White City photo via: Pond RS Shop
- Cost to convert isn't too expensive
- Regular non-hybrid City can look like the RS
- How to tell the difference?
Welcome to yet another installation of ‘Fake vs Real’. This time around, we will dive into the 2022 Honda City RS and how to spot a fake, converted one.
Compared to models like the Proton Inspira or Ford Ranger, it’s much cheaper to convert the regular City into the hotter City RS, coming in at roughly RM 2,500. That sum of money gets you the most of the visual bits to convert the regular City into a faux-RS.
Items included in that sum of money are like the front upper and lower grille, sportier front fog light surrounds, black side mirror caps, rear diffuser, and rear spoiler. One can also add the blue-tinged Honda logo as well as e:HEV emblem for additional money.
Perhaps the most noticeable change between the genuine City RS and a converted one are its rear disc brakes. The petrol-electric hybrid City RS is the only variant to offer rear disc brakes; every other variant gets drum brakes on the rear axle.
There are other tell-tale signs that separate a faux-RS from a real one, like the body-coloured door handles. The 1.5 E, 1.5V, and 1.5 V Sensing variants offer chrome door handles, while the entry-level 1.5 S and RS get body-coloured items instead.
Then there’s the City RS’ wheels. Although the design mirrors that of the regular 1.5V, the RS’ rims are finished in black and silver. A neat little touch we noticed was that the City RS even gets dual-tone centre wheel caps to complete the looks.
Looks like an RS, but it isn't. Photo via: Pond RS Shop
Being the range-topping City variant, the RS also gets LED headlights. If an RS you spotted does not have LED headlights, then it is a converted unit. Lower City variants like the 1.5S and 1.5E make do with halogen projector units.
It is also worth mentioning that the City RS is only available in 3 colours: Passion Red Pearl (now replaced by Ignite Red Metallic), Platinum White Pearl, and Modern Steel Metallic (replaced by Meteoroid Gray Metallic). Any other colour beyond the aforementioned ones would hint that it is not a real City RS.
The changes are more apparent inside, as the City RS takes a sportier approach, as compared to the regular City’s more luxurious direction.
Perhaps the part that’s difficult to convert from the regular City is the electric parking brake (EPB). The City RS offers an EPB instead of a regular mechanical parking brake, meaning that the centre console is totally different.
The RM 106k City RS also gets red stitching on the steering wheel, door cards, seats, centre console, dashboard, and gear lever, elevating its sporty appeal. There’s also sport pedals, half-leather seats and black soft touch materials on various touch points, vastly different from the regular City.
If there’s one aspect that’s virtually impossible to convert is the powertrain. The City RS gets Honda’s trick two-motor i-MMD petrol-electric hybrid system. The 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine does 98 PS and 127 Nm while the electric traction motor does 109 PS and 253 Nm. Power figures for the engine and motor cannot be summed simply because they peak at different rotational speeds.
All Honda hybrid models now wear the e:HEV badge
Power is sent to the front wheels via an eCVT.
Every other City variant makes do with a new naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre DOHC petrol engine with 121 PS and 145 Nm, routed to the front wheels via a regular CVT.
Keyword: Less than RM 2.5k to convert, how to differentiate a genuine 2022 Honda City RS from a fake one?