Introduction

Honda India has kick-started 2023 with the launch of the updated Honda City. It’s the facelift version of the fifth-generation sedan. Apart from the subtle cosmetic upgrades, the City gets new features and an updated powertrain. Let’s take a closer look at the changes the new City has received over the old one.

Exterior and styling

Honda has kept the exterior silhouette of the City unchanged and kept the styling changes brief. Starting with the front, the chrome slat on the nose is retained, while the mesh pattern below it is new. The new City also gets a redesigned bumper with a black insert that extends on both sides into the fog lamp housing. The sloping bonnet line, along with the LED headlamps, have been carried forward from the outgoing model.

Towards the side, the design for the 16-inch alloy wheels is new and sports a dual-tone black and chrome finish. The new City is now offered in a new Obsidian Blue hue along with the existing palette of five other colours.

At the rear, the bumper has been re-profiled, while the new diffuser, carbon-fibre-type finish at the bottom, and horizontally placed reflectors are new and add a contrasting look. Moreover, the bootlid gets a new lip spoiler. The eagle-eyed will notice that Honda has discarded the variant nomenclature badge that was previously affixed on the right side of the tailgate.

Interior and features

Overall, the cabin looks familiar to the pre-facelift version, as Honda has made no changes to the dashboard layout or the upholstery theme. The cabin gets a black and beige combination, while the seats are draped in beige leatherette upholstery.

As for the features, the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system gets wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with a wireless charging pad and ambient footwell lighting. However, the most interesting inclusion are Honda’s Sensing ADAS features. These include active safety features such as adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitor, lane keep and departure assist, high-beam assist, and forward collision warning with emergency braking.

On the safety front, the new City is equipped with six airbags, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and a rear-view camera. The City can be had in four variants – SV, V, VX, and ZX, wherein the former is the newest addition to the line-up.

Powertrain

The 1.5-litre diesel engine of the Honda City has been discontinued, and the sedan is now offered only with a petrol engine. The 1.5-litre petrol mill is BS6 Phase 2 and RDE norms-compliant and is tuned to produce 119bhp and 145Nm of peak torque. The transmission options include a six-speed manual and a seven-speed DCT unit with paddle shifters. Honda claims a fuel efficiency of 17.8kmpl and 18.4kmpl for manual and automated variants, respectively.

Conclusion

With the minor styling tweaks and an updated powertrain, the City has gotten expensive by Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000, depending on the variant. However, the newly added base SV variant with a price tag of Rs 11.49 lakh (ex-showroom) does bring down the starting price to help it compete against its rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Skoda Slavia, Volkswagen Virtus, and the upcoming new Hyundai Verna. Further, the addition of ADAS features, which is also a first in the segment, makes the City a complete all-rounder.