[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Sad to see you finding so many issues with the car related to build quality, have you tried mailing Honda about it? The last gen city was bullet proof, wonder what went wrong this time.

In one of the photos you posted, i could spot some moisture inside the headlamp too. Is it there or are my eyes playing tricks.

These problems have been reported to different Honda dealers multiple times. All they can do is tighten and lubricate things here and there. This provides a temporary fix for as long as my stars are willing to bestow me a quiet and peaceful drive. The car was in for its 40k km service just last week, and the back seat has already started to squeak again. Mind you, these are the very dealers who have been doing a fabulous job with my Jazz for years now.

I have interacted with many City owners at the dealers and these problems of random rattles, squeaks and noises and the fragile front bumper appear to be fairly common. I also kind of sympathize with the dealers as they really can't provide a permanent solution. After all, there is only so much you can do if there are basic design compromises or if 'strategic' cost-cutting has taken place. I totally see the exasperation old Safari owners had with Tata ASCs as just like in this case, there were fundamental issues which could only have been solved at factory level.

What is particularly frustrating is that I also own a Gen1 Jazz and that car is a gem. Built really well, no shenanigans whatsoever. Mine has done close to 75k km and there is not a single rattle or squeak to report of. It has also proven to be a lot less expensive to maintain as its parts are of a higher quality and last much longer. I know what good work Honda can do and it is sad to see them deliberately take shortcuts and compromise with what is their flagship sedan, their money maker. Especially when the previous gen car was so good and fundamentally sound in all possible ways.


Your observation of moisture in the headlight is correct. This has started to happen over the past couple of months and is currently limited to the right headlight. I have not paid much attention to it as it dries out when the lights are switched on and has not been causing me any inconvenience up till now. But then again, absolutely no such issues with the older and much more abused Jazz.

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by iss1307

Oh! I thought it might give 14-15 in city condition.
And there was one BHPian claiming 22 on highways using cruise control.

The iDtec might give 15 in city conditions.

In my iVtec in Mumbai, driving at peak hours gives me 9 and non-peak hours is around 11. On the highway (100% highway driving), I get around 15. But my driving is spirited so sedate highway driving might be 17-18. I tried something on the Mumbai - Pune expressway: driving at 80 on 5th gear with cruise control for 20km and the mileage was 20.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

I know what good work Honda can do and it is sad to see them deliberately take shortcuts and compromise with what is their flagship sedan, their money maker.

I bought the new City only because of the reputation. Apart from the lovely iVtec engine, I am quite disappointed with the quality of the car.

[iss1307]

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

The iDtec might give 15 in city conditions.

In my iVtec in Mumbai, driving at peak hours gives me 9 and non-peak hours is around 11. On the highway (100% highway driving), I get around 15. But my driving is spirited so sedate highway driving might be 17-18. I tried something on the Mumbai - Pune expressway: driving at 80 on 5th gear with cruise control for 20km and the mileage was 20.



I bought the new City only because of the reputation. Apart from the lovely iVtec engine, I am quite disappointed with the quality of the car.

Thanks man.
We are planning to book the City in 2016. So just researching about it.
Can you share a few experiences including the good and the bad? And the maintenance cost till now?

[anilagdr]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Your observation of moisture in the headlight is correct. This has started to happen over the past couple of months and is currently limited to the right headlight. I have not paid much attention to it as it dries out when the lights are switched on and has not been causing me any inconvenience up till now. But then again, absolutely no such issues with the older and much more abused Jazz.

I am facing the same misting problem of both the headlamps of my CITY. I showed it to the ASS and even wrote to HCIL about it. The reply from HCIL was that this is a normal phenomenon and so nothing need to be done. Unfortunately the misting causes an additional reduction in the the visibility during night drives in rain, especially in the humid and rainy conditions in Kerala. And Honda, unfortunately, is not bothered about the safety of their customers.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by anilagdr

I am facing the same misting problem of both the headlamps of my CITY. I showed it to the ASS and even wrote to HCIL about it. The reply from HCIL was that this is a normal phenomenon and so nothing need to be done. Unfortunately the misting causes an additional reduction in the the visibility during night drives in rain, especially in the humid and rainy conditions in Kerala. And Honda, unfortunately, is not bothered about the safety of their customers.

Writing to HCIL is no good, they will just direct you back to the dealership. Actually, this is the kind of problem that should be solved at dealership level as the headlights should be changed under warranty. Your relationship with the service manager of the workshop will come into play here. They can approve warranty claims under a certain amount (25000, IIRC) at their own end without involving Honda and headlights come under that category.


In my case, I honestly have not taken the misting issue up with the workshop because

1. It is a recent development
2. The moisture dries up in a few minutes of switching on the lights
3. It is not bothering me. My car is running an upgraded lighting setup and I have not observed any deterioration in the illumination. It is fog season here in Delhi. No complaints.

If I find that the headlights are not able to light up the road properly or if there is any blackening of the reflector, I'll get them replaced immediately. But for now, it is wait and watch.

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by iss1307

Thanks man.
We are planning to book the City in 2016. So just researching about it.
Can you share a few experiences including the good and the bad? And the maintenance cost till now?

The best: the awesome iVtec engine. It's by far one of the best I have driven - noiseless till 2500rpm, waking up till 4000rpm and music from there till rev limiter. There are no words to describe the engine... it's just WOW!

The good: mileage in city (~10 in Mumbai peak hour) and highway (14 with spirited driving)

The bad: below average deck, skinny tires, low seating position in rear, stupid service interval of 5000km/6months

The ugly: pathetic build quality - check out the thread on new Honda City niggles. That has a summary of issues faced by a lot of members

The jugaad: never drive without music on and that too a couple of points higher than normal to drown out the squeaking!

As I have mentioned in other threads, apart from the engine, I am quite disappointed with the quality of the car. This view is corroborated by quite a few fellow members, two of whom have already sold the car and bought other brands.

Maintenance cost:
Service 1: 0
Service 2: 0
Service 3: 1449
Service 4: 3839

[iss1307]

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

The best: the awesome iVtec engine. It's by far one of the best I have driven - noiseless till 2500rpm, waking up till 4000rpm and music from there till rev limiter. There are no words to describe the engine... it's just WOW!

The good: mileage in city (~10 in Mumbai peak hour) and highway (14 with spirited driving)

The bad: below average deck, skinny tires, low seating position in rear, etc

The ugly: pathetic build quality - check out the thread on new Honda City niggles. That has a summary of issues faced by a lot of members

The jugaad: never drive without music on and that too a couple of points higher than normal to drown out the squeaking!

As I have mentioned in other threads, apart from the engine, I am quite unhappy with the quality of the car. This view is corroborated by quite a few fellow members, two of whom have already sold the car and bought other brands!

Yes , have gone through the entire thread of the niggles. But these rattles and all are there if you pay some serious attention to details right? And as enthusiasts we all do that. But there is no other petrol sedan under 10 lakhs with this good engine, efficiency, brand value and balance between ride and handling and cruise controls.
Am I right when I say that the niggles can be looked over as trade-offs?
Thanks a lot for your reply, appreciate it.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by iss1307

YBut there is no other petrol sedan under 10 lakhs with this good engine, efficiency, brand value and balance between ride and handling and cruise controls.

Drive the City and the Vento TSi back to back on your favorite road. You will not want to touch the City again for quite some time. This is coming from someone whose City rides of high quality 205 section Michelins, while the Vento in question was completely standard.

City's suspension while being better than the Verna's or the Ciaz's gets simply blown away by the VW. Massive difference.

Am I right when I say that the niggles can be looked over as trade-offs?
Thanks a lot for your reply, appreciate it.

I don't think so. The promise of the City was that it was a fill it-shut it-forget it kind of car that you just could not go wrong with. This was also why the car had such good resale value. That is no longer the case now. The competition has improved while the City has deteriorated. At current prices, I see no reason to pick the petrol City over the Vento TSi apart from sheer cabin space.

[iss1307]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Drive the City and the Vento TSi back to back on your favorite road. You will not want to touch the City again for quite some time. City's suspension while being better than the Verna's or the Ciaz's gets simply blown away by the VW. Massive difference.



I don't think so. The promise of the City was that it was a fill it-shut it-forget it kind of car that you just could not go wrong with. This was also why the car had such good resale value. That is no longer the case now. The competition has improved while the City has deteriorated. At current prices, I see no reason to pick the petrol City over the Vento TSi apart from sheer cabin space.

The Vento TSi isn't as fuel efficient as the i-Vtec. Does not have cruise controls. Poor Cabin space. Much higher cost of maintenance. Many parts not available. Just good looking and not handsome like the City. And the VW brand itself has a lot of niggles and reliability issues.
You know what, NO car nowadays is niggle free and I know you'd accept it.
We want a car which would be with us for 7 long years and our current car the WagonR sits at 42000 after 6 years. So our commute is pretty low.
Which premium car would you suggest under 10 lakhs?
We saw the Verna, was pretty good but 2016 will see a new generation but in the later half. We haven't visited VW yet, will visit soon. Fiat was never in the list. Ciaz, is fine, parents not so happy with the looks.
What's left is the City which is sells like peanuts here in Ahmedabad.

[iss1307]

The only option we have apart from the City is the Verna, but only if it sees a new generation in the first half of 2016.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by iss1307

The Vento TSi isn't as fuel efficient as the i-Vtec. Does not have cruise controls. Poor Cabin space. Much higher cost of maintenance. Many parts not available. Just good looking and not handsome like the City. And the VW brand itself has a lot of niggles and reliability issues.
You know what, NO car nowadays is niggle free and I know you'd accept it.
.

Couple of clarifications. The Vento does come with cruise control. The tsi comfortably gives ~12kmpl in normal city driving conditions ( can drop to ~9 if there is a lot of bumper to bumper driving), and 16-17 on highways at 100-110kmph in sports mode. Can go higher if driven more sedately. I don't think the ivtec would be significantly better or different.

No car is niggle free, but the kind of niggles and the frequency I have been reading on this thread, seems a bit too much for a upward of 10L car- that too a Honda.

I think the new Verna will take come time coming, the C2 segment is not growing much.

Would recommend a close look at the Ciaz once more. But ultimately if you feel the City suits your requirements best, you should go for it.

[iss1307]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Couple of clarifications. The Vento does come with cruise control. The tsi comfortably gives ~12kmpl in normal city driving conditions ( can drop to ~9 if there is a lot of bumper to bumper driving), and 16-17 on highways at 100-110kmph in sports mode. Can go higher if driven more sedately. I don't think the ivtec would be significantly better or different.

No car is niggle free, but the kind of niggles and the frequency I have been reading on this thread, seems a bit too much for a upward of 10L car- that too a Honda.

I think the new Verna will take come time coming, the C2 segment is not growing much.

Would recommend a close look at the Ciaz once more. But ultimately if you feel the City suits your requirements best, you should go for it.

Thank you Rajeevraj.
We want a manual. Does the 1.2 TSI come in manual also?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by iss1307

Thank you Rajeevraj.
We want a manual. Does the 1.2 TSI come in manual also?

Ok, if manual then the equation changes. Tsi does not come in manual. Manual petrol, from a drivability then the City is probably better. Other stuff mentioned still holds good though.

The Vento mt petrol comes in a highline plus variant also with blackened roof and wing mirrors and a Blaupunkt AVN system. May give that additional 'looks' factor.

Worth doing a comparison with the City and see which works better.

[iss1307]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Ok, if manual then the equation changes. Tsi does not come in manual. Manual petrol, from a drivability then the City is probably better. Other stuff mentioned still holds good though.

The Vento mt petrol comes in a highline plus variant also with blackened roof and wing mirrors and a Blaupunkt AVN system. May give that additional 'looks' factor.

Worth doing a comparison with the City and see which works better.

We are getting the City V MT version which has pretty much all the bells and whistles for 10,50,000 OTR Ahmedabad. And the SV MT for 9,85,000.
Only Vento Comfortline is near to that cost and doesn't have many of the features. Not even Alloy Wheels. Highline is a little pricier but will definitely take a look. When comparing the VX and the Highline, the Vento is cheaper.
So you're saying that the 1.2 TSI is only available in a DSG variant? And the manual will come in 1.6 TSI?

[iss1307]

Our budget is of 10 lakhs.
Which cars do you guys suggest?
I have the Ecosport Ecoboost in the list. But it is available only in Titanium+ which 11,32,000 OTR and a Trend+ which is like a base variant which I don't like.