In a market segment obsessed with SUVs, the new Honda City eHEV sedan is now more the exception than the rule, being one among only a handful remaining in this price range. The current version that has just gone on sale isn’t entirely new ground-up. The manufacturer has given it a midlife update four years after it was introduced in 2023.
We were in Bangalore at the invitation of Honda Cars to get a first hand experience of the new City eHEV. And while this isn’t the version of the City that sells the most, somehow Honda seems to want to showcase its technical prowess with this one and not the other non-hybrid versions. Honda’s strong-hybrid sedan has got subtle improvements to an already sophisticated package. Priced at ₹20.99 lakh (ex-showroom) it is also the only strong hybrid around this price range. The question is whether the City eHEV remains relevant in an era dominated by high-riding crossovers. After spending time examining what Honda has changed and what continues to make this hybrid sedan special, the answer appears to be a clear yes.
The city has physical controls that, as always for Hondas, fall perfectly to hand, taking a lot of strain out of the driving experience
ON THE OUTSIDE
The 2026 update is not a complete redesign. Instead, Honda has focused on refining the looks that have aged rather well. The facelift introduces a cleaner front bumper, revised lighting elements, and a more contemporary appearance. Gone is the chrome – we never quite agreed with the heavy shiny bar going across the front anyway – to be replaced by an LED light bar connecting the two headlamp clusters. The air intake has an assymetrical honeycomb design. The lower part of the bumper is more angular now with vents on the sides and no fog lamp provision.
The design of the 16-inch alloy wheels is new too and more aero inspired to help reduced drag. That is the only change in the profile. At the rear end, there’s the clear lens treatment to the tail lights that look the same design wise. And the bumper gets a bit at in the lower portion with the same honeycomb treatment as the front air intake.
What continues to work in the City’s favour is proportion. The Honda strikes a balance between sophistication and sportiness. The long wheelbase, sleek roofline give it a premium road presence that rivals some vehicles from a segment above.
ON THE INSIDE
Step inside, and the City eHEV feels immediately familiar to anyone who has experienced recent Honda products. The dashboard layout is intuitive, visibility is excellent, and ergonomics remain among the best in the segment. Honda has updated the cabin with newer technology and feature enhancements. The infotainment system is larger than before, while connectivity features have been improved to meet contemporary expectations and is now a bigger unit with a whole set of functions including Android Auto and Apple Car Play and now sits proud of the dashboard rather than flush as it used to. The overall layout remains driver-focused, avoiding the excessive touchscreen dependency.
Space continues to be one of the City’s strongest assets. Rear-seat comfort remains exceptional, with generous legroom and excellent under-thigh support. Even after years on the market, few midsize sedans can match the City’s rear-seat experience.
The seats themselves are supportive and comfortable for long journeys. The front seats are now ventilated and the light upholstery feels premium. As usual Honda’s ergonomics are spot on and even the first time it doesn’t feel unfamiliar and there is no searching for controls.
UNDER THE HOOD
The headline attraction remains Honda’s sophisticated three-motor hybrid system. Unlike mild-hybrid setups that provide limited assistance, the City eHEV is a strong hybrid. The powertrain combines a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. Combined system output is at 126ps, while torque delivery reaches an impressive 253Nm.
What makes this system particularly interesting is how it operates. For much of city driving, the electric motor does the majority of the work.
The petrol engine often acts as a generator, producing electricity rather than directly driving the wheels. At higher speeds, a clutch lets the engine to connect directly to the drivetrain for greater efficiency.
The transition between these modes is remarkably seamless. Drivers do not need to think about energy flow, battery levels, or charging schedules. The car manages everything automatically. This is perhaps the City e’s greatest achievement: it delivers many of the benefits of an electric vehicle without requiring any change in ownership habits. And, on the road, this makes it a total breeze to drive. One gets the benefits of an EV as well as the long legs of an ICE vehicle and little stress of either.
ON THE ROAD
The tone of the Honda City eHEV is not outright performance, although it is quite brisk. The instant torque from the electric motor gives the sedan a surprisingly responsive character in urban conditions. Pulling away from traffic lights feels effortless, overtaking is easy, and city driving becomes more relaxed.
The e-CVT transmission prioritises smoothness over aggression in general but the engine does get a bit gruff though under hard acceleration.
Fuel efficiency is one of the strongest suits of this drivetrain set-up of the City eHEV. Honda claims an efficiency figure of 27.26 kmpl under test conditions, making it one of the most economical non-diesel cars on sale in India today. With that, we estimate real-world figures to be north of 20kmpl depending on driving conditions, which would be pretty good for a midsize sedan. We did not run an actual test for this.
Helping with the fuel efficiency is also the brake energy recuperation system with four levels of regen.
The ride quality strikes a good balance between comfort and control. Broken roads are absorbed confidently, while highway stability remains excellent.
We first experienced Honda’s Sensing Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) suite with the pre facelift City eHEV. What has happened in the interim four years is that the heavy-handedness of the ADAS system has more or less disappeared. What one gets now is sufficient indication of what to do without the car trying make the driver do it.
THE CALL
At ₹20.99 lakh ex showroom, the City eHEV is not cheap. At price point there are lots of SUVs loaded to the eyes with features. But most of them are not strong hybrids. If a buyer is interested in a strong hybrid for the ease of driving and living with his car, then this is probably the best place to go. Add to that the comfort, efficiency, refinement, reliability, and everyday usability, and the City eHEV starts looking more and more like a very attractive package. And we are pretty convinced that it is. And not in a shouty, look-at-me kind of way. We like.