Honda City Facelift, ZR-V Launch Tomorrow: Everything You Need To Know About Honda’s Two New Cars In India

Honda India is gearing up to launch the second facelift of the City in India tomorrow, and fans can barely contain their excitement. The fifth generation of the City was first launched in 2020, with the first facelift hitting the market in 2023. Let’s take a look at what we know about the upcoming City facelift. Additionally, the Japanese marque will also introduce a new moniker in India, the ZR-V marking its re-entry into the premium SUV segment. 

2026 Honda City Facelift: Design

The second facelift will be completely different compared to the outgoing version of the City, and according to the leaked images, will fit into Honda’s latest global design language. The new City will come with an LED light bar at the front, which will flank a new gloss black grille below. The headlamps on the new City are sleeker than before, and even the bumper is brand new and features vertical aero cut outs. 

In profile, the silhouette remains largely the same as the outgoing model, but the new City will come with a sportier design for the alloy wheels. 

While the taillamps remain similar in shape, they now have a clear-lens finish. Apart from this change, it also gets a reworked bumper with a faux diffuser, black inserts and a new bootlid spoiler as well. 

As per the spy shots, it seems the City facelift could now come with an all-black colour option, which was not available with the previous two versions of the fifth-generation City.

2026 Honda City Facelift: Interior And Features

While much of the cabin will remain similar to the pre-facelift version, the City facelift will get a larger infotainment touchscreen. Where the hazard lamp button used to be placed above the touchscreen, it has now moved underneath it.

In terms of features, the City facelift will get the aforementioned larger infotainment touchscreen, a 360-degree camera and ventilated front seats as feature additions. These are likely to be offered alongside existing equipment such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charger, electric sunroof, a semi-digital instrument cluster, 8-speaker sound system and auto headlamps. 

As for safety features, the City facelift is likely to continue with 6 airbags, Level 2 ADAS, electronic stability control, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill start assist and the new 360-degree camera.

2026 Honda City Facelift: Powertrain

Under the hood, the City facelift is likely to remain unchanged, and is expected to be powered by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with manual and CVT gearbox options. Take a look at the table below for detailed specifications.

CVT- Continuously Variable Transmission (automatic)

A point to be noted, the City Hybrid is expected to go through a similar update cosmetically, and remain mechanically unchanged as well. 

2026 Honda City Facelift: Expected Price And Rivals

Changes in this facelift are expected to result in a slight increase in prices, with the updated sedan likely to be priced from Rs 12.50 lakh(ex-showroom). The City Hybrid facelift on the other hand is likely to start from Rs 20.50 lakh (ex-showroom)..

The City currently competes with the Hyundai Verna, Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus.  The City Hybrid doesn’t have any direct rivals at the moment, but can be an alternative to strong-hybrid crossovers like the Maruti Grand Vitara, Maruti Victoris and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

Now, let’s take a look at the brand-new ZR-V, which will be the carmaker’s new flagship: 

Honda ZR-V: Design

The new ZR-V’s design is expected to be completely unchanged from the global model since it is likely to be a CBU import. Globally, it gets a subtle fascia with slim LED headlamps, a small octagonal grille with vertical slats and a larger air dam underneath the number plate. 

In profile, it carries a conservative, yet sleek look with gloss black cladding, pull-type door handles, a sharkfin antenna and up to 19-inch alloy wheels.

At the back, the ZR-V gets a roof spoiler and ‘L-shaped’ LED taillamps. The bumper looks simple and has chunky cladding, a silver applique and dual exhaust tips that add a bit of sportiness to the looks.

Honda ZR-V: Interior And Features

Inside, it’s a typical Honda affair with a no-nonsense design language. The ZR-V gets a three-spoke steering wheel which looks upmarket and an upright dashboard layout with mesh-like trim covering the AC vents. Interestingly, Honda has also replaced the traditional gearshifter with buttons to give the centre console a neat look and improve storage spaces.

In terms of features, internationally it gets a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a panoramic sunroof, powered and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, a 12-speaker BOSE audio system, and a wireless smartphone charger.

In terms of safety, the ZR-V could offer 11 airbags, electronic stability control, Level 2 ADAS, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, electronic parking brake, all-wheel disc brakes, hill hold control, 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors. It also scored 5-stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests back in 2023.

Honda ZR-V: Powertrain

The ZR-V is expected to be offered with only a strong-hybrid powertrain, making it a unique proposition in its segment. Take a look at the table below for its detailed specifications. 

CVT- Continuously Variable Transmission (torque converter)

Honda ZR-V: Expected Price And Rivals

The ZR-V will be positioned at the top of Honda India’s product range, and is likely to be priced at Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom). It will go up against the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line, Jeep Meridian and Skoda Kodiaq.

ZigSays…

It's been a while since we saw a lot of action at Honda, and these new models will do good to pave the way for the carmaker’s revival strategy. The City facelift will inject some freshness into the sedan, keeping it relevant until we see a new generation arriving in a couple of years, while the ZR-V will give premium SUV buyers a high-quality strong-hybrid option in a segment dominated by thirsty turbo-petrols and noisy diesels. However, its fate now depends on the pricing. Stay tuned to ZigWheels for more updates as and when details get revealed.

What are your thoughts on these two new Hondas? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Source City