Honda has launched a new version of its long-standing mid-size sedan. It’s called the City Sport, and while the name might suggest major revisions under the skin, it’s essentially a cosmetic update — a visual package aimed at those who find the regular City a bit too polite.
It’s still powered by the same 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine, now compliant with E20 fuel. Power stands at 121 bhp, with 145 Nm of torque sent through a CVT automatic gearbox. The car claims a fuel efficiency of 18.4 kmpl, assuming ideal conditions and no significant headwinds.
Exterior Changes
The primary differences are outside. The chrome has been traded in for black trim — the grille, spoiler, shark-fin antenna, wing mirrors, and even the alloys have all been darkened. There’s also a ‘Sport’ badge on the boot lid in case the other bits didn’t make the point clear.
Colour choices include red, grey, and white. All of them look largely sensible, although the white one might require more regular washing.
Interior Updates
Inside, the changes are mostly aesthetic. There’s now black upholstery with red stitching, a black headliner, and subtle ambient lighting that cycles through seven colours. It’s not revolutionary, but it does give the cabin a slightly different tone.
No changes have been made to the layout, features, or space. The dashboard, touchscreen, and switchgear remain unchanged from the standard model. If you’ve sat in a recent Honda City, you’ve already seen this.
Technology and Safety
As with other CVT variants, the City Sport gets Honda Sensing, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and emergency braking assist. These systems are useful in theory, and occasionally in practice too, depending on how much trust you place in sensors and software.
Price and Availability
The City Sport is priced at ₹14.88 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It sits slightly above the standard CVT variant, likely to justify the visual changes and limited nature of the offering. It’s only available with the CVT gearbox, and manual drivers will have to look elsewhere — perhaps even in the same showroom.
Rivals include the Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Virtus, and Skoda Slavia, most of which also offer black-themed trims at some point in their lifecycle. So the City Sport isn't breaking new ground, but it's doing the expected.
