Honda City Hybrid To Launch Tomorrow: Five Things You Need To Know

Honda Cars India is all set to launch the 2022 City e:HEV hybrid tomorrow on May 04. The electrified sedan will be the first mass market hybrid offering in India and will be launched in a fully loaded ZX Sensing trim. In fact, pre-launch bookings are open and the City hybrid already has a waiting period stretching up to six months even before its launch. 

If you had your eyes on one, here are top five things you need to know:

Subtle Exterior Design Changes

The Honda City hybrid is badged as an RS in international markets, and while there are some changes here, it isn’t badged the RS. So there is a honeycomb mesh grille below the chrome bar, and fog lamps are placed in a bespoke housing. Plus, there is a subtle spoiler on the bootlid and a diffuser with carbon fibre-like effect. Last but not least, the Honda logos have a small blue hue.

Minor Interior Changes 

Sadly, the interior design and layout is exactly the same as the standard City. But the electrified model, of course, gets hybrid-specific instrumentation in the 7-inch semi-digital cluster. Plus, the interior now features a black/ivory theme instead of the standard car’s black/beige colour scheme. And if you’re seated in the rear seat, there are two vents near the AC vents which channel the cold air to the battery pack placed in the boot. Which brings us to… 

The Powertrain 

The City Hybrid gets a 109PS electric motor, paired to a 98PS 1.5-litre petrol engine, good enough for a combined output of 126PS. Primarily, drive is taken care of by the electric motor with the petrol engine stepping in only if you need that extra shove of power. 

The City hybrid features regenerative braking, which feeds electricity back to the battery pack while deceleration. You can read more about its powertrain and drive impressions in our in-depth first drive review. 

Segment-First Feature Additions

The Honda City gets segment-first Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, including auto high beam assist, lane keeping assistant, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and collision avoidance braking system. Plus, there is a new addition: electronic parking brake with auto hold functionality. 

Rest of the features like the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, connected car tech, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless entry with push button start, sunroof, and automatic climate control have been retained. Safety features include six airbags, electronic stability control, and hill hold assist. 

Expected Price And Rivals

The Honda City hybrid’s pricing is expected to be around Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom), putting it in contention with the 1.5-litre TSI variants of the Skoda Slavia and upcoming Volkswagen Virtus.