The Japanese automaker Honda has just launched a new model in the country where it originates from. On its official Japanese website, Honda has listed a new model it dubs the Grace, which is a hybrid sedan. The company is referring to this particular model as a compact car. This, however, may prove to be misleading. In Japan, even the Honda Jazz – known as Fit in other regions – is considered as a compact car in spite of its considerably small size. Yet, judging by the headlamps and taillights that this new sedan from Honda features, it seems safe to say that the Grace is really just a City, only with a new engine. Speaking of the Honda City, the current model is the 6th generation. It is being manufactured in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The latest City launched back in the year 2013, when the year was about to come to an end.
Speaking of the Honda Grace, the company is still tight-lipped when it comes to the spec sheets. Nonetheless, it is very likely that the powertrain, dubbed the Sport Hybrid i-DCD as can be seen on the car’s emblem, will mate an electric motor to a 1.5L 4-cylinder engine. In addition to that, a Dual-Clutch Drive feature may come standard as well. And if Honda is going to treat the Grace in a similar way that it treats the Jazz/Fit, Japanese customers can expect to get their hands on a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) drivetrain as well.
Since the new Honda Grace Hybrid Sedan may well be based on the Honda City sedan, it is perhaps wise to pay attention to the engine that the latter has in store. The Japanese automaker has equipped the City with a 1.5L i-VTEC SOHC engine capable of delivering 120 hp. For an alternative, customers also get to choose a 1.5L i-DTEC engine capable of delivering 100 hp.
