Review Honda City facelift, first time driving: price, exterior, interior, ADAS features, engine – Introduction

To meet the soon-to-be implemented Real Driving Emissions (RDE) standards and make the engine compatible with E20 fuel (20% ethanol blended gasoline), Honda recently updated the petrol and diesel versions. City’s hybrid. Three years after its launch, the Japanese automaker has also revamped the segment’s best-selling model, introducing more affordable variants for both petrol and hybrid, and adding a number of features. new. After raising prices up to Rs 50,000 across the range, the City petrol is now priced from Rs 11.49 lakh-15.97 lakh, while the hybrid is priced from Rs 18.89 lakh-20.39 lakh.

But with the upgrade, Honda has also ditched its fuel-efficient diesel engine. According to Honda, due to the change in consumer preference from diesel to gasoline engines, City diesel engines have recently accounted for less than 10% of total sales. The numbers therefore do not justify the investment in upgrading this powertrain to meet RDE standards. The company also discontinued production of the fourth-generation City, which was sold alongside the fifth generation.

Honda City facelift: exterior

City now has a reworked grille and new design for 16-inch alloy wheels.

For this 2023 upgrade, subtle styling tweaks refresh its appeal. The chrome bar on its new grille is toned down and done more tastefully than the chunky plate of the pre-renovation version. And the attractive LED headlights, combined with a moderate amount of sparkle, nicely accentuate the Obsidian Blue Pearl paintwork, which is a new, elegant addition to the vehicle’s color palette.

The powerful rear diffuser with its carbon fiber-like pattern looks quite convincing.

The front and rear bumpers have been redesigned across the entire range, but only the taller variants are treated with aggressive lines that further enhance its sporty look. Part of this includes the black plastic trim that surrounds the fog lamp housings along with a carbon fiber patterned bumper edge and a strong rear diffuser that has a carbon fiber-like pattern, which looks really cool. convincing to be able to push the limits of a more perfect sports car.

The trunk spoiler, which was exclusive to the hybrid model, is now offered with the top-of-the-line petrol version.

16-inch alloy wheels are also new, however, City continues with thin 185/55 R16 tires; Wider tires complete the look of this well-proportioned sedan. With the upgrade, even the petrol version gets a trunk spoiler, which was previously only offered on the hybrid version. And with that, there’s very little visual difference between the petrol and hybrid versions – the hybrid has the Honda logo (front and back) outlined in blue; badge “e:HEV” on the trunk; and rear disc brake.

Honda City facelift: interior

Seats remain plush and supportive; Ventilated seats will enhance comfort.

The interior of the petrol version is virtually unchanged except for some new feature additions. In place of the front cup holder (in front of the gear lever) is a removable wireless charging pad that can be tucked into the glovebox when not in use. Then there are the ADAS-specific changes, including buttons on the steering wheel and displays on the semi-digital instrument cluster.

A removable (gasoline) wireless charging pad is located in the place of the front cup holder. Can be stowed in the glove box when not in use.

New to the hybrid version is a carbon fiber-like trim that replaces the wooden trim on the dashboard. Its wireless charging pad, which was an accessory before, is now part of the package and sits in place of the petrol handbrake – the hybrid has an electronic parking brake.

The touch screen software has been updated and the resolution has been improved; Package in wireless smartphone integration.

After receiving feedback from many stakeholders, the 8-inch touch screen has been updated to newer software and better resolution. While the user interface is still pretty basic, it finally integrates Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

The reverse camera monitor and blind spot monitor are easier to see thanks to the better resolution screen.

Another important improvement is that the rear camera display and blind spot monitor are brighter and easier to see than the previous version. However, the ventilated front seats are still not on the equipment list.

The rear seats are comfortable and provide good leg room.

Honda hasn’t made other changes to this well-appointed cabin, which isn’t a bad thing, as certain parts still feel high quality, like the climate control knobs, instrument cluster, etc. as well as the plush and extremely comfortable seats. The fuel tank is large, although the hybrid engine is a bit compromised due to the placement of the extra battery.

Honda City upgraded version: ADAS

Downgrading from the Hybrid to the standard petrol are Honda’s camera-based automated driving assistance systems (ADAS), including lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and braking. automatic emergency braking, collision mitigation braking and automatic high beam assist. .

ADAS safety technology on City facelift includes automatic brake assist.

Lane Keeping Assist detects when the vehicle veers out of its lane, and the system warns the driver and even makes appropriate steering adjustments to get back into the lane. This feature only works at speeds above 67 kph, and the system is neither overly aggressive nor intrusive, making it good on well-marked roads.

Like cruise control, adaptive cruise control maintains a preset speed, but it goes a step further and maintains a preset distance and adjusts speed with the vehicle ahead. It will even bring the car to a complete stop and automatically accelerate afterwards. Occasionally, however, the system tends to decelerate slightly when the vehicle ahead is erratic or when other drivers cross you, so the system is best used on wide highways. spacious, where there is little traffic.

Lane keeping assist only works above 67kph; works nicely on well marked roads.

Honda even offers this feature on the manual version, however, it comes with certain challenges: the driver needs to make sure the car is in the right gear, and when the system decelerates the vehicle based on On the vehicle in front, if certain conditions such as load, engine speed, road angle, etc., are met, this feature will automatically disconnect and not regain momentum when the vehicle in front accelerates or gets out of the way.

New with this update is a ‘lead vehicle departure notification system’, which is useful at red lights or in congested traffic, where it beeps audio and gives a prompt on the cluster tool to notify the driver when the vehicle ahead has moved and the road is clear for you to keep moving.

Honda City facelift: performance

With this update, certain components of the petrol and hybrid powertrains have been upgraded to be compatible with E20 fuel, which will be available nationwide soon.

The RDE-compliant 1.5-litre petrol engine now has the same 121hp and 145Nm.

Its 1.5-litre petrol engine remains the same favorite as before, with no changes in power or torque. It’s quite responsive at low speeds, and while the naturally aspirated mid-range performance is expected to be flat (unlike a turbocharged petrol engine), it’s an engine that likes to spin fast. Power flows with every step, with outstanding spikes in excess of 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm. However, it gets closer to the rev limit of 7000rpm, where it feels the most interesting, not only in terms of performance but also the audio experience.

Interestingly, more than 50% of City cars sold in India are automatic, which is no surprise as its continuously variable transmission (CVT) is effortless yet surprisingly efficient. It does its job comfortably and comfortably. But for those who prefer to paddle through the ports by hand, the 6-speeder also makes driving a breeze thanks to its smooth and well-defined ports as well as its lightweight clutch.

City delivers peak fun and performance at 7,000 rpm,

Other powertrain options in the City range are hybrids or “e:HEVs,” which include a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine and two electric motors – one pulling 109 horsepower from lithium-ion battery to power the motor. wheels and a 95-horsepower generator that charges the battery with a gasoline engine.

The hybrid’s intelligent system automatically switches between three powertrain modes – Electric, Hybrid and Motor, based on different parameters. The transition between modes is seamless, the engine is fine-tuned and vibration-free, and, in addition to being much more responsive (compared to the standard petrol engine) thanks to the electrical assistance provided , it also delivers amazing fuel efficiency, capable of traveling around the 20kpl mark in city and highway driving conditions.

Honda City facelift: ride and handling

The City delivers confident driving thanks to its weighted steering and compliant travel.

The City drives in a confident style and helps passengers out of tough bumps with a great sense of maturity. Stability is also good, and thanks to the well-weighted steering and predictable nature, you can have a certain degree of fun driving this car around. What could be improved upon, however, is the insulation and refinement of the cabin, which is not as good as some of its rivals. So, like before, you can hear a lot of engine and road noise entering the cabin.

Honda City facelift: price and verdict

Honda is offering an eye-catching premium of Rs 4.50 lakh-5.00 lakh for the Hybrid compared to comparable petrol-auto variants. Although the company has introduced an additional, more affordable hybrid variant, this high-tech version is likely to be difficult to sell, especially since the petrol-CVT engine is equally equipped, delivering performance Good performance and also quite fuel efficient.

The regular city is priced similarly to the 1.0 turbo petrol variants of the VW Virtus and Skoda Slavia; though taller than Maruti Ciaz. The upgrade is very light and misses out on some features and that’s something it will soon rival – the new Verna – will likely get fitted, but it has the right basics. For the money, the updated Honda City continues to be an all-round sedan that packs everything a buyer is looking for – space, comfort, fuel economy and, above all, a decent ride. interesting. For some, what will add to its appeal is the first autonomous driver assistance system (ADAS) in the segment. So if you’re looking for a City, the Hybrid is really only for those who want the latest technology, or for those who drive more. For everyone else, a regular City will work just fine.

Also see:

Video review Honda City facelift