2017 Honda City facelift review, test drive

What is it?

Ever since its launch, the City has been a pillar of Honda’s success in India, a darling of the Indian car buyer and, more often than not, the class best-seller. But this title has been under threat lately with stiff competition from Maruti’s Ciaz. Right on cue, Honda has launched the 2017 City with revised styling, new features and a new variant line-up.

The City gets a new top ZX trim which comes only as a petrol automatic or diesel manual; and not as a petrol manual. The ZX brings a number of new and sought-after features to the Honda mid-sizer, which should help it appeal more to those who simply must have the latest kit. Prices for the updated City start at Rs 8.49 lakh for the base petrol and go up to Rs 13.56 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top end diesel.

Is this the winning formula that will help the City get back to the top? Read on to find out.

What’s it like on the outside?

The new car receives a host of styling changes and features that make it more modern and up to date, and yet, unmistakably, a City. The new sharp-edged bumper design and wide honeycomb grille give it a sleek look that reminds you of the latest Honda Civic that's sold overseas. The chrome bar atop the grille is now thinner but protrudes more, and extends at the sides to meet the all-new LED headlamps (VX and ZX) with LED Daytime Running Lights (these are standard across the range). These changes will certainly be a huge draw with customers for their premium imagery and bright illumination.

LEDs, in fact, also feature in the fog lights, rear tail-light cluster, trunk lid spoiler stop lamp and on the wing mirror indicators giving the City a sharp, distinctive look. The top variants also get all-new 16-inch alloy wheels, and, with them, wider tyres – both of these do well to improve the City's stance.