If you were eyeing the Honda City, the September price revision changes the math a little. Petrol variants get a flat ₹20,800 hike, while the e:HEV strong hybrid (a petrol-electric setup that runs on the motor at city speeds and never needs plugging in) takes the steepest cut at ₹35,900. The good news? The base SV petrol at ₹11.99 lakh is left completely untouched.
How much has the Honda City price increased?
Honda has raised prices across its range this September, in line with other carmakers. The City sedan is now dearer by up to ₹35,900 (ex-showroom). But the increase is not the same for every variant. Petrol versions get a uniform ₹20,800 hike, while the hybrid gets the maximum revision. Honda hasn't spelt out a reason, though such hikes usually follow rising input costs. No features or specs change with this update.
Which city variant is hit hardest? Hybrid vs. petrol
The e:HEV strong hybrid is the one that stings. It gets the full ₹35,900 hike, pushing its price to ₹21.04 lakh. Every petrol variant, whether manual or CVT (automatic), gets a smaller and equal ₹20,800 bump. And the entry-level SV petrol? It gets a rare free pass and stays put at ₹11.99 lakh. So first-time buyers eyeing the base city are not affected at all this round.
Revised Honda City price list (ex-showroom)
Here's where the range stands after the September hike, all ex-showroom. The SV petrol MT holds at ₹11.99 lakh. The V petrol is ₹13.34 lakh (MT) and ₹14.34 lakh (CVT). The ZX petrol comes in at ₹15.30 lakh (MT) and ₹16.30 lakh (CVT). The top ZX Plus petrol is ₹16.19 lakh (MT) and ₹17.44 lakh (CVT). The ZX Plus e:HEV hybrid, the priciest of the lot, now costs ₹21.04 lakh. Remember, on-road prices will be higher after road tax, registration, and insurance, and these vary by state.
City e:HEV hybrid: Is the ₹35,900 hike justified?
The hybrid's big draw is its mileage. Honda claims 27.26 kmpl on the ARAI test (a government test that always reads higher than real driving). Expect closer to 20-22 kmpl in real city use, which is still excellent for a sedan. The e:HEV system makes 125 bhp combined and runs on the electric motor at low speeds, with the petrol engine kicking in on acceleration and the brakes topping up the battery. The hike stretches the payback period by a few months, but the sums still work if you drive a lot. In states like Uttar Pradesh, the road-tax waiver on strong hybrids can save you well over ₹1.8 lakh, which more than offsets this increase.
City
SedanPetrol vs. hybrid: the price gap and cost per km
The hybrid now costs ₹21.04 lakh against ₹17.44 lakh for the top petrol ZX Plus CVT. That's a premium of about ₹3.60 lakh for the strong-hybrid tech. At petrol around ₹100 a litre, the hybrid's real fuel bill works out far lower per km than the petrol's 17.77-17.97 kmpl. If you clock 15,000 km or more a year in the city, the hybrid earns its premium back over time. Drive less, and the petrol city makes far more sense. Both get 119-125 bhp, 6 airbags as standard, and a big 506-liter boot, so you're not losing space with the hybrid battery here.
City vs. Verna, Slavia, and Virtus after the hike
Even after the increase, the petrol city stays competitive. The top petrol ZX Plus CVT at ₹17.44 lakh is about ₹0.97 lakh cheaper than the Hyundai Verna's top ₹18.41 lakh. It also undercuts the top trims of the Skoda Slavia (₹18.19 lakh) and Volkswagen Virtus (₹19.20 lakh). Where the city stands alone is the hybrid. No rival here offers a strong hybrid, so the ₹21.04 lakh e:HEV commands a ₹2.63 lakh premium over the Verna, but for tech those cars simply don't have. If you value Honda reliability and the SENSING Level-2 ADAS (safety tech that can brake and steer to keep you in lane), the city still holds strong.
Should you buy the city now or wait?
For petrol buyers, there's little reason to wait. The ₹20,800 hike adds only a small amount to your monthly EMI, and the city remains well-priced against rivals. SV buyers, in particular, should just go ahead since their price didn't move at all. For the hybrid, the ₹35,900 bump does push up the cost, but the fuel savings and state road-tax waivers still make it worth it for high-mileage city drivers. Waiting risks another hike, since carmakers tend to revise prices every few months. If you drive 15,000 km a year or more, the City e:HEV ZX Plus is the pick; otherwise, the ZX Plus petrol CVT at ₹17.44 lakh is the sweet spot.
References: Honda India — official website
