Honda City 2020 has been officially launched in India at a starting price of ?10.89 lakh and goes up to ?14.64 lakh (ex-showroom prices, Delhi). The fifth-generation Honda City and the preceding model will both be sold by the Japanese carmaker here.

While the fourth-generation Honda City was upgraded to meet BS 6 emission norms in late 2019 and it makes sense to persist with it, the latest Honda City manages to raise the bar in several key areas and puts itself out as a strong option in the sedan segment which also features Hyundai Verna 2020 - launched earlier this year, and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

The biggest of all changes in City 2020 are in terms of its looks and engine options. The new City looks extremely contemporary and gets heavy design upgrades highlighted by a profile that is now longer and wider than the previous model. A thick chrome strip on the front fascia is flanked by a 9-LED headlight set up on either side. On the side, the wheel arches over the new alloys are more prominent and so is a sharp body line that stretches the entire length of the vehicle.

The taillights at the rear have been reworked and the overall appeal of the vehicle is now extremely upmarket. This is also obvious because certain styling elements in City 2020 have been brought in from elder siblings like Civic and Accord.

The upgrades extend into the cabin as well which is now even more well-appointed. The seats are plush - the cushioning is three times more than in seats in the fourth-generation City, there's enough leg and knee room for even three passengers at the back and there is a new seven-inch TFT LCD panel behind the steering wheel for the driver. The main eight-inch infotainment unit has also been upgraded.

Safety in the new City has been taken several notches up and the most striking addition is a Lane-Keep camera under the left rearview mirror. It puts out a live feed on the central display unit whenever the left indicator is engaged. Apart from this, it also has six airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability assist (VSA), agile handling assist (AHA), hill start assists (HSA), and Honda claims that the new City 2020 weighs slightly more because of the use of ultra-high tensile strength steel frame. The car also offers a first-in-segment walk-away auto lock convenience.