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Honda City e:HEV review, first drive
India Today
Honda is all set to launch the Honda City in hybrid guise. The Honda City e:HEV then is Honda’s second attempt at offering a hybrid in India after the Honda Civic hybrid many years back. What does it offer and does it make sense to offer a hybrid? We find out.
Manufacturers across the world have been trying hard to make the humble internal combustion engine as green and as efficient as possible. However, there have been limitations as far as new technologies are concerned. Sure the ICE will get even greener with time. The next step though is to go hybrid where an electric motor and a battery pack works in conjunction with the ICE to reduce emissions. This is the next step for sure and Honda tried it many years back with the launch of the Honda Civic. But to be honest, the Civic came way ahead of its time. Now though, Honda is trying its hand at going hybrid one more time with the Honda City e:HEV. The Honda City e:HEV then is a full-blown hybrid sedan as compared to the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz which is a micro-hybrid. So what makes the City e:HEV different? Let’s find out.
Honda City e:HEV: Exterior design
The changes to the City e:HEV are more serious under the skin. Yet there are subtle changes on the outside that differentiate it from the regular Honda City. The Honda logo on the grille and the boot now comes surrounded by a blue halo which signifies it is a ‘greener’ City. Then there are new fog lamp housings upfront and a boot spoiler at the back. The City continues to offer a LED headlamp set and LED taillights as well. New 16in alloys adorn the City e:HEV, and they sure look smart. Last but not the least, there is an e:HEV badge on the boot lid too.
Honda City e:HEV: Interior decor and features
The Honda City e:HEV comes with the same soothing colours inside as seen on the standard version. The infotainment system is an 8in unit and now offers more connectivity features. The City e:HEV also gets a blind spot camera which beams the feed to the infotainment system and sure comes in handy. The instrument panel is a mix of analogue and digital displays and comes with a plethora of options and information. The steering wheel also comes with a bunch of buttons to operate the usual functions along with the autonomous features which we shall tell you about in the next section. The only thing we missed were ventilated seats and especially because we were shooting during the hottest days of the season. The climate control though was superbly suited for Indian conditions and operating it is also easy via the knobs which work with precision clicks. When it comes to space, there is plenty found in the rear and front of the City e:HEV.
Honda City e:HEV: Boot space
The City e:HEV offers 306 litres of boot space with is 200 litres less than its ICE only counterparts. This is primarily because the lithium-ion battery pack sits under the rear seats and eats up the space. However, Honda has created a two-tier system where there is a flat space for larger luggage and a smaller area for knick-knacks in the boot. The spare wheel though is now a space saver.