Honda City Hybrid vs MG ZS EV vs Skoda Slavia

For green aspirations, I'd happily buy the cheaper Nexon EV Max or pay a little more for the ZS EV.

Honda City Hybrid

Honda City Hybrid Pros

• 20+ km/l fuel economy in city driving conditions, giving it lower running costs than a diesel!
• Seamless Hybrid system that makes driving a breeze. A car you will enjoy driving in traffic
• Tractable power unit that delivers performance on par with internal combustion counterparts
• Loaded with safety tech such as ‘Honda Sensing’ consisting of lane-keeping assist, lane departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, collision mitigation braking system as well as ESP, 6 airbags and a lane watch camera
• This generation of the City feels grown up in terms of overall feel & exterior dimensions
• Spacious cabin will keep your family happy. A sedan you’d love to be chauffeur-driven in as well
• Compliant ride quality in the city. High-speed bounciness (rear) reduced due to beefed-up suspension & battery pack weight
• Honda's proven reliability is comforting, as the hybrid system is complex
• Lower emissions in the city. Will appeal to the environmentally-conscious customer

Honda City Hybrid Cons

• Not a car for enthusiasts - it feels like an alien experience and is completely disconnected
• Honda Sensing ADAS system is too intrusive for Indian highways; requires the driver to adapt to it and be comfortable using it
• Boot space is compromised due to the battery pack and spare tyre. Down from 506 to 306 litres!
• We’re worried about the price. Honda is usually optimistic with pricing, and there is no lower variant without the ADAS features
• Build quality still feels light and not as reassuring as competitors
• Overall road and tyre NVH levels should have been better to keep up with the refined & silent hybrid powertrain
• Missing features for this price point = powered seats with ventilation, rear side sunblinds, wireless charging…
• Honda City Diesel will give you comparable running costs at a far lower price
• Some misses such as the puny 185-section tyres (upgrade is mandatory), outdated audio head-unit, ICE sound quality is just average

Review Link

2022 MG ZS EV

MG ZS EV Pros

• One of the most sorted EVs in India! Drive it and you'll be a convert
• A well-built car with good interiors
• Green image & zero tailpipe emissions appeal to the environmentally conscious
• Fast performance and excellent mid-range. 0-100 km/h run of 8.5 seconds is enjoyable
• Selectable regenerative braking and drive modes help you extract maximum performance or efficiency, as needed
• Range is adequate for urban commuting as well as road trips to nearby destinations
• Low running costs & cheaper long-term maintenance (as is the case with all EVs)
• An excellent city car. Smooth driving experience, easy to drive, very chuckable
• 5 year / unlimited km warranty, 5 labour-free services & 8 year / 150,000 km battery warranty
• Features such as the panoramic sunroof, cruise control, Bluetooth key, connected car tech & more
• International model got a 5-star Euro NCAP rating. The safety kit includes 6 airbags, blind-spot monitoring, ESP, HSA, TPMS etc.

MG ZS EV Cons

• Expensive! Even after subsidies, EVs carry a huge price premium over ICE cars. You're paying for the tech & being an early adopter
• The very similar & arguably more practical MG Astor is 8 - 12 lakhs cheaper
• Needs a charging point installed at your home parking. This is not doable for many people
• Lack of charging infrastructure & ~350 km range limits long-distance/highway usability
• Firm ride quality means you always feel the road, especially with the recommended 41 PSI tyre pressure
• Long “full tank” charging times in comparison with an ICE car. Overnight charging is best
• Missing features such as ventilated seats, auto-dimming IRVM, steering reach adjustment, ADAS tech (which Astor gets), wireless Android Auto / CarPlay…
• Size & interior quality are more comparable to a Creta than other 28-30 lakh rupee cars
• The rear seat is better suited to 2 adults & a kid, not 3 adults
• 6-speaker sound system is ordinary for the price. Subwoofer conspicuous by its absence
• Lower Excite variant is currently unavailable. It is cheaper by ~4-lakh rupees

Review Link

Honda City

Link to list of observations

Link to Launch thread

Skoda Slavia

Review Link

Volkswagen Virtus

Volkswagen Virtus Pros

• A ‘complete’ car that just might bring some love back to sedans
• Classy exterior & interior styling, along with solid build quality
• Cabin has good legroom on offer, supportive seats, perfect ergonomics & enough storage
• 521-litre boot is the largest in its segment (along with the Slavia’s)
• 148 BHP engine makes the Virtus among the most fun-to-drive sedans in the segment
• Sporty 1.0L & 1.5L turbo-petrol are mated to smooth transmissions
• Sorted suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package
• Safety features include 6 airbags, ESC, 3-point seatbelts for all, electronic differential lock, brake disc wiping, multi-collision brake and more
• Features like active cylinder tech, ventilated seats, sunroof, wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, auto headlamps & wipers etc.
• 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all-inclusive service packages available

Volkswagen Virtus Cons

• No 1.5L diesel is a major disadvantage in a world where petrol costs over 100 bucks/litre
• DQ200 DSG transmission has a history of poor reliability & breakdowns in India
• No MT option available with the 1.5L petrol. The Slavia offers this combination, as does the City
• Backseat better for 2 healthy adults and a child, rather than 3 adults
• Lovely 1.5L TSI is only available on the top variant. Should have been there in the mid-trim too
• Interior quality doesn’t feel up to old school VW standards. Body-coloured interior highlights are polarising too
• Missing some features such as a subwoofer, driving modes (sport), 360-degree camera & electric driver's seat adjustment
• Turbo-petrol are very sensitive to driving style. FE will drop drastically when you drive hard
• VW’s after-sales service can be a hit or miss. The brand’s long-term reliability can be patchy as well
• Slavia's 'clever' touches are missing = no spot on top of the dashboard to place a deity, no smartphone holders on the front seatbacks, no ticket clip on the windshield, no elastic band in the door pad to keep items in place, or even something as simple as the small reflective tapes on the doors

Review Link

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

My pick would be the ZS EV or the Slavia / Virtus 1.5 TSI. Because I already have 3 ICE sedans, I'll go for the ZS EV which will nicely round up the garage. Excellent city car.

Honda City Hybrid is too overpriced. For green aspirations, I'd happily buy the cheaper Nexon EV Max or pay a little more for the ZS EV.

Here's what BHPian saisree had to say on the matter:

Voted for City Hybrid. A delightful concoction of both ICE and EV. Peaceful City Rides and no Range Anxiety as in the case of Pure EVs is added with Honda's no-nonsense practicality and dependability.

My second vote goes to Skoda Slavia 1.5 Manual.

Here's what BHPian Javelin had to say on the matter:

I have a transferable job. Never in the same State for more than 3-4 years. Staying away from EVs for a while.

I would pick Virtus 1.5 DSG, differentiating the sporty exterior and fun to drive element, makes me take a chance with DSG. Planning to replace my Honda Jazz soon.

Would have picked Slavia 1.5 with eyes closed vis-à-vis Virtus 1.5, in case there was some effort from Skoda to make Slavia 1.5 stand out when compared to Slavia 1.0 at least.

There has been a lot of discussion on Volkswagen 2.0 QC not being at par with their previous-gen models or the more expensive models. IMHO, Although not as good as before, but still, their quality levels are at par if not better than their counterparts. Furthermore, there is no ICE engine that matches the level of refinement of 1.5 TSI south of 20 lacs.

In the case of a permanent house in a city, MG ZS EV Excite does make a lot of sense. It would be VFM and is likely to be launched next month. The ever-rising fuel prices :-( makes you think twice before buying an ICE car.

Here's what BHPian Palio_2005 had to say on the matter:

Voted for the Honda City Hybrid. Love the styling and the fuel efficiency it offers, interior space comfort, reliability, service quality and mainly freedom from range anxiety. I don't mind paying a bit higher price if I can save a bit of money and the environment. My current ride a Yaris CVT barely gives 7-8 km/l in Mumbai traffic.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.