Honda City 4th Gen

Expert Review by Maxabout

Overview

It may have started off as a hatchback in Japan, but Honda released it as a midsize sedan in India in 1998. The Honda City was a big hit with automotive aficionados because it was sleek, low-slung, and Japanese. After twenty years of success, it is now in its fifth generation form in India and continues to deliver.

The Honda City strikes an excellent blend of manoeuvrability, efficiency, and power. While the powertrain options haven't changed since the current model's introduction in 2014, the 2017 Honda City facelift includes several new features. Honda relaunched the City in December 2019 to fulfil BS6 emission standards. The Honda City 4th Gen comes in two variants and powering it is an i-VTEC petrol engine with a manual transmission.

Honda City 4th Gen Design and Style

While not as stylish as the latest-generation Honda City, the older model looks excellent despite its age. The upper grille is chrome-laden, and the slim LED headlights have LED Daytime Running Lights. The side profile features 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels that still look nice today. The pre-facelift version of the last-generation City had 15-inch rims, which were replaced with larger units with the introduction of the facelift. However, because the automobile is no longer available in the highest trim levels, there is no chrome on the door handles.

The rear end has wrap-around tail lights identical to those found on the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Honda City uses the LED fixtures in the lighting units and LED lights in the number plate housing. The rear bumper is rather robust and sports a dynamic design with a honeycomb insert near the bottom. Overall, the design of the old Honda City feels relevant even now, and its visual appeal is at least as high as that of its arch-rival, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

Honda City 4th Gen Engine and Gearbox

With the diesel engine variant pulled off the shelves even before introducing the latest model, the last-gen City is being sold only with the 1.5-litre iVTEC petrol engine that outputs 119 HP and 145 Nm. Also, this time around, there’s no CVT on offer, which means a manual transmission is the only option on offer.

The 5-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly and has well-defined gear ratios. Dealing with speed breakers in second gear at sub-20 km/h speeds and gaining up speed in the same cog is doable, as is overtaking high-speed traffic on the interstate with little planning. This engine has somewhat less power than the current Honda City, but in real-world situations, it doesn't miss the handful of additional horses the new motor has to give. Even today, the last-generation City is among the quickest of the tonne and doesn't disappoint in terms of high-speed performance.

Honda City 4th Gen Suspension, Brakes and Tyres

The Honda City has a front McPherson strut with coil springs and a rear torsion beam axle with coil springs and a torsion anti-roll bar. Honda City has only front disc brakes and no rear disc brakes as it has drum brakes at the rear. The ABS with EBD assists the braking system, and the rear wheels have a mechanically activated parking brake. Honda equips the fourth-generation sedan with 15 x 5.5 J Alloy wheels and Tubeless Radial Ply, 175/65 R15 tyre sections.

Interior and Instrument Console of Honda City 4th Gen

The interior, like the exterior, isn't as suave and modern as that of the latest-generation Honda City, but the cabin of the last-generation car impresses with the practicality on offer and the quality of materials used, especially when you consider the attractive price at which Honda is offering it.

The ergonomics are excellent, with all controls conveniently accessible to the driver. The adequately supported seats keep you in place even when changing directions quickly. There is plenty of space both front and back, and the driver can quickly find a comfortable position by using the seat's height adjustment option. Even with three passengers on the bench seat, the rear seats enjoy considerable legroom and shoulder room. The rear air conditioning vents allow for the faster cooling of the interior throughout the summer. The DigiPad 2.0 supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but lacks Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, which the newer model includes.

The grouses here include the absence of touch-sensitive air-conditioning controls. The basic explanation for this deletion on the newer model is that these controls aren't particularly straightforward to operate, and one frequently needs to look away from the road and focus on the touch panel to accomplish the desired settings. Also, the blue-back-lit speedo console seemed a little old, thus the addition of the white-lit console.

Key Features of Honda City 4th Gen

Some key features of the new Honda City 4th Generation include Front Signature Chrome Grille, Premium Piano Black Dashboard Panel, Automatic AC with Touch Control Panel, Outside Temperature Indicator, Dual SRS Front Airbags, 17.7cm Advanced Infotainment with Capacitive Touchscreen, Wireless Infrared Remote, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, Wi-Fi USB Receiver Support for Live Traffic, Voice Recognition for Media, Navigation & SmartPhone, AM/FM Digital Radio Tuner, MP3/WAV, iPod, Speakers & Tweeters, Steering Mounted Audio & Hands-Free Telephone & Voice Recognition, ABS with EBD, Cruise Control, Rear Seats ISOFIX Compatible, Rear Parking Sensors, R15 Diamond-Cut Alloy Wheels, Automatic Door Locking & Unlocking, Anti-Theft Security Alarm, High Speed Alert, Dual Horn, All Power Windows with Drive Side One-Touch Up/Down, Black Sash Tape on B-Pillar, Engine One-Push Start/Stop Button, Honda Smart Key System with Keyless Remote, Smart Trunk Lock with Keyless Release, Multi-View Rear Camera with Guidelines.

According to the manufacturer, the last-generation Honda City provides excellent crash protection thanks to its 'ACE' body construction comprising High Strength Steel and Advanced High Strength Steel.

It also includes several active and passive safety systems that maximize protection in the event of a crash. Dual front airbags, Impact Mitigating Headrests, Engine Immobilizer, Anti-theft Alarm, ABS, and Rear ISOFIX Child Seat Anchors and Tethers are all part of the safety package.

Top Speed and Mileage of Honda City 4th Gen

The ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of the Honda City 4th Generation is 17.4 km/l (combined) and it can achieve a top speed of 190 km/h.

Honda City 4th Gen Colour Options

2023 Honda City 4th Generation is available in 5 different colour options as per the official Honda Car India website namely Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Golden Brown Metallic and Lunar Silver Metallic.

Honda City 4th Gen Competitors

Hyundai Verna, Maruti Nexa Ciaz, Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus are some of the top competitors that rival the Honda City in the Market.

Conclusion

Despite the revamp, Honda City's essential strengths remain. It's still the same pleasant, dependable, capacious, and simple car to own that it was before. However, Honda's goal has been to plug a few gaps in the package. Whether it's a matter of safety or adding some desirable amenities to meet modern customer wants, Honda has nearly nailed the City's positioning as a terrific all-rounder.

But why should you choose Honda City over less expensive competitors such as the Maruti Ciaz or Hyundai Verna? The Honda City's cabin size and sense of luxury remain its primary selling points. It awes you with its design on the inside and out, balancing emotional appeal with practicality for daily use. The Honda City also has a high resale value, so you'll receive a lot of your money back when it's time for an upgrade.