as I like being able to zoom past all the slowpokes in the left lane on the highway.

Now, I am by no means condoning anyone to break the speed limit while driving. My gripe is simple, the speed limit on the highway is either 90km/h or 110km/h so if I’m stuck behind someone going 60km/h, I’m going to want to move one lane to the right, overtake them and be on my merry way at the legal limit.

Now being a hybrid, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS is perfectly adequate at doing this as the power of the petrol engine, complemented by the instant torque of the electric motor make for very easy overtaking and of course, this also means that while idling in traffic and cruising at low speeds, petrol isn’t being wasted so range is always very good.

Interestingly, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS does have paddle shifters on the steering wheel, however, this is not used to shift between gears while driving, but to adjust the intensity of the regenerative braking in the car which charges the electric battery when braking. Naturally, for non-hybrid owners this may be jarring at first so it is good to have.

Tech, Safety and Convenience

As far as safety goes, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS comes with the whole suite of Honda SENSING and even comes with a parking brake switch instead of the traditional style hand brake. It also has brake auto hold as well as cruise control complete with lane keeping assist to add some convenience.

The Driver display consists of one physical dial and a digital screen which houses all the necessary info and is customisable so the driver can choose what information they are viewing while driving at any time. Of course, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available and they work like a charm every time.

Up front, the centre console houses 2 USB type-A ports along with a 12 V socket while rear passengers have their own air con vent as well as two USB type-C ports to boot. Of course being the top spec model, the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS also comes as standard with the RS bodykit and in red, it looks much more sporty and aggressive.

I should also note that while none of the seats in the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS are power adjusted, they are still very good since the driver seat can be raised or lowered and the multifunction steering wheel is both tilt and telescopic so no matter how one likes to sit in the car, they will be able to find a comfortable position.

Comfort

Speaking of comfort, the seats in the Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS are wide and soft, making them very comfortable. They are not ventilated but I don’t think that is necessary at this price point anyway plus, the air con vents do a very good job of cooling down the cabin very quickly too so it never feels warm.

Of course the remote engine start feature also means that you will never be warm in your Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS as you can simply press a button on your key fob near the car then wait a while for the air con to cool down the cabin and enter after all the heat is gone. All in all, the car was simply fantastic and a very convenient daily driver.

The Verdict

The Honda City Hatchback e:HEV RS is spacious, practical, safe and most of all, very simple to live with. Its compact size and big personality make it the perfect choice for city commuting as well as inter state travel as well so it is definitely a very versatile and stylish vehicle with all the right features anyone would want in a car.