Honda Cars India has conducted the world premiere of the next generation Honda City today in New Delhi.

The vehicle was announced with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine (same as the current City) and a 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine.

Its market launch will be held in January next year and production will begin at the Greater Noida plant in November, for which Honda is adding a third shift.

In the presentation that preceded the car's unveiling, Honda said 50% of sales for its car division is now coming from emerging markets like India.

Honda terms the new City's exterior as a 'Sleek Crossmotion Exterior' while the interior gets a 'Layered Floating Cockpit'.

The car features a low and sleek front face with an aerodynamic bumper. The rear features a combination lamp and lid lamp.

Honda promises class-leading interior space and an interior with high-quality textures.

The vehicle's length is the same at 4,440 mm, while the wheelbase extended by 50 mm to 2,600 mm. The width is retained but the shoulder room and headroom is up by 40 mm and 10 mm respectively. The tandem distance is improved by 69 mm and the knee clearance is up by 70 mm.

Chassis rigidity is up 24%.

Talking about feature-content, the new Honda City receives a 5-inch monitor on the dashboard with in-built hands-free communication and Aux, iPod, USB and Bluetooth connectivity options.

The cabin receives rear air-conditioning vents, eight speakers, four power outlets (two in the front and two at the back), sunroof, touch panel auto AC, one-push smart key entry system, cruise control and a shark-fin antenna.