The City has always been the bread winner for Honda in India and globally India is the largest market for this sedan. With stiff competition from the likes of Hyundai's Verna and Maruti's Ciaz, Honda cannot afford to get it wrong with their CIty. They launched a new mid life facelift for the City and in our opinion it is bang on the pulse of what the Indian consumer wants.
Getting up close and personal with the refreshed Honda City, we took it for a spin through the crowded streets of New Delhi. Catching the eye at first glance is the striking new LED headlamp setup. The City now features headlamp integrated LED DRLs and full LED headlamps which is a segment first. Its fascia gets a new, more chiseled bumper which gives this sedan a bold yet elegant look. The side profile remains more or less the same, though the biggest change can be found in the addition of 16' rims with a wider tyre profile now on offer. The rear gets a new bumper along with a spoiler and an integrated LED stop lamp. Higher spec variants get LED tail lamps which lend this sedan a much needed contemporary look.
On the inside, Honda has upped the quality of this cabin which was quite plush to begin with. The new model gets leather upholstery which adds to the rich taste this sedan offers and a finely crafted dash blends technology seamlessly with earthy colour tones that have been used inside the cabin. The biggest change comes in the form of a new 17.7cm touch enabled infotainment setup christened 'DigiPad'. We found the touch interface to be the best in segment and multiple connectivity options like two USB slots, two Micro SD slots and one HDMI input apart from Mirror Link and Wifi connectivity make this one of the most user friendly systems till date. Honda has also added satellite linked maps which are quite precise and even advice the driver of speed regulations.
The engine options remain the same as the previous model. However, Honda has added the option of a 7-Speed CVT for the petrol variant and the 1.5L i-DTEC diesel comes mated to a 6-Speed manual only. We got to sample both powertrains, while the diesel manual was quite punchy and its low end torque catered to a very spirited drive, we found ourselves changing gears quite often. This is primarily because power dies out post 4000rpm and the engine begs you to up shift. We were quick through the first two gears, but could stretch a bit more after the third gear. The 6-Speed manual gear box also felt a bit notchy but is just a matter of getting used to. The 7-Speed CVT mated to Honda's 1.5L i-VTEC however is the other extreme. In my opinion it is nothing short of a delightful dream where I'm on vacation in Seychelles with Mia Khalifa.
The smooth and high revving 1.5L i-VTEC engine was always fun to drive and now when mated to this 7-Speed CVT, the sedan seems to glide with angelic elegance. Gear shifts are seamless no matter how hard you are pushing the car and the addition of paddle shifters enhances the thrill one gets behind this wheel. Even in terms of efficiency, the City returns generous numbers. While the i-DTEC diesel returns 25.6kms to a litre, the petrol CVT gives 18kmpl and the 5-speed manual mated to the i-VTEC returns 17.4kmpl. Another point to take notice of on the new City is it's braking setup. We found the vehicles stopping power extremely efficient and the soft suspension setup aided overall comfort and driving confidence as well.
Honda seems to have been keen in observing what customers in this segment are looking for and have introduced a lot of this in their best selling product. All the updates made on the new Honda City seem to be in line with keeping things modish and all at a seemingly fair price point.