Honda New City S MT
Maxabout Review
Refreshingly Ahead
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Overview - Despite Of High Price Honda City Is Best Sedan In Its Segment
The first generation Honda City was introduced in 1996, quickly responding to the growing needs for automobiles in Asian markets associated with economic growth in the region. Today, Honda City is produced in seven countries and enjoyed by customers in 39 nations around the world. Last year Honda Cars India launched the New Honda City with a more powerful engine than the outgoing city which generates maximum power of 118 Bhp. Honda is also planning to plonk a 100 Bhp plus diesel engine in Honda City which is expected to be in the league of Verna and Fiesta's engines. It will be termed as iCTDi which stands for intelligent common rail turbo diesel injection. Honda City Diesel is expected to be launched in 2010.
New Refreshing Honda City Launched - "V" Variant Announced
Honda Motors India has launched New City with improved interiors. The new City features improved interior quality, a new knob for its air-conditioning. The new City will also has some refreshed exterior bits as well. Two new trim levels will now be available for the City:
- New City 1.5 V MT
- New City 1.5 V AT
The 1.5 E MT and 1.5 S AT has been discontinued and are no longer available for bookings. The 1.5 S is now available in new colour options along with better quality interior trim as well as rotary controls for the air conditioner.
Design & Style Of Honda City
Honda designers have taken some design cues from civic especially for the front look. Regarding production of the New City, HATC will support the startup of production in developing countries including ASEAN markets, India and China. The front is definitely inspired by the likes of the European Honda Civic and the Honda FCX Clarity. The headlamps feature reflector lense instead of the more expensive projector type, which is expected at this price range. The Rear of Honda City looks like a mini-ish BMW 3-series with aggressive looking bumper and tail lights.
The Honda City 1.5 "V" comes with the introduction of attractive 5 spoke Alloy Wheels and elegant Front Fog Lamps for enhanced style and better visibility. The exterior looks of the New Honda City 1.5V gets further stylized by addition of Chrome door handles, new Sporty Exhaust Finisher and Front & Rear mud guards. Though no car in C+ segment can beat the quality and finish of Honda City but in my opinion Fiat Linea looks much better than Honda City and gives feel of a big car with loads of features at much lesser price.
Interiors & Comfort Features Of Honda City - Not In The League Of Rivals
The interiors of new Honda City are beige in shade with all new silver finish rotary AC knob. It features a clean and simple interior with integrated audio and the new design Honda steering wheel. Honda City has grown in every dimension. Everything is laid out nicely, and there is a quality feel to all the controls. The plastics are hard, but in a solid and chunky sort of way. The steering wheel of Honda City is now adjustable for reach as well as height, which is a really excellent feature for this segment of the market.
Another nice touch is the iPod compatible USB connector. Although the Jazz already has this, Honda City has a very nicely integrated system. The display section of the audio system is hinged, opening to reveal a short USB cable which will accept your iPod cable. There is a little felt-lined compartment for your iPod. Once installed, you can control your iPod via the car's audio system. Honda City doesn't have a CD player, so you need an iPod, or other compatible MP3 player to take your songs with you. Still, it's nicely done. But the main feature which is missing in Honda City is Climate Control System which is very shocking at this price point as climate control is available in many premium hatchbacks.
Engine & Transmission Of Honda City
The automatic model of Honda City the unique Paddle Shift gear option allows you to switch gears without using the clutch pedal. The 5 gear automatic transmission allows you to change gear ratios automatically-freeing you from having to shift gears manually. The right paddle is for shifting up while the left paddle is for shifting down, which is the same as for an F1 machine. In D-range mode, the driver can shift up and down by using the paddles, while automatically returning to normal AT driving mode when a sensor determines the car is cruising.
On the other hand, in Honda City's S-range, the mode does not revert automatically to AT driving mode, which allows the driver to enjoy a manual transmission-like driving feel. Intake valve timing and valve lift settings switch to meet both low- and high-speed driving requirements. Optimized valve overlap in the low-, mid- and high-speed ranges enhances intake and exhaust efficiency for excellent performance with plenty of torque throughout all speed ranges.
Safety Features Available In Honda City
Honda City comes fully loaded with all active and passive safety features including ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with Brake Assist, Dual SRS airbags, pre-tensioner seat belts and G-Force Control Technology body with a crush-proof survival zone. The front body structure ensures advanced pedestrian safety features. With the new City, these safety features are now a standard offering across the entire range of Honda in the Indian market.
Honda city is a car which lives up to its name, it is an excellent urban commuter. Ford has pitched in with their Fiesta; Chevrolet have come out with their Aveo. But, Honda city has still major market share in its segment. The quality that Honda has on offer, it is collecting a huge amount of money as brand value.
Variants Available In Honda City
Honda City is available in three variants - 1.5 S Manual, 1.5 V Manual & 1.5 V Automatic. New Features In Honda City S Variant are:
- All New Beige Interiors, New Fog Lamps
- New Silver Colored AC Knob
- Painted inner door handles, Door lining garnish
- New Deep Sapphire Blue Shade for a limited period
- Like the recently launched New Civic Honda has also introduced the Elegance & Inspire packages for the New Honda City.
The V variant of Honda City looks much more sporty and stylish in comparison to the S variant. New Features In Honda City V Variant are:
- Dual Front Tweeters, Driver seat back pocket
- Chrome Door Handles, New Finish Exhaust Pipe
- 5 Spoke 15" Alloy Wheels, Front & Rear Mud Guards
Additional Features In Honda City's Elegance Package:
- Door Side Protectors, Bumper Protectors
- Reverse Back Up Sensors, Illuminated Step Garnish
Additional Features In Honda City's Inspire Package:
- Rear Under Spoiler, Trunk Spoiler
- Side Under Spoiler, Front Under Spoiler
Price Of New Honda City Variants
Though Honda City feels a bit over priced in comparison to features on offer but it is still the first choice for many prospective buyers who want a quality product. The main sore point at this price is that Honda City doesn't features automatic climate control system which is available in even lower segment cars like i20, Punto and Fabia. Here are prices of New Honda City variants (Ex-Showroom New Delhi)
- Honda City 1.5 S M/T - Rs. 8,37,000
- Honda City 1.5 V M/T - Rs. 8,82,000
- Honda City 1.5 V A/T - Rs. 9,54,000
- Honda City 1.5 Elegance V - Rs. 34,000 additional
- Honda City 1.5 Elegance S - Rs. 36,000 additional
- Honda City Inspire V & Inspire S - Rs. 70,000 additional