The City is a popular brand for Honda and while its SUV finally comes later this year, it is the City that remains its cash cow. Hence, Honda has once again updated the City and this time updated it extensively as the segment sees a lot of new activity. There are two sedans which are now and one more is launching this month, hence, there could not have been a better time to launch a new City.
It does look new and not a facelift which you need to explain to your neighbours about what exactly is 'new' every time. The 'Obsidian Blue Pearl' colour looks fantastic and gives the City a more premium look. A new grille with an exciting pattern design along with carbon-wrapped bumper inserts adds a dose of muscle to another otherwise sober design. The new front bumper extends the City's length and is now the longest car in its class while looking very good. You will also see new 16-inch diamond-cut alloys, a body-coloured rear spoiler and a new rear bumper with a carbon-wrapped diffuser. Overall, the facelift worked wonders in making it more desirable looking.
Inside it is more or less the same with the same pleasing two-done beige/black layout for the standard City petrol. The changes are in the features department where you get wireless smartphone connectivity, wireless charging (a convenient detachable one for the petrol City), a rain-sensing auto wiper, a better rearview camera, a cabin air filter and more. Space remains excellent and chauffeur-driven owners will like the remote control operation via the smartphone app.
We drove the standard petrol City which continues with the 1.5l unit with 121 PS and 145 NM. Standard is a 6-speed manual while we tested the CVT automatic. The engine is RDE compliant and E20 ready while the performance remains what you'd expect with smooth and linear power delivery.
The City is an easy car to drive with a focus on comfort while the CVT gearbox works perfectly for low-speed use in stop-go traffic. It is only when you push hard that the engine gets audible. While the manual would be more fun, the CVT automatic is more convenient and efficient.
A crucial new addition is the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS features which now features on all but the base variant in the regular petrol City trims. Features include Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation System, Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Lead Car Departure Notification System (New) and Auto High-Beam. We will report that these features work quite well and are adapted to our roads while being an important addition.
Honda has added a new entry-level variant of the City while also expanding the hybrid line-up while the petrol CVT automatic remains one of the best variants of the City in terms of its easy-to-drive nature plus the smoothness. The top-end CVT is Rs 15.97 lakh and with these changes, the Honda City is now a more desirable car along with being a better-equipped sedan. In terms of comfort, ease of use and overall packaging, the current City remains a top choice.
What We Like — Sharper new looks, features, comfort, smooth engine
What We Do Not Like — No turbo petrol on offer
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