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Honda Cars India is set to launch the facelifted Honda City on May 22, 2026. Spy sightings have recently become more frequent. Now, with almost a week left for its debut, an image showing the facelifted City without camouflage has surfaced online. It shows that the updated sedan will come with notable design changes.

This photograph has been shared on X (previously Twitter) by Financial Express’ Akbar Merchant. It shows a City facelift, parked at some private parking, likely Honda’s plant premises. There is no camouflage on the car and all design cues of the front fascia are clearly visible.

The facelift seems to have adopted a cleaner and sharper design language. Look carefully and you’ll find influence of global Hondas like the new Accord and Prelude in the front fascia’s design. Overall aesthetics feel modern and more upmarket than before.

The front end now has redesigned LED headlamps which come with integrated DRLs. The inner ends of these are sharp and extend into the grille section. The grille itself is large and connects the headlamps seamlessly. It highlights the car’s width and has a mesh pattern.

The front bumper is new as well. It has angular inserts and a cleaner air intake. The Honda logo now sits on the bonnet, which appears to have slightly tweaked character lines.

From what is visible in this image, the silhouette remains mostly unchanged. It looks almost like the outgoing model although a set of new wheels are expected- at least on higher trims. At the rear, the facelifted City may get redesigned tail lamps and a new bumper.

The image seems to be of a higher trim, as the ADAS camera can be seen at the front. The facelift is expected to get more ADAS functions. No radar can be seen on the facelift, indicating the system will continue to be camera-based.

The interior design is likely to remain largely unchanged. However, we expect Honda to introduce more features on the facelifted City, to keep it competitive in the segment. The City’s rivals- Hyundai Verna, Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus have all got facelifts recently or are awaiting the same. Staying relevant is thus important, as the sixth generation City will only be out in 2028.

One of the expected feature additions is that of a 360-degree camera. Rivals like the Hyundai Verna offer high-quality 360-degree cameras, while the fifth generation City lacks a proper one. Addition of the same would further boost safety and usability. Additionally, more connected car features are also likely to be added.

Since this is not a full model change, the powertrain lineup is expected to remain unchanged. The facelift will use the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 119hp and 145Nm as the outgoing model. It will offer the same two transmission options- 6-speed manual and a CVT automatic.

Honda also sells a strong hybrid version of the City in India, under the name City e:HEV. It comes with a 1.5L strong hybrid powertrain that makes 124hp and 253Nm, mated to an e-CVT transmission. The hybrid City is also expected to get a corresponding update on the same day.

The pre-facelift City is priced from Rs 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The facelift, from what we know yet, aims to boost the car’s appeal and keep it relevant by aligning its design better with global models and improving the cabin experience. It won’t be too much to expect the facelift to be slightly more expensive than the current model.

Source: X/ Akbar Merchant