Honda City: Buy or not?

We Malaysians love anything Honda. Most of the Honda cars sold here are quite a hit with the public. It is not only the men but also the women and kids who prefer going for the Honda products. Honda knows this and has been commanding a premium for the same as well. They also launch timely updates to their vehicles. Either mechanically or cosmetically. The all-new Honda City which was launched in 2014 has now got a facelift. It is basically a nip and tuck job but also brings in slightly more equipment and more importantly a hybrid powertrain. The Honda City has one of the few hybrid engines in its class and that gives it bragging rights. So let’s see if the Honda City is a car that should be preferred above competition like the Nissan Almera, Toyota Vios or even the Hyundai Accent.

Visually apt

The Honda City has managed to stay fresh despite the competition bringing on newer models each day. A survey conducted recently by JK Power says that the buyers prefer the Honda City over the competition primarily for the way it looks. Honda switching to all-LED headlights with the new City has helped ease buying decisions. We all love bling and more so if the manufacturer is offering it with the standard warranty. The Honda City also has the right stance and proportions as its 4,442 mm length, 1,694 mm width and 1,477 mm height shows. Those BMW-style LED lights at the rear too are a giveaway of the premiumness one can expect from this Honda. The Japanese company has started offering diamond cut alloys and the City is the first one to receive it as well. While the Vios and Mazda may also offer LED headlights, it is the City’s unit which are the most attractive to look at.

Befitting interior

You know where your money has gone by sitting in the back seat of the Honda City. It is being said that there have been many cars which have come and gone. However, none of them have offered the same comfort as the Honda City. The Nissan Almera comes close to this one, however, for longer distances, the seat isn’t that comfortable. Three folks can be seated here abreast and none of them will complain about lack of seating space. For that matter, even the 535 litre boot is the biggest in its class and helps carry luggage of all the five people in the cabin. The cabin has decent quality and all the buttons are laid logically too. The Mazda 2 for example, takes a bit of time to get used to. No such big deal with the City here. Appreciable bits include the touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, powered windows and mirrors and rear AC vents. The non-appreciable bits include the hard plastics, the dark cabin and the low resolution of the touchscreen. It hosts Android Auto and Apple CarPlay but we prefer the Mazda’s infotainment than this. Even if it lacks Android and Apple phone screen mirroring capabilities that is. The Vios takes it to another level with gesture control and all. The Mazda offers the awesome head-up display along with turn-by-turn satellite navigation.

Only hybrid in the lot

The world is moving towards extinction. We are sure you must have heard of this one multiple times. Fossil fuels are said to be blamed for this. Auto companies have been trying to find alternatives and it seems the solution is electric vehicles. Until the infrastructure is in place, the safest bet then is the use of hybrid vehicles. These vehicles generate their own power to run on electricity and at the same time, when they are out of juice, use the conventional petrol/diesel fuel. Seems like a good idea. Honda has adopted this in the City hybrid. The Honda City hybrid uses the same engine as the regular car but packs in more energy efficient solutions. These include a single overhead cam, lower power outputs (110 PS compared to 120 PS). There is also the electric motor which is rated at 30 PS and 160 Nm. Together this duo produces 137 PS of power and 170 Nm of torque. A CVT gearbox is employed and let us tell you that it isn’t the smoothest of them all either. The Toyota Vios for that matter has a much better tuned CVT.

The best part is the efficiency. The ability of the electric motor to propel the car on its own is a good thing as it saves on previous petrol. It is said that the City can traverse around 27 km before needing a refuel. That pretty good from a one tonne plus vehicle. In terms of acceleration and top speed, only the Mazda 2 is slightly better.

Most affordable

We love the fact that Honda hasn’t pulled rank and has instead focussed on getting a quality product at an affordable price. The Honda City hybrid is priced at RM 87,000 which is almost the same as the naturally aspirated Mazda 2. The Nissan Almera is one of the most affordable B-segment sedan whereas the Vios is priced higher.

Not the best handler

Yes, the City, like the Vios and Almera has been designed to please the chauffeur driven than the outright enthusiast. If the latter is your choice, look no further than the Mazda 2 sedan. The Honda City has a nice ride quality if a tad firm. It is by no means an Almera but then it is nearly there. The handling is a bit nervous, especially with that numb steering wheel. The latter is designed for use in the city (ignore the pun) and on highway speeds turns out to be too light.

Back to the question

Let’s analyse the City’s position here. It is a good looking and right proportioned sedan. It brings along value for money with its hybrid and fuel-efficient engine. There is also the space on offer as well as the decent ride quality. The points going against it are the slightly unenthusiastic engine, handling and the lack of features. If you can live with the former, then the City is the most apt choice for you. After all, Honda has the widest service network in Malaysia and the City is an epitome of reliability too.