New Honda City (Petrol) Expert Review

• Published On: 4 February 2021
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The Honda City, since its inception back in 1998, has enjoyed the popularity like no other mid-size sedan in its segment. With the introduction of the 5th Generation City, can Honda be able to set a higher benchmark for its most beloved sedan we try to find out.

The Honda City is a household name in India especially while considering the purchase of a reliable and value for money mid-size sedan. In its 22-year long history, the City has evolved from one generation to the other further cementing its position in the market and in the hearts of Indian consumers. 2020 saw the introduction of the 5th Generation Honda City, we look at the sedan to determine what all has changed and will the all-new product be able to reclaim its spot once again as the segment leader.

How much of a change does it offer?

In comparison to the 4th generation, the 5th Gen-Honda City is new by design. It offers a more premium appeal than the outgoing model. Pinned on the Honda Jazz platform, its chassis has been heavily modified for better crash protection and refinement. Dimension-wise, the new model is larger in size than its predecessor and the longest in its segment. Thus, its length stands at 4549mm while the width measures 1748mm and its height is 1489mm. Going by styling, the design is an upgrade though the silhouette remains the same as before. Upfront the car provides a chunky chrome finished band that merges into the headlamps. The headlight cluster might just remind you of the Honda Civic though when compared with the earlier version, it stands to provide a premium look. Given that they come in full LED, the boomerang effect adds an element of character. Further, the 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels present on the sides provide an attractive stance. Though their rubber size could have been a little bit bigger as the current ones look a bit small. While the rear caters to LED tail lights that look quite elegant along with a curved boot lid.

What is the interior like?

The cabin of the Honda City has always been a nice place to be in. And the new version does not disappoint either. With a dual-tone interior (black & beige), the dashboard layout looks premium while it provides elements like a full digital instrument cluster that features an analog speedometer alongside an RPM meter and virtual display. Furthermore, the presence of an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, adds flavor to this sedan. This system is very intuitive as it comes equipped with connectivity features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Plus, there are other connected functions like remote operation, alerts, geo-fencing as well as advanced voice guidance available through the Amazon Alexa App with the vehicle. As part of convenience, the touchscreen can also be utilized as a reverse camera. Though the resolution of the screen is not the best during the daytime, it still does the job reasonably well. For entertainment purposes there are 8 speakers on-board that provide great sound quality to the music playing in the background. The round A/C controls provided here not only feel top quality but also look premium in appeal due to their chrome surround finish.

Now to the aspect of comfort, like before the front and rear row offer leather seats that are well cushioned and bolstered. The headrests are bigger in size and thus provide better surface area for supporting the head in case one just wants to sit back and relax. From the space point of view, being the longest in the segment the City offers a good amount of leg, shoulder, and headroom in the front. While the rear space becomes even bigger given the increase in length which is a benefit for the occupants seated at the back. Like earlier, the cabin offers a lot of storage space in terms of cupholders, door pockets, front and rear arm rests. A well thought out feature is the introduction of phone pockets made available in the front seatback. Another storage area where improvements have been made is in its boot. Thus, from a capacity of 502 litres, the boot space has gone up a meager 4 litres resulting in a bit of extra room for storage of luggage.  Some of the other key takeaways are a sunroof, lane watch camera located on the exterior on the left-hand side view mirror, tyre pressure monitoring system with deflation warning, automatic climate control, front side, and curtain airbags. 

What is its performance and drive like?

The City has always been a gem when it comes to its performance. This time around what the Japanese manufacturer has done is that they have introduced a new 1.5-litre petrol engine with a marginal increase in its cubic capacity. Thus, the petrol unit now available with the sedan provides a displacement of 1498cc in comparison to the 1497cc that was present earlier. In terms of power delivery, the new unit replicates the performance that we know off. It is responsive and the acceleration is great just like before. With a 6-speed manual gearbox on-board, the shifts complement the engine. As for the ride quality, its suspension has been tuned on the softer side that enables the vehicle to soak in potholes and broken roads with utter ease. Its handling characteristics are the same as before which means that attacking corners and taking turns is a swift affair for the sedan. Besides the manual variant, we also sampled the automatic trim and our takeaway from the gearbox is that it is smooth both in the city as well as the highway. Moreover, when the engine is stretched, it does not provide any disconnect between the powertrain and the transmission. Plus, the presence of a G-Force meter available within the digital instrument cluster helps measure the G’s that the occupant goes through while driving around which is a cool feature. In comparison to before, the braking input is much better and ensures the safety of the user.

Verdict

Overall, when we look at the Honda City it has always had an aura of its own. With time its evolution has ensured that the buyer has some new to look forward to. And the 5th Generation is no exception, as it offers great looks, premium interior, and a new petrol powertrain. Performance-wise both the manual and automatic trims do well for themselves ensuring that the user not only gets the desired result but also enjoys driving the vehicle within the city as well as the highway. So, is it worth the money? According to me, it is a definitive yes considering all the above parameters and moreover its good resale value just pushes the envelope more in this sedan’s favor.

Droom Rating – 8/10