The top-spec ZX variant of the Honda City is now available with the option of a manual gearbox. So far, customers could only get the fully loaded petrol variant of the City with a CVT gearbox. Priced at Rs 12.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the ZX MT costs Rs 1.3 lakh less than the CVT.

In terms of equipment, the petrol-manual ZX trim shares all the equipment available in the CVT model. Therefore, customers get six airbags, automatic LED headlamps with DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, electric sunroof, and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Honda has added two new paint shades – Radiant Red Metallic and Lunar Silver Metallic – to the existing paint options.

The company has said that the decision to launch a top-spec petrol-manual City was based on the high demand for a manual gearbox equipped top petrol trim. Interestingly, Honda has discontinued the base S petrol variant, with the SV trim now the entry point to the petrol range.

Honda announced that it has updated the entire City line-up to now include rear parking sensors as standard across the range. This was done to comply with the norms that mandate standard fitment of a host of safety features, which also include a driver-side airbag, a speed warning system and a seatbelt reminder for driver and co-driver. The norms come into force from July 1, 2019.

For 2019, Honda is set to relaunch the Civic in India in its latest generation. Set to launch in February, the new Civic is expected to be offered with the choice of 1.8-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines, paired with a manual gearbox as standard. The petrol model is additionally set to get the option of an automatic gearbox.