A facelifted version of the Honda Ballade has quietly landed in South Africa. Here’s how much the updated sedan – including the flagship RS derivative – will cost you…
With all the attention currently falling on the freshly launched Honda Elevate, the arrival of a facelifted version of the related Honda Ballade in South Africa has gone almost unnoticed.
Thankfully, the eagle-eyed experts over at duoporta.com spotted what would otherwise have been an entirely under-the-radar update.
As before, the local Ballade range comprises 3 sedan derivatives, each fitted with the firm’s naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine. Just as it does in the Ballade’s platform-sharing Elevate sibling, this 4-cylinder mill sends 89 kW and 145 Nm to the front wheels, though here it’s mated exclusively to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
So, to the all-important topic of pricing. The Ballade 1.5 Comfort CVT now kicks off at R389 900, while the Ballade 1.5 Elegance CVT is priced at R424 900. The flagship Ballade 1.5 RS CVT, meanwhile, will set you back R459 900.
From what we can tell, the refreshed Ballade – which is known as the City in other markets – is mechanically unchanged from the version that touched down in Mzansi back in November 2020. So, it appears this mid-cycle revision centres on styling changes and perhaps some equipment upgrades (we’ll have to wait on Honda Motor Southern Africa for details on the latter).
A little frustratingly, Honda’s local website currently includes images of only the top-spec RS derivative, though this variant clearly gains fresh front-end styling. The latter overhaul is led by a new grille design, while dispensing with the outgoing model’s chunky slab of chrome-effect trim. In addition, the Ballade RS scores a new front bumper with revised foglamp bezels.
Round back, the changes appear to be a little less pronounced, though this saloon does feature an updated rear bumper design (the relatively subtle RS bootlid spoiler, meanwhile, remains in place). Judging by the images, the Ballade also upgrades to a fresh (again 2-tone) 16-inch alloy-wheel design.
The cabin, too, seems to have benefitted from some tweaks, with the RS model gaining red dashboard trim and red contrast stitching. The lone image on the local website furthermore suggests some silver finishes – such as those applied to the steering wheel and around the air vents on either side of the touchscreen – have been dropped in favour of black finishes.
We’ll update this story with more information on any other specification changes should Honda Motor Southern Africa release official details…
How much does the facelifted Honda Ballade cost in SA?
Honda Ballade 1.5 Comfort CVT – R389 900
Honda Ballade 1.5 Elegance CVT – R424 900
Honda Ballade 1.5 RS CVT – R459 900
A 5-year/200 000 km warranty and a 4-year/60 000 km service plan (with intervals of 15 000 km) are included in the purchase price.
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