The Honda City has spent two decades being the sedan you buy when you want it to last. It doesn't have the turbo-punch of the Slavia or Virtus, and it isn't trying to. Where it earns its keep is the boring stuff that matters after year three — reliability, low service cost, the cabin you don't get tired of. The question isn't whether to buy it. The question is which variant.
1.5 Petrol MT
SV
₹11.99L
on-road ₹13.73L
V
₹13.29L
on-road ₹15.21L
ZX
₹15.25L
on-road ₹17.46L
ZX+
₹16.14L
on-road ₹18.47L
1.5 Petrol CVT
V
₹14.29L
on-road ₹16.34L
ZX
₹16.25L
on-road ₹18.60L
ZX+
₹17.14L
on-road ₹19.61L
1.5 e:HEV
ZX+ e:HEV
₹20.99L
on-road ₹21.77L
Ex-showroom prices from the manufacturer. On-road estimate includes road tax, insurance, TCS (above ₹10L), handling and FASTag.
★ TNT's Smart Pick
V CVT
If you can stretch to the V CVT at ₹14.29L ex-showroom, that's the buy. The reason is one feature: Honda Sensing — full Level 2 ADAS with adaptive cruise, lane-keep assist, collision mitigation, and lead-car departure alert. At this price, no other sedan in India gives you this safety stack. Everything else the higher variants add — sunroof, bigger touchscreen, ambient lighting — is comfort. The V is where the City stops being just a car and starts being a car that actively keeps you safer.
If the City is on your shortlist, the Honda PDI Master Blueprint is the inspection guide we'd want before any Honda delivery.
SV
₹11.99L (Petrol MT)
The chauffeur-driven base. If the back seat is the only seat that matters, the SV gets you a City badge for the lowest entry price. For anyone driving themselves, it's missing too much — no ADAS, no wireless connectivity, only deflation-warning TPMS.
Standard features
- 15" steel wheels with full cover 185/60R15
- Bi-LED Projector headlamps with LED DRL + LED indicators
- Embossed fabric upholstery — beige & black 2-tone
- 8" touchscreen with wired Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
- 4 speakers + steering mounted controls + voice recognition
- rear camera + parking sensors
- Hill Start Assist
- Push button start + Honda Smart Key (2 fobs) + keyless entry
- Electrical trunk release on key + follow-me-home headlamps
- Auto headlamps with light sensor
- Fully auto climate control with rear AC vents + PM 2.5 filter
- Driver seat height adjuster + tilt & telescopic steering
- 4.2" colour TFT MID with multi-function display
- Eco Assist with ambient meter light (colour changes with eco driving)
- Power-adjust + power-fold ORVMs
⚠ Watch-outs at this variant
- Front USB-A 2x + 2x rear USB-C
- TPMS Deflation only
V
₹13.29L (Petrol MT) · ₹14.29L (Petrol CVT)
The smart variant, especially in CVT form. Honda Sensing ADAS lands here, wireless Android Auto/CarPlay, alloy wheels, capacitive keyless entry. CVT adds paddle shifters and remote engine start. ₹1.30L more than SV for genuinely meaningful upgrades.
What this adds
- 15" alloy wheels 185/60R15
- LED tail lamps with clear lens
- Wireless Android Auto + Apple CarPlay
- Honda Connect with TCU (telematics) — Alexa + smartwatch connectivity
-
Honda SENSING ADAS
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Collision Mitigation Brake (CMBS)
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation
- Auto High-Beam
- Lead Car Departure Notification
- Keyless Entry capacitive touch
- Walk Away Auto Lock (customizable)
- Remote Engine Start (CVT only)
- 7-speed paddle shifters (CVT only)
- ACC + LKAS operation switches on steering wheel
- ECON button & mode indicator + 7-speed manual mode (CVT only)
- Inside door handle chrome finish
ZX
₹15.25L (Petrol MT) · ₹16.25L (Petrol CVT)
The premium leap. 10.1" floating screen, sunroof, 8-speaker system, ambient lighting, leather upholstery, LaneWatch camera. Turns the City from "transport" to "experience." Worth the ₹1.96L jump from V if these features matter — the V already has safety locked down.
What this adds
- 16" Aero-Blade diamond-cut alloys 185/55 R16
- One-touch electric sunroof with slide/tilt + pinch guard
- Front grille connected centre light bar (LED position lamp)
- 10.1" floating touchscreen (up from 8")
- 8-speaker premium surround sound (up from 4)
- Wireless charger (plug & play type)
- LaneWatch camera — left blind-spot view on indicator
- Auto-dimming IRVM
- Rain-sensing advanced auto-wipers
- Leather upholstery + leather steering
- soft touch elements on pads on dash, console, armrest, door lining
- Ambient illumination — dashboard, display audio + front footwell
- Rear sunshade (manual)
- LED front map lamp + LED rear reading lamps (up from bulb)
- Front USB-C charging port
ZX+
₹16.14L (Petrol MT) · ₹17.14L (Petrol CVT)
Flagship territory. Ventilated front seats and 360° camera are the headline additions. If you're crossing ₹17L on a sedan, these are probably non-negotiables for you. Otherwise, you're paying for badging.
What this adds
- 16" diamond-cut alloys in Berlina Black & Dark-Clear Cut (colour change)
- 360° surround-vision camera with moving object detection (replaces multi-angle rear cam)
- Auto-folding remote retractable ORVMs with welcome function
- ventilated front seats
- All 4 doors — power window auto up/down (was driver only)
- Driver-side seat-back pocket
- Power windows & sunroof — remote open/close from key
- 7" HD full-colour TFT MID (up from 4.2")
- Digital speedometer + G-meter display
ZX+ e:HEV
₹20.99L (e:HEV)
Brilliant tech, locked behind the most expensive door. 27.26 km/L is genuinely useful long-term economics, but at ₹20.99L the premium means you're betting on fuel savings over many years to break even. For high-kilometer drivers (taxi-replacement use, 30K+ km/year), the math works. For everyone else, the V CVT remains the smart play.
What this adds
- Self-charging strong hybrid — 126 PS / 253 Nm / 27.26 km/L (ARAI)
- EV / Hybrid Motor / Engine drive — auto mode selection
- Low Speed Follow (LSF) — adds stop-and-go to ACC for traffic
- All 4-wheel disc brakes (vs front disc, rear drum on petrol)
- Electric Parking Brake (EPB) + Auto Brake Hold
- AVAS — acoustic pedestrian alert in EV mode
- Auto engine stop/start
- Electric AC compressor — cooling continues with engine off
- Deceleration paddle shifters — regen braking levels
- e:HEV power flow display + power/charge gauge + Eco drive display
- Wireless charger (centre console tray, e:HEV specific)
Where the City falls short
Insulation & sheet metal
Tap on a panel and you can hear it. Feels thinner than the Slavia and Virtus, which both win on build feel.
Tire width
185-section tires across the range look undersized for a car this size. Skoda and VW go wider as standard.
No turbocharged engines
Honda continues to skip turbo-petrol in India. If you want segment-leading performance, the Slavia and Virtus 1.5 TSI is in another league.
Hybrid locked to the top
The e:HEV powertrain is the most interesting thing in this segment, but Honda's reserved it for the ₹20.99L variant. Mass adoption isn't possible at that price.
Floating touchscreen fitment
The 10.1" floating screen on ZX onwards looks aftermarket. Fitment finesse isn't where Honda is winning here.
These Honda quirks aren't deal-breakers, but they're the exact failure points the dealer won't draw your attention to during delivery. The full inspection sequence, with photo references for what each issue actually looks like, is in the Honda PDI Master Blueprint at throttleandtech.com/pdi. ₹1,499 once, no upsells, no dealership sponsorship.
Variants to skip
Skip SV unless you only ride in the back
The V variant adds Honda Sensing ADAS for ₹1.30L more — worth it for anyone who'll drive themselves.
Skip ZX+ petrol unless ventilated seats and 360 camera are non-negotiables
The ZX already has the experience layer covered for ₹89,000 less.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Honda City V CVT worth buying in 2026?
Yes. The V CVT at ₹14.29L is the smart pick because it includes Honda Sensing ADAS — full Level 2 with adaptive cruise, lane-keep, and collision mitigation — at a price point no other sedan in India matches.
Does the Honda City SV variant have ADAS?
No. Honda Sensing ADAS starts only from the V CVT variant onwards. The SV gets basic safety only — no adaptive cruise, no lane assist.
What is the real-world mileage of the Honda City e:HEV?
ARAI rates the e:HEV at 27.26 km/L. Real-world figures from early owners are in the 18-22 km/L range, which is still segment-leading among petrol sedans.
Honda City vs Skoda Slavia vs Hyundai Verna — which should I buy?
For driving dynamics and turbo-petrol performance, the Slavia or Virtus 1.5 TSI wins. For long-term reliability, low service cost, and ADAS at a competitive price, the Honda City V CVT is the pick. The Verna sits in between with a strong feature list but mixed long-term feedback.
Does the Honda City have a sunroof?
The sunroof is available only on ZX and above variants. SV and V do not get a sunroof.
Is the Honda City hybrid worth ₹20.99 lakh?
Only if you do 30,000+ km a year. The fuel savings vs the V CVT take roughly 7-9 years to break even at average usage. For high-km use cases (taxi-replacement, daily long commutes) the math works. For most buyers, the V CVT remains smarter.
Which Honda City variant has the best resale value?
Mid variants (V CVT, ZX) typically hold value best in the used market — popular trim levels with safety features that buyers actively look for. The base SV and top-end e:HEV both depreciate faster.
Buying the City? You need these.
PDI Master Blueprint
Honda PDI Master Blueprint
60+ checkpoints specific to Honda. Photo capture, defect flagging, and a professional PDI report for your records.
Free Consultation
Not sure this is the right car?
Tell us your budget, city, and priorities. Get a personalized recommendation in seconds.