Honda City facelift launched at Rs 11.49 lakh; ADAS on non-hybrid variants too
In its updated avatar, Honda City continues to rival sedans like Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Virtus, Skoda Slavia, and Maruti Ciaz.
Honda has launched the 2023 City facelift in India with prices starting at Rs 11.49 lakh and going up to Rs 20.39 lakh for the top-spec City e:HEV (both prices ex-showroom). As per the latest update, the fifth generation City receives a minor cosmetic makeover, a new paint shade, and some additional features on board.
Bookings for the updated City have commenced for Rs 5,000 if booked online and Rs 21,000 if booked at a dealership. Both hybrid and non-hybrid versions of City are BS-6 RDE (real drive emissions) compliant and E5 fuel and E20 material compatible.
Besides, the petrol-powered and hybrid versions of the sedan have gained a new base variant each. In its petrol guise, City is available in four trims– SV, V, VX, and ZX, whereas City e:HEV is offered in two variants– V and ZX.
Styling update
The 2023 City facelift gains minor cosmetic updates, including tweaked front and rear bumpers, new 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, a new front grille with a sleeker chrome bar at the top, and a honeycomb mesh pattern on higher variants and vertical slats on lower variants. There is also a new colour scheme on offer, namely Obsidian Blue.
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New features added
Inside the cabin, the layout, upholstery, and switchgear of the new City are almost identical to its predecessor. However, it boasts new features, like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, wireless phone charger, rain-sensing auto wiper, and PM 2.5 air purifier.
Another major addition to the petrol-powered City is Honda Sensing—a better name for Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)—previously offered on the strong hybrid derivative only. The ADAS suite on City comes with features like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, auto high beam, and autonomous emergency braking.
Other features, including an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an electric sunroof, a seven-inch coloured multi-information display, connected car tech with 37 Honda Connect features, and ambient lighting, are carried forward from the pre-facelift model. The safety package offers features like six airbags, a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and a rearview camera.
Powertrain specs
Powertrain options for the updated City include a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated i-Vtec petrol engine and a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a hybrid motor. The former develops 119 bhp and 145 Nm of peak torque and comes paired with either a six-speed manual unit or a CVT unit.
The strong hybrid powertrain, on the other hand, generates an output of 97 bhp and 127 Nm of torque via the petrol engine, while the hybrid motor produces 107 bhp and 253 Nm of torque. The combined setup returns a peak power output of 124 bhp while paired with an e-CVT gearbox. Most importantly, Honda has pulled the plug on the 1.5-litre i-Dtec diesel motor.
(Image courtesy: Honda)
Edited by Suman Singh