2017 Honda Grace Facelift Debuts In Japan, Features Honda Sensing

The Japan market Honda City, officially known as the Honda Grace, has just been facelifted featuring updated styling as well as advanced Honda Sensing safety features.

Externally, the updated Honda Grace is identical to our recently-facelifted City with a new grille, front and rear bumper, and LED tail lights. As with our City, higher grade variants of the Grace get LED headlights, though buyers of other trims can opt for LED headlights as well. 

Under the bonnet, the revised Honda Grace carries over two petrol engines. The first is a 1.5-litre direct-injection four-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine that does 132 PS and 155 Nm, sent to either the front wheels or all four wheels via a CVT-type automatic transmission. Under the JC08 test cycle, the regular petrol variant of the Honda Grace returns 22 km/L for the front-wheel drive model and 19.6 km/L for the four-wheel drive model.

The second engine option utilizes Honda's Sport Hybrid i-DCD system, with a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle direct-injection four-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine mated to a seven-speed DCT. The petrol engine is good for 110 PS and 134 Nm, whilst the electric motor adds another 29.5 PS and 160 Nm. Power is sent to either the front wheels or all four wheels, depending on specification. Honda said that the Sport Hybrid i-DCD system in the updated Grace now returns 34.8 km/L under the JC08 test cycle, improving upon its predecessor's 34.4 km/L.

New to the Honda Grace is Honda Sensing, adding Road Sign Information (RSI), auto high beam, Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Road Departure Warning (RDW), pedestric detection system and City-Brake Active System.

Additionally, all variants of the Honda Grace receive auto headlights, LED-type third brake light, dual SRS airbags up front, ABS, EBD, VSA, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Hill Start Assist, ISOFIX child seat anchor points and immobilizer.

Six airbags, Honda Sensing, and LED headlights are standard on higher grade Grace Hybrid EX and Hybrid LX models and optional on the lower Hybrid DX and LX models.

Two new colours have been introduced, namely Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic and Lunar Silver Metallic. These two colours will increase the total colour options to seven for the Japanese market, with the others being White Orchid Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Ruse Black Metallic, Midnight Blue Beam Metallic and Premium Crystal Red Metallic. 

Prices start from JPY 1,769,040 (RM66,634) for the entry-level Honda Grace LX, whilst the range-topping Honda Grace Hybrid EX 4WD will cost JPY 2,569,320 (RM96,778).