Honda City ZX Vs ZX Plus: Should You Stretch Your Budget For The Top Variant?

Interested in buying the Honda City? Here is our Ultimate Buying Guide!

Honda recently launched the City facelift with updates to its design inside out. If you are considering the higher variants of the Honda City, the choice can get a little tricky. Unlike the lower trims where the feature differences are more noticeable, the ZX and ZX Plus are separated by a relatively small list of additions.

In fact, both variants look nearly identical, share the same premium cabin experience, and come loaded with safety features. So is the ZX already the sweet spot in the lineup, or does the ZX Plus offer enough to justify the extra spend? Let's take a closer look.

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Price

The ZX Plus commands a premium of around Rs 89,000 over the corresponding ZX petrol variant.

While that may not seem like a huge jump in the context of a premium sedan, the differences between the two variants are fairly limited. The ZX Plus is also the only variant that offers the strong-hybrid powertrain, which sits in a completely different price bracket altogether.

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Exterior

At first glance, it would be difficult to tell the ZX and ZX Plus apart.

Both variants get the facelifted City's sharper front-end design, connected LED DRLs, smoked-effect LED projector headlamps, revised bumpers, and sleek sedan proportions. The 16-inch alloy wheels, shark-fin antenna, and premium exterior detailing are also common to both variants.

The only visual distinction comes in the form of a bootlip spoiler on the ZX Plus, which lends the rear a slightly sportier look. Buyers opting for the hybrid version also get e:HEV badging at the rear.

Other than these minor additions, both variants offer exactly the same road presence.

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Colour Options

Both variants are offered with the same six exterior colour options:

• Crystal Black Pearl

• Radiant Red Metallic

• Obsidian Blue Pearl

• Meteoroid Grey Metallic

• Lunar Silver Metallic

• Platinum White Pearl

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Interior

The cabin experience remains nearly identical between the two variants.

Both get the elegant ivory-themed interior, soft-touch materials across key touchpoints, ambient lighting, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the same clean dashboard layout that continues to be one of the City's strengths.

The single-pane sunroof helps make the cabin feel airy, while the physical climate control buttons remain easy to use.

The only noticeable difference is the seat design, which varies slightly on the ZX Plus. Apart from that, you would be hard-pressed to spot any major distinction between the two from behind the wheel.

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Features

This is where the ZX Plus starts to separate itself, although the gap is not as large as you might expect.

The ZX already comes equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, connected car technology, wireless charging, ambient lighting, an 8-speaker audio system, cruise control, sunroof, and keyless entry.

The ZX Plus builds on this by adding ventilated front seats, a larger 7-inch digital driver's display in place of the ZX's 4.2-inch semi-digital unit. Additionally, if you pick the ZX Plus variant you also get the convenience of operating the windows and sunroof using the key fob.

These are certainly nice additions to have, but none of them feel like absolute must-have features if you are already satisfied with what the ZX offers.

Honda City ZX vs ZX Plus: Safety

Safety equipment remains largely unchanged between the two variants.

Both get six airbags, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system, rain-sensing wipers, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors, LaneWatch camera, and Level-2 ADAS.

The only extra feature reserved for the ZX Plus is a 360-degree camera, which can prove useful while parking in tight spaces. Apart from this addition, both variants offer the same comprehensive safety package.

Powertrain Options

Both variants continue with Honda's familiar 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, paired with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic transmission. As a result, there is no difference in performance, refinement, or fuel efficiency between the petrol-powered ZX and ZX Plus variants.

The real differentiator here is the hybrid powertrain. If you want the City's strong-hybrid setup with its higher fuel efficiency, the ZX Plus is the only variant that offers it. Detailed below are the powertrain specifications of both powertrain options. 

CarDekho Says…

The ZX already feels like a complete version of the Honda City. It gets the same styling, premium cabin ambience, safety package, and petrol powertrain as the ZX Plus, while also packing most of the features buyers are likely to use every day.

The ZX Plus does make the experience a little nicer with additions such as ventilated seats, a larger driver's display, remote window operation, and a 360-degree camera. However, these features feel more like finishing touches rather than game-changing upgrades.

For most buyers, the ZX strikes the better balance between price and equipment. The ZX Plus makes more sense if you specifically want the added convenience features or plan to opt for the strong-hybrid powertrain, which remains exclusive to the top-spec variant. If you are looking for a more affordable package over the ZX, we have compared the V variant with the ZX variant here.