Honda has been quiet for some time, with their most recent release, the new City, arriving over two years ago and a product profile whose numbers have dropped significantly. Things grew so bad that Honda Cars India was thought to be one of those remaining in the Indian market soon after Ford left. That is not the case; Honda, like their Japanese contemporaries Toyota, did not make a global push toward EVs, instead of promoting their hybrid technologies. That takes us to the Honda City Hybrid e:HEV, a powerful hybrid sedan that has been selling well worldwide and is now available in India.
Engine & Specifications
With Atkinson’s ciycle, the 1.5-litre petrol engine is the feature of the Honda City Hybrid e:HEV. The petrol engine provides 96bhp, the traction motor produces 107bhp, and the generating motor produces 94bhp. The City hybrid has a total output of 125bhp and a max torque of 253Nm. The motors are connected to a single-speed eCVT transmission. Honda makes a claim a fuel efficiency or mileage of 26.5kmpl for the City Hybrid.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the 2022 City Hybrid are 4549mm long, 1748mm wide, and 1489mm in height. A car with larger outer dimensions has a greater presence on the road. The City Hybrid has a wheelbase of 2600mm. A long wheelbase improves the car’s stability at high speeds and provides greater legroom in the back seat, whereas a short wheelbase improves the car’s performance.
| Dimensions | In mm | In cm | In inches | In feet |
| Length | 4549 | 454.9 | 179.09 | 14.91 |
| Width | 1748 | 174.8 | 68.82 | 5.73 |
| Height | 1489 | 148.9 | 58.62 | 4.88 |
| Wheelbase | 2600 | 260 | 102 | 8.52 |
The fuel tank capacity of the 2022 Honda City Hybrid is litres, and the boot space is 306 litres. The City Hybrid has a 165mm ground clearance. The base model of the 2022 City Hybrid has 185/55 R16 tyres, while the top model has 185/55 R16 tyres. Cars with larger wheels have superior handling and aesthetics. However, these benefits come at the expense of efficiency. Larger wheels imply more metal and rotational mass. As a result, it has a negative impact on your drivability, efficiency, and mileage.
New Honda City e:HEV Hybrid Accessories
Exterior design
The Honda City Hybrid e:HEV has minor visual differences from the standard model. The front and rear logos have a blue border to emphasize the hybrid nature, the fog lamp casings have a claw-like shape, and the rear has been highlighted with a diffuser and boot spoiler with a carbon fibre design.
You Might be Interested in : India’s Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars Save Environment And Money
Braking and Handling
The Honda City Hybrid e:HEV, like other powerful hybrids, features regenerative braking. Unlike some other best hybrids, the arrangement of the city is pleasant. The 1st few mm of brake pedal travel do not have that wooden, detached feel. Rather, it has a really natural and well-calibrated feel to it. As previously stated, friction brakes now include rear discs and give good stopping force. Regenerative braking is also useful. The steering-mounted paddles allow you to pick between 3 levels of intensity, yet even at the highest setting, it doesn’t simply offer single-pedal driving.
Using the gear lever to select ‘B’ or Braking mode maintains the desired degree of regeneration and is recommended for use on a downhill stretch. The City Hybrid feels familiar in terms of ride and handling. It absorbs low-speed bumps well and has good high-speed manners, although there is some road noise that penetrates into the cabin. The City Hybrid doesn’t leap into corners, but it’s balanced and comfortable through turns.
Interior & Features
The leatherette material inside the cabin is dual-tone Ivory and Black. The City also has ADAS features such as high beam assist, lane keep assist, collision warning, driver assistance, and collision mitigation braking. Six airbags, a hill start assist, a lane watch camera, and a tyre pressure monitoring system are among the passive safety features. In terms of telematics, the Honda Connect is now Alexa and Google-compatible, and it includes features like door lock/unlock, remote engine start, AC on/off, and more.
Price
The Honda City Hybrid e:HEV costs 19.53 lakh rupees (Avg. ex-showroom). City eHEV is available in one model. The City eHEV model costs 19.53 lakh in hybrid (electric + petrol). The price of the City eHEV automatic model starts at 19.53 Lakh.
How Honday City Hybrid e:HEV is a hybrid?
Honda has termed this system i-MMD, which refers to intelligent multi-mode drive, which must give you an idea of how this system operates. At low speeds, you are in EV mode, where the traction engine and wheels create movement. The pure EV range is fairly limited due to the low capacity of the battery pack positioned in the boot. However, it exists and provides green credentials in crowded areas where an EV can excel.
When you accelerate over bumper-to-bumper speeds, the internal combustion engine starts and begins charging the battery pack, which delivers electricity to the traction motor, which in turn powers the wheels. Above 120kmph, the electric drivetrain shuts down and the combustion engine connects to the wheels directly through a lockup clutch. Consider this to be a sixth gear that would be used to maintain these speeds on the highway. The ICE motor, on the other hand, is simultaneously charging the battery pack. Because switching between modes is totally automatic, no human intervention is required. Consider it this way: greatest efficiency in all driving circumstances for maximum mileage.
There’s no gearbox but paddler shifters
The comfort of paddle shifters in an ICE-powered vehicle implies you can go full race-driver and change gears without getting your hands off the steering wheel. It serves a unique role here, which is to control regeneration or regen as it is more commonly known. The braking energy is turned into chemical energy, or a charge for the battery pack. There are three levels of regen, each more potent than the last and beneficial depending on the traffic situation. In full ICE mode, the regen goes off, and you drive the car like a traditional two-pedal vehicle.
Benefits from this technology
Driving a car like the Honda City Hybrid e:HEV has two advantages. The first is a company-claimed mileage of 26.5kmpl, and when combined with a 40-litre fuel tank capacity offers you a possible range of 1060km. This is much greater than the regular City CVT Petrol’s range of 736km, despite the City hybrid weighing around 100kg more.
The second is, of course, obtaining green credentials, which is quickly becoming the rule of the day as demand for EVs in India has increased. But hold on, there’s more. A hybrid setup, such as the one found in the City e:HEV, avoids the range anxiety that is generally associated with pure electric automobiles. The car matches the conveniences provided by our current road system, but with a green flare.
Variants of Honda City Hybrid e:HEV
The City e:HEV will be available in the ZX variants of the fifth-generation Honda City when it is released in the first week of May 2022. This means it will have the same design, feature set, and cabin arrangement as the ICE-powered ZX. However, according to our sources, there will also be a V version of the City eHEV, which is slated to arrive at a later date. It is estimated to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom), putting it even higher than the regular City’s ZX diesel option.
Other New Features
Yes, the City e:HEV ZX will be available with Honda Sensing Technology. This is the new ADAS suite from the Japanese carmaker, which includes lane keep assist, auto high beam control, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking system and a road departure warning. With this hybrid City, Honda introduces a new version of its CONNECT connected car technology, in addition to the safety package. Expect to see this improved version in additional Honda cars soon. Great news! We will be driving the Honda City e:HEV at the end of April 2022 and will be able to provide our first opinions of the car on May 2nd at 11 am, so stay tuned.
Final verdict
Strong hybrids have long been underestimated as a transitional vehicle between combustion engine cars and fully electric automobiles. The Honda City Hybrid proves that there is still a strong case for powerful hybrids. It combines the versatility of a traditional petrol car with some of the major benefits of EVs, such as significantly lower operating costs. At a time when fuel prices are at an all-time high and EV infrastructure is still in its early stages, the smart City Hybrid should appear to be a no-brainer.
However, if the sticker price isn’t an issue, the City Hybrid is one of the most cost-effective cars available. It’s a treat to drive, the fuel economy statistics are impressive, and, when you think about it, it’s a mechanical marvel as well. When you combine everything we enjoy about the normal City, you get a very successful package.
Hope this blog provides you with all the information you need to know about Honda City Hybrid e:HEV. Visit AutoJankari for more such blog posts.
