A Tale of Two Cities

These days, it doesn’t hurt so much to be an "entry-level" car buyer. To drive home a brand-new car for the least amount of money possible, one can be already be assured of features like power steering, A/C, and electronic fuel injection; items that were reserved for the mid-level sedans only a decade ago.

Better yet, what you can drive home not only has the basic goods, it also looks and smells of high quality. Case in point: the 2nd generation City. Though some don’t like the frumpy rear end, it’s hard not to respect details like tight panel gaps, a hushed highway ride, and expensive-feeling fabrics and plastics in the cabin. Though the car is what spendthrifts will buy to gain entry into Honda ownership, it’s not a bad deal at all. A Civic owner won’t likely look down on his colleague in the City, because the car feels as solid and well-built as any other recent Honda. Now that there’s a 1.5-liter model though, even the entry-level Honda buyer won’t have to eat Civic dust all the time.

What’s the difference? The engine, of course, and a sportier suspension and brake setup. Aesthetically, very little distinguishes a 1.5V from a 1.3S (we’ll exclude the fleet sales-oriented 1.3A for now). The 1.5 rides on 55-series 15-inch tires, the 1.3S rides on 65-series 14-inchers. The 1.5 has sporty 6-spoke alloy wheels, the 1.3 uses more conservative 5-spokers. In profile, the 1.3 looks, well, dorky with the high beltline, slab-side looking doors and tall rear end. The 1.5 has a body color side protector moulding. It de-dorks the profile somewhat by providing a character line.

The cabin is largely untouched, and that’s a good thing. Recall your days back in high school: the nerds weren’t much to look at, but everybody wanted to be friends with them come exam time. In much the same manner, the City’s interior compensates hugely for the unexciting exterior. You will spend more time inside a car that you own rather than stare at it, right? Much brainwork obviously went into the ULT (Utility, Long, Tall) rear seat, which can fold in several variations to maximize not only cabin length but cabin height as well; unheard of in the City’s class. Actually, even bigger cars should have that feature; it’s like having SUV utility in an economy car.

Cockpit design is sporty yet logical. Dials for the A/C are mounted on pods, and the instrument gauges are recessed like in a sport motorbike’s, shielded by a binnacle that follows the curve of the tilt-adjustable steering wheel. See, those nerds do know how to have fun just like everyone else. Except that non-nerds wouldn’t think to include a sliding cover for the cupholders to neaten up the dash, nor would they think to color the hazard button a bright red so you’ll never forget where it is in an emergency. And we’re not even mentioning the classy, non-shiny plastics and resins they used for the dashboard, a tactile treat that’s more important than a flashy bod. Nerds really do think of the stuff that matters in the long-term.

If you get the 1.5, you also get a driver’s side vanity mirror on the sunshade, a better 4-speaker radio, and a center high-mount stop lamp. So now you’re wondering "Why should I get a 1.5 if the 1.3’s already pretty darn good?" If price is a consideration, the 1.3S starts at P579T while the 1.5V starts at P619T.

Truth to tell, if you spend 90% of your time in the city, then you’d be perfectly happy in the weaker car. The i-DSI motor is a neat little engine, using two sequential spark plugs per cylinder and variable ignition timing to deliver a neat, but nerdy, 82 PS at, 5,700 rpm and 11.8 kg-m at 2,800 rpm. That’s entirely adequate for the demands of the city, which is to scoot you and your passengers from meeting to meeting in decent time and at low fuel cost.

Get the 7-speed CVT and things are improved in the areas of smoothness and efficiency. We’ve told you before about the wonders of continuously variable transmissions, so we won’t repeat. Suffice to say that the optimal ratios and quickened drivetrain response that a CVT delivers is enough to make us see the real-world advantages over a good ol’ 5-speed stick shift. And it’s just so much fun to shift ratios by pressing those buttons on the steering wheel.

If, however, you spend a lot of time on the road and need some oomph for passing maneuvers and accelerating up hills and mountains, then the 1.5V is the better choice. A compact mighty mite engine, the VTEC-equipped motor has a more ample 110PS at 5,800 rpm and 14.5 kg-m of torque at 4,800 rpm. The additional power is most evident above 80kph, with the 1.5V having the verve to pass bigger cars in relative ease. As a bonus, the 1.5 sounds nicer to the ears. It produces a smooth, sewing machine whine versus the 1.3 I-DSi’s vacuum cleaner moaning.

To CVT or not to CVT with the 1.5? Having driven both manual and CVT versions of the car, I’d have to pick the CVT. The 5-speed manual has a short throw and well-defined gate, and the clutch is typically Honda-smooth, but the gear ratios are (by necessity) taller than what the CVT can produce. With the 5-speed manual, the 1.5V can pull itself to around 160kph. In 7-speed Steermatic mode, the CVT simply accelerates more smoothly and has better ratios for point-and-scoot missions. However, the CVT-equipped 1.5V does cost more: P699T versus P659T (both with the safety package of ABS, airbags, and pretensioners), so some die-hard manual fans may still opt for the old-fashioned way.

Handling-wise, both the 1.3 and 1.5 are remarkable in what they don’t deliver: the cheap car experience of floppy suspensions, loosey-goosey steering, and bothersome wind noise. The cars are, in fact, much quieter than compact cars like the Civic ESi and Lancer GLXi more than a decade ago. Some cost-cutting is evident in Honda’s spec of front struts and a rear torsion beam (don’t expect double wishbones or multi-links in this class), but the overall ride is soft but composed. No painful "thuds" or "Ka-chunks" making it to the backside, just smooth rolling over of potholes and ruts. Okay, the short-travel struts still bottom out on deep holes, and why does it feel like you just drove off a sidewalk every time you drive too fast over a hump and the suspensions goes, for lack of a better word, "ka-blag!"? Hey, you want the perfect ride, save up for an Accord.

Anyway, the 1.5V also has the benefit of sportier suspension tuning and all-disk brakes. It’s just a little bit firmer in ride harshness, but the disk brakes deliver excellent feel and performance, especially when you get the safety package that includes ABS. Another refinement both Cities have has to do with the electric power steering. Forget about the claims of slightly improved fuel economy, just marvel at confident straight-line tracking and high speed left-right-left-right precision that’s sharp and communicative. There is modest body roll during cornering, just to remind you that an economy car can only do so much.

Nonetheless, neither model will leave many owners wanting. As a first or second car to have in the house, both Cities deliver a satisfying, quality riding experience that’s long on usefulness and value. What the 1.5V does is simply deliver an extra helping of sportiness to buyers that would like to see more oomph in the performance department.