Ever since the launch of the 1st Generation Honda City in India in 1998, city has always been an aspirational car for every Indian be it an 20yo young boy or 60yo businessman, City has been on the forefront of Honda’s business in India. The mid-size sedan segment has suffered a lot due to the SUV culture taking over, but will the City continue to keep the segment alive we find out.
DESIGN AND LOOKS :
If I was allowed to only use two adjectives to describe the looks, they would be “BOLD” and “ELEGANT”. It borrows the same platform from the predecessor and the wheel base is same at 2600mm but has marginally grown in length and width. The City seems to take the inspiration from the Accord sold in international markets, with it’s thick bold and chunky chrome bar running across the front fascia and then merging into the beautifully laid out 9 array headlights.
The rear of the city looks very smart, thanks to the clean and edgy lines coupled with the 3D LED taillight units. The 16 inch diamond cut alloys look good but seem to be a size smaller and do not match to the grown up look of the car. The ground clerance essentially remains the same but the increase length makes it look lowered. In simple words to put things into perspective, the city is not plain and simple as a Volkswagen Vento or Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and not as sporty and flashy as the Hyundai Verna.
COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE :
As soon as you step inside the cabin, the beige colored leather upholstery and a good glass area makes the cabin feel airy. The dashboard is beautifully laid out and there is a subtle use of wood trim combined with soft touch materials. Just like the predecessor, the front seats are wide, supportive and superbly comfortable, offering the right amount of firmness and cushioning.
Now lets come to the main thing for which the City is known for : The Rear seat. Ingress and egress are good and should not be a problem to anyone who is used to sedans. The rear seats are extremely supportive and offer just the right amount of firmness and cushioning. There are 3 headrests at the rear but are not adjustable for height. Long highway runs should not be a problem in the backseat of the city.
The climate control unit feels superb to use and has a knurled finish on the dials which make a very satisfying click on rotation. The steering is leather wrapped and feels excellent to hold.
The boot is shaped well and has a 506 litre capacity and can accomodate four full size trolleys, long journeys and airport transfers wont be a problem in the new city
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM AND FEATURES :
The biggest upgrade inside the cabin is the inclusion of a new infotainment system. But the only problem we find with the system was the placement, the lay out seems after market and is not easy to read in afternoon sunlight. This time around there is inclusion of Apple Car Play and Android Auto, Alexa compatibility combined with Honda Connect. Many features of the car can be used using your smartphone. For example, checking fuel level, tyre pressure, locking/ unlocking the vehicle, switching on/off the engine and AC, opening the boot and many more things can be done remotely or through voice commands.
The Lane watch camera is a first in segment feature and is a welcome addition. I personally found it to be very useful on the highways but some people might find it distracting and will turn it off.
On the contrary to the infotainment system the part digital instrument cluster is very crisp and clear to read and provides a good amount of information which can be controlled from the steering mounted controls. The tachometer is all-digital display and the screen can also display a G-force meter, and other trip-related info.
DRIVING DYNAMICS AND RIDE QUALITY :
The main thing that has always worked in the favor of the city is the i-VTEC engine. It’s not as punchy like a turbo unit offered in the price range. But it’s very strong and diligent and works well at both ends of the rev range. The engine revs freely until the 7,000rpm redline. Compared to the older car, gear ratios are a bit taller, 50kmph comes in first gear and 105kmph in the second gear. The engine doesn’t struggle and pulls from low revs even in higher gears. Honda claims a fuel efficiency of 17.8kpl for the manual and 18.4kpl for the auto, the fuel efficiency figures have marginally increased from the previous generation.
The suspension on the City is primarily soft and helps improve the ride quality, pot holes and rough roads also aren’t a major problem for the new city, it soaks up bumps, potholes with ease. Also on triple digit speeds the car feels planted and does not move around much. Handling wise the city handles just like you would expect any japanese sedan to handle, the city can attack corners with ease and can maintain it’s line without any problem. Straight line stability is also amazing taking in account the soft suspension setup.
SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?
The city makes up for an excellent family car considering the comfort and performance on offer. The city looks premium and comes with advanced features which also includes Alexa compatibility – one can turn on the ignition, switch on the AC, open boot and more using the app on phone, gets an all-new petrol engine. The city is also a safe car and has scored 5 stars at the ASEAN NCAP. The only thing that is not so likable about the city is the price tag. The city is priced at a premium than it’s rival, some rivals might offer a more engaging drive experience, while some might be more feature-rich but the city balances it all and comes out as a all-rounder.
