The Honda City is no ordinary car. It arrived in the late 1990s, and since then, it has become a de facto choice for the discerning buyer. Through five generations, the City has proven why anyone looking for an extremely refined, reliable, and comfortable sedan ought to look no further. Despite the increased demand for SUVs, the Honda City has reaffirmed its position. Honda has — for the right reasons — been likened to the beacon of innovation, so we were keen to find out how the top-spec City e:HEV fares, especially with the recent pricing rejig that has made this unique hybrid model more accessible.
Dual power
Nearly identical to the standard-spec Honda City, the City e:HEV is completely different in the way it produces power. The hybrid setup also makes a big change in the way the car drives. In short, it’s near silent always, and when the petrol engine steps in, you don’t even notice — that’s how smooth the transition is. The sedan also comes with Honda Sensing, which is the company’s ADAS suite, another added layer of safety without being too intrusive. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and collision mitigation, among other camera-dependent driver aids.
The interior is as you would expect in a City: visibility is excellent, seat comfort is unmatched, and the overall design is clean. There is a lot of room at the back, with only the low armrest and rising floor being a potential detraction from perfection, especially for tall passengers. The sofa-like rear seat, is quite good, too. The only grouse is that with the hybrid battery (larger in size) and spare tyre, the car’s boot space has now gone down to 306 litres from the regular City’s 506 litres. Having said that, it’ll still hold two large suitcases and some soft bags.
The fully loaded ZX trim gets LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, and an electric sunroof. In addition to that, there’s the aforementioned ADAS suite, six airbags, lane-watch camera, TPMS, hill-hold and descent control, a variety of driver assists, wireless charging, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a 7-inch driver display, among others. That’s a fairly long list, but what clearly overshadows it is the car’s excellent fuel efficiency. The claimed figure of 26.5 km/l doesn’t look unachievable in real world, with it returning 24.5 km/l during our testing (a mix of city and highway driving cycle). The other bit that furthers the City e:HEV’s highway appeal is that with a 40-litre tank, the car can theoretically offer a near 1,000 km of range from a full tank.
Its superb usability, the quieter drive, high fuel economy, and brilliant ride comfort only further that feeling | Photo Credit: Ishaan Jaiswal
Under 40 km/h, the onus to deliver power is on the electric motor, and the resulting progress is smooth and noise-free. Dab the accelerator for more power, and you’ll witness the petrol engine kicking in, not just as power assist but also to charge the batteries. This is a CVT automatic, and you’ll notice a tiny bit of lag, but in our experience, neither overtakes an issue nor builds up a decent cruising pace. The switch from EV to hybrid to engine drive felt jerk-free, ensuring that new drivers stay unperturbed by the change in power delivery. There are paddle shifters, too, which operate the level of regen, while a dedicated ‘B’ mode can be chosen for increased engine braking — and as a result quicker battery charging.
The steering is carried over from the standard car, which means while it lacks the sharp feel, it weighs up as the speed increases, and aids driving confidence. We are also happy to report that despite the additional 120 kg of weight (thanks to the hybrid system), the City doesn’t lose its ride comfort. The suspension has been retuned keeping the added weight in mind, and the resulting ride quality is as you would expect in a Honda City: smooth and trouble-free.
The City e:HEV proves that hybrids are more than just a compromise between ICE and EV. Its superb usability, the quieter drive, high fuel economy, and brilliant ride comfort only further that feeling. Honda can definitely improve some of the cabin plastics, and the touchscreen infotainment system can benefit from an update, but on the whole, the City e:HEV shines throughout. Plus, at nearly a lakh cheaper than before (the revised price is ₹19.89 lakh, ex-showroom), its case is stronger than ever. The City itself has proven to be a strong choice in the segment, and the City e:HEV looks like the perfect new torchbearer.
© Motoring World
Published on August 22, 2025