The Honda City e: HEV brings the first strong hybrid to the masses here in India. Based on the current City platform, this car boasts of cutting-edge technologies on board that not only make it an efficient vehicle to drive, but a rather safe machine as well.
DESIGN
The City e:HEV gets the Honda Solid Wing Face look that includes the sleek LED headlights and the bold chrome insert that runs across the front end. It also sports the blue Honda logo, which points towards its hybrid drive system. To add a dash of sportiness, the front bumper gets claw-shaped fog light garnishes, and at the rear you get a carbon fibre-finished diffuser and a boot lip spoiler. The Zshaped LED rear lights and diamond cut alloys are also part of the visual treatment and add to the premium appeal of the car.
INTERIOR
The cabin is plush, spacious, and finished in a two-tone ivory and black theme. There is a large infotainment screen on board as well as a partial digital information display for the driver. The seats are finished in leather and there are enough storage places on board for your convenience.
CONNECT TECH
With the Honda Connect app you gain access to a plethora of controls using a smartwatch, Alexa, or OK Google. A host of commands allow you to get vehicle updates, control features such as turning on the air-conditioning or setting up a geo-fence to receive added alerts.
DRIVETRAIN
The magic lies under the hood! A 1.5 litre i—VTEC engine has been paired with a two-motor e-CVT drive to form the hybrid system. This set-up automatically switches between EV mode, Engine Mode, and Hybrid Mode depending on need. This has resulted in the City e:HEV delivering a 26.5kmpl mileage. The battery charges while on the move; you have no need to plug it in at all!
SAFETY TECH
Apart from six airbags, hill hold control, ESP, ABS and EBD, the City e:HEV comes with advanced Honda Sensing set-up that uses a camera to ‘read’ the road and assist features such as lane keep assist, collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation system, and the adaptive cruise control.
VERDICT
This car is a delight to drive and all the tech on-board adds to its appeal. It is a composed vehicle that is brilliant on mileage and has a premium feel to it. Pricing it right is what will help seal the deal. However, as a product, it is a purchase you won’t regret making.