5 Upcoming Sedans In India: New Honda City To Skoda Superb
SUVs may be dominating sales charts today, but sedans aren’t going away anytime soon. A slick, value-packed sedan that drives well still has plenty of takers. The segment itself is set for a fresh wave of activity this year. Several manufacturers are preparing facelifts and all-new launches. Here’s a closer look at the same.
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The City has been around for a long time and has had immense acceptance in India. It is currently in its fifth generation and the next generation sedan is slated to be out in 2028. The fifth generation, however, went on sale in 2020. It received a facelift for the first time in 2023. Since 2028 is still some years away, Honda has decided to give the City a second facelift.
It is expected to give the sedan notable design improvements. Reports suggest that the design could borrow cues from that of the latest Honda Civic Type R sold in global markets. The front fascia, in particular, will get a sharper styling, inspired by the Type-R. The rear end is also expected to get significant changes. The wheels are also likely to change on the facelift. More details about the exterior design will emerge closer to launch.
Inside, the City facelift will get notable styling improvements. We may see new colours and trims being added to the cabin. Additionally, new features will also be added to the car. A 360-degree camera is likely to be added to the car, just like how one was recently added to the Elevate SUV.
The City facelift will likely remain mechanically unchanged. It will continue with the same engine options as the outgoing model- 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.5L strong hybrid. The former (i-VTEC) produces 119hp and 145Nm. It is available with a six-speed manual and a CVT automatic transmission options.
The hybrid powertrain on the City e:HEV makes 124hp and 253Nm, and comes with an e-CVT transmission. The facelift will initially be rolled out on the non-hybrid version. Later, a corresponding update will be introduced on the hybrid (e:HEV) version as well.
The current (i-VTEC) City sits in the Rs 12 lakh- 16.12 lakh bracket, with its ex-showroom prices. The hybrid City has an ex-showroom price of Rs 20 lakh. The facelift will likely have slightly higher ex-showroom prices.
The hot-selling Skoda Slavia is also set to get a mid-life update this year. The facelift is likely to arrive around the festive season. Recent test mule sightings indicate noticeable design revisions incoming. It could feature a revised grille, redesigned bumpers, updated headlamps, new alloy wheels and refreshed tail lamps. The overall visual appeal of a product plays a key role in shaping purchase decisions in this segment.
Inside the cabin, Skoda may introduce more premium trims, subtle design tweaks and additional features. Details of the new features remain undisclosed at the time of writing.
The powertrain options are expected to remain unchanged. Buyers will continue to get the 1.0-litre TSI and 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engines. The former makes 113hp and 178Nm, while the latter has 148hp and 250Nm on offer.
The 1.0 TSI engine can now be had with two transmission options- manual and a six-speed automatic. On the facelifted model, the six-speed automatic is likely to be replaced with a new AISIN-sourced 8-speed automatic transmission. The bigger engine is likely to be made available exclusively with a seven-speed DSG transmission.
The facelifted Slavia is expected to witness a slight upward revision in its prices. The outgoing model is priced in the range of Rs 10- 17.99 lakh, ex-showroom.
The Virtus is the Slavia’s platform sibling, This mid-size sedan is also se to get a facelift in the coming months. Much like the Slavia facelift, the changes will largely focus on design and equipment improvements. The Virtus is, in fact, one of the strongest performers in its segment. Volkswagen will thus be extra careful in designing the facelift. Spy shots suggest that the overall visual appeal will increase on the new model. The cabin will be made more comfortable.
The Virtus shares its platform, underpinnings, engines and transmissions with the Slavia. We can thus expect similar changes on the VW sedan as well. The platform, underpinnings and engine options will remain the same, while the six-speed automatic transmission will be replaced with an eight-speed unit. The 1.5 TSI engine will likely be kept exclusive to the 7-speed DSG transmission.
Image source: team BHP
Skoda is also reportedly considering the return of diesel sedans in India. One of the models being mulled is the diesel-powered Superb. The Superb, when it was on sale in India, had a solid reputation here. The new Superb 4x4 has been spied on test here, and will likely launch in the coming months. It will be brought in as completely built units (CBUs). Due to this, it is likely to carry a premium price tag here.
The Superb diesel will house a 2.0-litre TDI turbocharged diesel engine under its hood, capable of producing 193 hp and 400 Nm. 0-100 kph takes around 7.8 seconds. A lower tune is also available in some global markets. It will also come with all wheel drive (AWD) system, as suggested by the 4x4 badging on the test mule. Also, Skoda had previously showcased the new Superb at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025.
The carmaker may also bring the diesel-powered Skoda Octavia to India in the foreseeable future. This will also be powered by the same diesel engine (EA288), but will have it in a slightly lower state of tune- with an output of 150 hp and 360 Nm. A seven-speed DSG transmission will be offered with this engine. 0-100 kph sprint takes around 8.8 seconds.
On the design front, the India-spec Octavia is expected to stay close to the one sold in the UK. Both the Octavia and Superb are underpinned by Volkswagen Group’s MQB Evo platform.