New Honda City e:HEV hybrid unveiled – All you need to know

Honda Cars India has officially unveiled the new Honda City e:HEV hybrid in the country. The company has also commenced bookings for the vehicle starting today at a token amount of Rs 21,000. The City Hybrid e:HEV will go on sale in May 2022. This hybrid version of the City will be manufactured in India. Read below to learn more about the top feature highlights in the City e:HEV. 

Engine

Under the hood, the City e:HEV gets a 1.5-litre Atkinson-Cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine with two electric motors and an advanced lithium-ion battery. The petrol engine produces 97bhp between 5,600 – 6,400rpm and 127Nm of torque between 4,500 – 5,000rpm. The electric drive motor produces 107bhp at 3,500rpm and 253Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, while the electric generator motor produces 94bhp. Combined, the vehicle generates 125bhp and 253Nm of torque and delivers an impressive fuel efficiency figure of 26.5kmpl. 

The vehicle comes mated to an e-CVT hybrid system and offers three drive modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive. The vehicle is capable of harnessing electrical energy through braking and also self-charges the Lithium-ion battery pack with no need to manually charge the battery. Using the deceleration paddle, the driver can change the deceleration to three levels without stepping on the brake pedal. 

In the EV drive mode, the vehicle is exclusively driven by a motor using a battery for a silent and zero-emission drive. In the Hybrid drive mode, the electric motors power the wheels with a petrol engine acting as an electrical generator. Lastly, in the Engine drive mode the engine runs with high fuel efficiency to directly drive the wheels. Additionally, the motor provides a peak power boost when required.

Features and safety 

The upcoming Honda City e:HEV is equipped with 37 Honda Connect features. The Honda Connect system now also works with the smartwatches. For added convenience and to enhance the driving experience, the vehicle gets one-touch electric sunroof, LED interior room lamps, and ambient lighting.

In terms of safety, the City hybrid is equipped with six airbags, Honda Lane-Watch, multi-angle rearview camera, tyre pressure monitoring system with deflation warning, vehicle stability assist with agile handling assist, hill start assist, ISOFIX compatible rear side seats with lower anchorage and top tether, and more. 

Exterior

The hybrid version of the City has retained styling elements from the existing ICE version of the fifth-generation model. The hybrid version of the sedan will be available in five colour options – Radiant Red Metallic, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, and Golden Brown Metallic. 

The fascia is highlighted by Honda's typical wing face with e:HEV signature blue H-mark logo to highlight the hybrid character. The sedan gets full LED headlamps with nine array inline shell with integrated LED DRL and L-shaped turn indicators. Additionally, the bumper is flanked by the new claw-type fog lamp garnish. 

The vehicle rides on a set of 16-inch dual-tone black painted diamond-cut alloy wheels. Moreover, the rear section is flanked by Z-shaped 3D wraparound LED taillamps, a new trunk lip spoiler, and a new rear bumper diffuser with a carbon finish.

Interior

The Hybrid version gets two-tone ivory and black interior theme along with contemporary seats wrapped in premium leather upholstery, an electric parking brake with auto brake hold, and a new centre console with a utility tray. The dashboard is highlighted by an eight-inch advanced touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a seven-inch full HD colour TFT meter that displays information regarding the power flow and Honda Sensing technology. 

Warranty

The City e:HEV comes with a standard warranty of three-years or unlimited kilometres. Furthermore, customers can opt for an extended warranty of up to five years and an anytime warranty of up to 10 years from the date of car purchase. The warranty available on the lithium-ion battery will be eight years or 1,60,000kms (whichever comes first) from the date of car purchase.