Honda City Expert Review

Based on a heavily reworked Jazz platform with the same 2,600mm wheelbase, this fifth-gen City gets more high-strength steel, improving crash safety, refinement and torsional rigidity by 20%. Honda’s signature chrome grille is flanked by sleek full-LED headlamps, while 16-inch diamond-cut alloys look smart but are shod with narrow 185/55 tyres. Sporty bumpers, black plastic accents, a boot lip spoiler, LED tail-lamps and a convincing carbon-fibre-like diffuser add flair.

Light beige upholstery, soft-touch materials and tasteful trim (wood or carbon-fibre-like, depending on variant) create an upmarket feel. The rotary climate controls click satisfyingly, and the semi-digital instrument cluster is crisp. The front seats are broad and comfortable, while the rear bench offers excellent legroom, support and cushioning, with three usable head restraints. Headroom is slightly tight for very tall passengers, and the rear armrest is set low. Cabin practicality is high, with clever storage areas, a removable wireless charger and a massive 506-litre boot.

The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol is responsive at low speeds, revs eagerly and sounds great near its 7,000rpm redline. The CVT is smooth and efficient, while the 6-speed manual offers light, precise shifts. The hybrid “e:HEV” pairs a 1.5 Atkinson-cycle petrol with two electric motors, delivering strong responsiveness, seamless mode transitions and outstanding efficiency. Refinement, however, isn’t best-in-class, with noticeable engine and road noise.

What’s truly astonishing is that the City Hybrid’s claimed fuel efficiency of 27.26kpl. In our tests we achieved at 19.8kpl in the city and 22.5kpl on the highway – averaging a whopping 21.15kpl.
Shifting focus to the petrol engine, the company claims 17.77kpl for the manual and 18.4kpl for the automatic. We achieved an impressive 12kpl in the city with the automatic, while the manual managed 11.5kpl. Out on the highway, the manual achieved 17.7kpl, whereas the automatic managed 16.4kpl.
 

The City drives in a confidence-inspiring manner and cushions passengers from the rough stuff with a great sense of maturity. Stability is good too, and thanks to its well-weighted steering and predictable nature, there’s a degree of fun you can have while hustling this car around. 

The 8-inch touchscreen now has sharper resolution, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The improved rear camera and blindspot monitor are easier to view, though ventilated seats are still missing. Camera-based ADAS includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, collision mitigation, and auto high-beam assist.

The petrol manual is priced from ₹12.38–15.40 lakh, the automatic from ₹14.40–16.65 lakh, and the hybrid at ₹19.90 lakh — a steep ₹3.25 lakh more than the comparable petrol-automatic. Rivals like the Verna, Virtus and Slavia start lower and offer turbo-petrols for stronger performance.
The Honda City is a well-rounded sedan, packing in everything buyers are looking for – space, comfort, fuel efficiency and to top it off, reasonably fun to drive. It is a jack of all trades and master of some – and although it’s pricey, this is a car you can seldom go wrong with.