New Honda City e:HEV First Drive Review: The Return of 'Kitna Deti Hai?'

With a sharper nose, a spruced-up interior, and an updated feature list, the arrival of yet another Honda City facelift sounds like the annual release of a new iPhone. However, naysayers might have to take a step back this time around because the new world order seems to be in favour of this fuel-efficient Honda sedan. The more I drove the new City e:HEV - or simply put, the City Hybrid - the easier it became to recommend the sedan to family car buyers. Here’s why.

The facelift version of the sedan brings in a sharp nose, more aggressive tail-end garnishing and a new Crystal Pearl Black shade. It is important because this is the first time you can go out and buy a Honda City in black, in its 28-year history.

The front end now gets a pair of sleek LED projector headlamps, and the front end is further highlighted by the new connected DRL setup, in line with the current trend. The front bumper has also been redesigned and gets functional air ducts to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the car.

At the rear, the new City Hybrid is identical to the older one except the taillamps now get a clear lens, and to look more sporty, are now blacked out. The lip-spoiler has been retained, and the lower part of the bumper features an aggressive-looking diffuser. While the car looks cohesive from all angles, the R16 185/55 section tyres still look undersized and make it look odd and compromise the stance. On the plus side, it does add to the sedan's efficiency in return.

The cabin of the 2026 Honda City Hybrid remains fundamentally unchanged. It looks more premium due to the new ivory-coloured upholstery. Front passengers now get ventilated seats that feel effective in Bengaluru’s sweltering heat. Keep in mind that it makes considerable fan noise at the highest setting. The new 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but feels like an afterthought. This is mainly because it sticks out and has a basic-looking user interface along with below-average resolution. The fully automatic climate control works well and is easy to navigate thanks to physical buttons and knobs that take centre stage on the dashboard.

Other new elements include a wireless smartphone charger, placed almost under the driver's armrest and single-colour ambient light placed above the glovebox. However, what’s odd is that the touchscreen infotainment system has its own little strip of blue light placed below it, which does not match the blue tone of the ambient light strip on the dash. This feels even more out of sync when you take into consideration that the footwell lighting is warm yellow (it lights up along with cabin lights) and, as a result, at a given time, you will have three shades of lighting visible to the front passengers. This may be a nitpick but two different shades of blue on the dash stood out for me.

The City Hybrid facelift's cabin provides the same amount of comfort that the earlier models have been known for. The front seats feel comfortable for long drives, the visibility from the driver's seat is confidence-inspiring. The hard plastics look and feel basic but also promise durability. To amp up the ambience during road trips, you can also open the electric sunroof that the City Hybrid comes with.

The second row comfort is again similar to the earlier model. The back support, headroom and knee room are all good. However, the under-thigh support for me felt slightly compromised, and for reference, I am 5'11". Overall, the first thing you would associate with the cabin is that it is one that’s focused on comfort and well-built, over everything else.

Being a strong hybrid car with a lithium-ion battery at the back, the boot space does get compromised, especially when compared to the petrol-only car's boot capacity, which has more depth. If you are a young family of two adults and a child, then the boot space would prove to be just enough. However, carrying luggage for more than three people will lead to confusion on whether to leave behind some luggage or an entire passenger. On the upside, the floor board of the boot is flat and houses a space-saver spare wheel under it. Big thumbs up to Honda for that, as many manufacturers have now forgone the spare wheel for temporary puncture repair kits.

Just like the petrol version, the City Hybrid also offers ample storage inside the cabin to accommodate 1-litre water bottles, devices, reading materials and more.

In a litre of fuel, the Honda City Hybrid claims to cover 27.26 kilometres. That makes it at least 40 percent more efficient based on claimed mileage than its rivals. In the real world, I was able to see a consistent mileage of over 16 kmpl even after pushing the car. This meant that the 40 percent improved mileage estimate stands up to the promise in testing conditions, leaving room for an even higher mileage figure under sedate driving.

Driving the Honda City Hybrid also means that the skyrocketing fuel prices will affect you a lot less than your 'enthusiast' friends. Yes, the same folks who drive a turbo-petrol car and complain about single-digit mileage figures.

The City Hybrid's 126 PS and 253 Nm torque output is enough for everyday driving, and highway journeys as well. The CVT gearbox continues to have the rubber band effect when pushed hard. However, if driven with a light foot, the rubber band effect is barely noticeable. There is ample ground clearance to tackle bad road patches, and the suspension is tuned purely for comfort. And despite this habit of keeping passengers comfortable, it feels light on its feet while making quick direction changes. To me, the City strikes a good balance between comfort and sportiness.

In a nutshell, while the Honda City Hybrid might sound boring in comparison to rivals, the car's efficiency and driving comfort make up for it generously. What's more? You can push the engine as much as you like without worrying about running to the fuel pump twice in a week.

Offered only in the top-end ZX+ trim, the City Hybrid has an ex-showroom price of Rs 21.07 lakh, which is over a lakh more than the older model. While pricey at first sight, the City Hybrid's proposition is still a solid one - buy and forget. This is further emphasised when you factor in the worry of rising fuel prices, especially given the current global scenario.

Hence, if you are looking for a well-sorted family sedan that covers the basics, offers great mileage, is reliable and has predictable service costs, then the Honda City Hybrid is still the king of the hill. If flashy features and performance numbers excite you more, then you can consider its rivals, which include the Skoda Slavia/Volkswagen Virtus siblings and the Hyundai Verna.

To sum it up, picking the Honda City Hybrid is not for those with limited attention spans, and for the ones who select a car based on features and the car’s shock-factor. It is better suited for those who value things like reliability, efficiency, comfort and perhaps the old-school ideology of what a car should be like. And to the City’s credit, they have found such customers for 26 years straight, making it one of the longest-running nameplates in the country. With the latest iteration, though, it can finally appeal to those who may have glanced over it in the first place. And that is what progress is all about.