Honda City e:HEV: Silent Victory

Launched in 1998, it didn’t take too long for the Honda City to become a hot favourite in India. Well-known for its reliability, approachable performance and unmatched class it carried, the Honda City became so successful that 26 years later, it’s one of the longest-running models in the country. Having established itself to be the dependable choice in the segment, one would expect Honda to continue selling the car as it is, but it would not be Honda, had they not tried to push the envelope even further. Which in this case comes in the form of a hybrid powertrain in the City e:HEV, a top-of-the-line model that has all the bells and whistles, a level-2 autonomous safety aid and a claimed fuel economy of 26.5 km/l. We take it for a spin to understand what makes it special in 2024.

There’s not much to differentiate between the standard petrol-driven City and the petrol-hybrid City e:HEV in terms of looks. Apart from the e:HEV emblem, you’d notice the new 16-inch alloy wheels, Honda badges finished in blue and even a nice spoiler. The latest-generation City looks great, and while not the sportiest, it’s a nice combination of classic sedan styling brimmed with modern appeal. The interior isn’t too dissimilar to the standard car’s cabin, only that you’d find some extra additions.

Features

Finished in classic ivory, the dashboard and seats complement the acres of room inside the cabin. The boot has gone down in size (by about 200 litres) to accommodate the battery, whereas the most notable changes are a new ‘B’ inscription on the gear stick surround and a control centre for adaptive cruise control. The car comes equipped with level-2 autonomous safety tech as part of the Honda Sensing suite, and that includes everything from crash mitigation, lane keep assist, road departure assist, to even autonomous braking features. These won’t take over the driving duties from you but rather help in making travelling in the Honda City e:HEV a safe choice.

Finished in classic ivory, the dashboard and seats complement the acres of room inside the cabin

The City e:HEV has two electric motors with a maximum rated torque of 25.74 kg-m and 125 bhp. In EV mode, the engine isn’t switched on, and it’s just the traction motor that sends power to the wheels. It’s silent but swift, making city driving effortless. In hybrid mode, it’s still the motor that sends power to the wheels but the engine works as the generator and charges the battery. The third kind of drive is what Honda refers to as Engine Drive. In this, the electric motor works as usual, while the engine, instead of working as the generator, also sends power to the wheels.

When pushed the engine doesn’t sound its happiest, which also serves as a reminder that its job is to complement the hybrid system and not take over completely. The setup comes mated to an e-CVT gearbox, which not only adds to the smooth drive but also hides the rubber-band effect usually associated with CVT gearboxes. The City also surprises with its fuel economy, with the e:HEV delivering a very impressive 17 km/l during our test. It must also be noted that the entire hybrid setup adds about 100 kg to the car’s weight, but it’s still quicker off the line compared to the standard petrol version with an automatic gearbox.

The other change is the inclusion of an all-around disc brake setup, which makes the City stop confidently. The paddle shifters allow the driver to adjust the level of engine braking. The suspension too is retuned making the City e:HEV feel more entertaining but without losing out on the suppleness that the City is usually known for.

Priced at ₹20.55 lakh, ex-showroom, the City e:HEV isn’t for the enthusiast, but it makes for a great sensible product which isn’t just cleaner to run but also gives a glimpse of sophisticated technology that not many carmakers have aced.