Sense and the City

MANILA, Philippines - You’ve really got to hand it to Honda. They took a lot of flak over the design of the last generation City, what with that really awkward boot design that looked as if it was rear ended by a speeding bus, but instead of sulking in the corner of their air-conditioned showrooms and fighting back with corporate jargon to justify themselves, they came back with one of the most radically improved designs in decades and answered us in the most effective way possible – a successful makeover.

Talk about chalk and cheese; while the all-new Jazz was introduced with subtle (by comparison) changes, the all-new Honda City changed the rules and redefined the compact segment with its incredibly striking and attractive design. We can try to be as diplomatic as we like, but the bottom-line is: looks sell – and if it wasn’t for Honda’s outstanding fuel efficiency, proven reliability and practical cabin, the last generation City would have ended up as popular as charter change. Thankfully, with this new City, Honda has given us both beauty and brains.

And there’s a lot more to get excited about, too. The fifth generation Honda City gets more power, more space, more style, more safety and more cutting edge technology than any car of this price range has any business offering. It starts out with the new drive-by-wire accelerator that was introduced late last year in the Jazz, plus it also includes the fantastic 5 speed automatic transmission that replaces the somewhat dated CVT. Honda has also chosen to drop the i-DSI twin spark plug technology in favor of their trademarked VTEC engine, which by all accounts does a better job anyway, and has also given the City a 20% boost in power, bumping it up to a very healthy 100 horsepower. The 1.5-liter retains the VTEC technology but gets twelve more horses, bringing it up to 120hp.

This combination gives the City a whole new on-road personality plus improved fuel efficiency and comfort. During my test drive last month, I was able to return an average of 12km per liter without giving up any creature comforts like air-conditioning, an overnight bag, or being overtaken by pedestrians. I’m sure someone will come out soon and say they doubled that figure, but what is important here is that the City returned very tidy fuel consumption figures in real world conditions, which is where it really counts – regardless of what brand of fuel you put in. It is, quite simply, an efficient car.

Now all of this may not be any news to you – the Jazz and City have always been the ambassadors to frugalness. But what is impressive is that it continues to deliver on its promise while giving you an upgrade of everything else, including a clean-burning, Euro 4 compliant engine and improved creature comforts, like the quick cooling new air-conditioning that rapidly cools down a stinking hot cabin with multi vents that are ducted all the way to the rear. There’s also that iPod ready Flex Audio system that plays music the way you want it to, whether in a USB thumb drive or a traditional MP3 player. And lastly, there’s even more space than ever before plus more of those beloved cubby holes and cup holders to pack all your stuff in.

The suspension has been redesigned for a more responsive feel and paid dividends on some of the faster corners on my test route, but the trade off is that it feels a little firmer than the previous City during mundane conditions. The steering is now quicker to react than the previous EPS system, thanks to a new cooling system that prevents overheating and that sluggish feeling that occurs when things get spirited, but thankfully, remains light as a low-fat rice cracker during parking situations.

One thing that really bugged me about the previous City was that every seat seemed to have been designed for a passenger. The new City has now taken into account that there will be at least one driver in the cabin at all times, and that is usually the guy on the left. Aside from a more comfortable seat with more adjustments, Honda has now included telescopic steering as well as the standard height adjustment, to ensure a snug fit and a more involving experience. Throw in those wonderful paddle shifters and you will be looking for excuses to go out for a drive.

Honestly, it is very difficult to fault the City. Sure, at just over P800,000 for the range-topping 1.5 E, I have to admit that it is climbing up there a bit in price, but that is all relative. It’s not like you aren’t getting anything more in return. You do feel every peso of improvement. My only beef is that it only comes with 15-inch wheels, which get swallowed up by those massive wheel arches, especially considering that the Jazz throws in some snazzy 16s. A set of 17 inchers should fill it up quite nicely and flatter the wider body and sleek design, but that is a matter of personal preference.

If you are shopping around for a new compact car, the City makes a lot sense – and in a fun sort of way, too. It is not something you will tire of soon, and it has enough zip to keep up with the big boys, which makes you feel like you are in a higher income bracket while still paying the lower taxes, if that makes any sense at all. Basically you are getting more for less, which in today’s economic climate, makes it the perfect recession-mobile.

THE GOOD

• Design

• Functionality

• Fuel efficiency

• iPod ready audio system

• 5 speed automatic transmission

THE BAD

• Needs bigger wheels

THE VERDICT

• Excellent packaging. Honda’s best ever City.