Honda City – 4 Reasons To Buy & Not To Buy
Our work of providing useful consumer advice never ends and this time we tell you pros and cons of the new Honda City.
Honda City is in its fifth generation now and reasons to buy the car are plentiful. It continues to be a sedan that attracts customers over the last two decades and has created a brand image for itself. The new generation is quite pricey too, with costs beginning from Rs. 10.89 lakhs for the base petrol with MT and going all the way to Rs. 14.64 lakhs (both prices ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top diesel MT variant. Thus, to help our readers, we lay out reasons why one should choose the car or shun it.
Honda City 4 Reasons To Buy
Space – Having sold the car for over 20 years, Honda would have learnt a thing or two. This time, the City grew in size and is wider by 53 mm. This has translated into good space inside despite the wheelbase being identical to the previous gen model. Also, the rear bench is spot on, just like the previous model. One would not be left wanting more in this class.
Features – Honda cars are not known to be crammed with features. But the current gen City is different. It gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LaneWatch camera, connected car features, Alexa connectivity, sunroof, auto headlamps, keyless go and much, much more.
Engines + Efficiency – Two engines – one petrol and oil burner, are offered with the new city and both displace 1.5-litres. Performance is adequate on both models, but the petrol is more zippy. Both engines come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, with the petrol additionally given a CVT option. The City is not what you would call thirsty. Keep it gentle and it will return fuel economy in the mid teens for the petrol and diesel will return even more.
Ride Quality – A Honda City reasons to buy list cannot miss ride quality since this is one area that the manufacturer absolutely nailed it. The suspension has been set up just so, meaning broken roads do not make matters worse inside the car. Passengers will like the ride quality, especially when the roads open out and the speeds increase.
4 Reasons Not To Buy
No Diesel AT – If there is one point that can trouble the Honda City reasons to buy list more than any other of the following points, it is this one. The Japanese manufacturer does not offer a diesel auto combo even in the higher priced Civic and thus the City does not get it either. But we reckon it should, for it will cement the new City’s position at the top of its class.
No Adjustable Headrests – Citing safety, the new City has headrests for all five seats, but not all of them are adjustable, meaning the rear ones are fixed. For a car that costs over Rs. 14 lakhs, this is a massive oversight and something that Honda should rectify soon.
Poor Touchscreen – Although a step in the right direction, the 8-inch screen’s responsiveness is not up to the mark for the car in this price range. The Japanese carmaker should take a look at what its competitors do much closely. This is the digital age and a poor touchscreen will spoil the experience for many.
No Turbo Petrol In India – The age of turbo is back and even compact SUVs and crossovers come with turbo petrol engine option to provide that extra X factor to customers. At a time when people are preferring private modes of transport, Honda should look at offering a sporty engine option, especially when it already offers it abroad.
