SENSE AND THE CITY

The City has been updated for 2023, but are those updates enough?

-  Rivan RS

It's almost a knee-jerk reaction, this — a mid-life update of the Honda City has come a little early in order for the Japanese brand to match the VW Virtus and Skoda Slavia that came in after the 2020 City, and the all-new generation Hyundai Verna that's coming this month. The City has been a bestseller for Honda, and these updates should keep the sales numbers turning, at least for Honda loyalists.

But does it have enough to pull focus from its rivals? The visual updates suggest, yes. The City has always been a good-looking and well-proportioned sedan, barring those weedy 185/55 R16 tyres, and the new model continues this tradition. The standard petrol version now also gets a boot-lip spoiler, there's a new front bumper, and a rather sportylooking faux diffuser at the rear.

The only differentiators between the City e: HEV and the standard petrol version are Honda logos bordered in blue, an e:HEV badge on the boot, and rear disc brakes.