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-   -   4th-gen Honda City : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/145656-4th-gen-honda-city-official-review-470.html)

I have been working in Pune since 2017, but due to the work from home arrangement, I have been working from Delhi since June 2020. With more relaxations in lockdown and an increased frequency of outings, I felt the need of adding another vehicle to the family. The purchase timeframe was decided to be December 2021, and the groundwork started before the launch of Kushaq. I set the budget to a maximum of 15L.

The Search

• Thar - I was in absolute love with Thar, and I wanted it. The family was against it, but I was adamant about buying Thar. This is the only car I was ready to extend the budget.
  
• Honda City - This had been on the list since my wife wanted Honda City and nothing else, and I considered Gen 4 and Gen 5.
  
• Kushaq - I removed it from the list as soon as I saw the pricing and the issues coming up after delivery.
  
• Jazz - I took a test drive and realised that I would instead get Honda City 4 Gen by adding a little more.
  
• Polo - The most fun to drive car, but the rear felt very cramped, so I dropped it from the list.
  
• Rapid - After dropping Thar from the list, Rapid was the next choice, and I was very close to purchasing Rapid, but I have shared the reason for not buying the Rapid in the next section.
  
• XUV300 - I loved the test drive of the car and wanted to opt for XUV300. I would have purchased this one if I hadn't called the Honda dealer on 8 September 2021.
  
• Eco Sports - I heard rumours about the Ford closing the business, which kept me away from taking the test drive.

Change of Heart
By now, I understood that I would not be allowed to get That, and I moved on to opting for Skoda. I called multiple dealers, and I felt the customer experience I wanted was missing. What turned me off was the dealer telling me that there was no discount and then changing the narrative to offer a Rs 70k discount as soon as I said I was not interested. I felt they lacked transparency. This was when I decided to settle for Honda City or XUV300.

Impulsive Booking
On 8 September 2021, I randomly called a Honda Dealer in Delhi to check all documents I would need for the loan. I wanted to ensure that I had the ITRs ready for the upcoming purchase. The very kind gentleman on the phone shared the documents and asked me about my requirements. I told him I was looking for a car, but I am not sure about the purchase timeframe; however, I am most likely looking for Honda City. I asked him about the ongoing offers, and he told him that there are no offers available on City except for corporate discounts. An hour later, he called me again and said he could deliver me a 4 Gen City in a week if I make the booking today. I was slightly skeptical, and I was unsure if it was because of a cancelled booking or a demo model. I anyways visited him in the evening. On the table, he explained to me that a car was available at the plant and it could be delivered to me in a week. He shared the VIN and the photo of other documents, which confirmed that the car was manufactured on 6 September 2021. He also offered me a good cash discount if I book it then. My brother was with me at the showroom, and I looked at him for an affirmation. He nodded, and I made the booking. The dealer immediately made calls to the bank representative and the Honda Plant to schedule a delivery. The pre-approved offer on ICICI was used for partial funding. The only problem was that the long weekend was coming, so the release could be delayed.

• Engine Type & Variant - Only two models are available in Honda City 4th Generation with Petrol engine. I booked V MT.

Why 4 Gen and not 5 Gen?
I talked to a friend in Karnal who owns both, he suggested that the 4 Gen feels much better in drivability, and his 5 Gen developed some rattles two months post-delivery. This induced a certain level of bias. Later, I was in the process of a job change, which caused some anxiety, making me want to spend less than the initial planned budget. All this happened in the first week of September. I also got the job offer that I anticipated right when I was paying the booking amount. Also, the gen four was getting delivered in a week, and the need for a car was increasing with every passing day.

PDI & Delivery
On 9 September 2021, I got a call in the morning from the dealer to tell me that the car had been loaded and it should be there in the stockyard by night. He confirmed the VIN again. He also mentioned that he wants to deliver the car on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Still, the only problem is the loan can get delayed because of bank holidays. I was now surprised when he said he would get the loan released on Monday, but he could proceed with the car delivery the next day.
At night, I received a three way video call from the dealer showing me the car getting unloaded at the stockyard. I told him to get the car in the showroom in the morning, and we will do the PDI.
Ganesh Ji at Home


The night was sleepless and I rushed to the showroom in the morning with my dad for PDI. I followed the teambhp checklist and all the boxes were ticked. I selected accessories which included seat covers, bumper guards, door cladding, foot mats, door guards and a few other essentials. Also, the odo reading was 14 km. 8 km is the distance between the stockyard and the dealership. I also gave them a go ahead to start the registration process and made the downpayment. The dealer requested me to arrive at 3:00 pm.
During PDI


Somehow the registration was delayed by an hour and I was updated on a whatsapp group created by dealer every 30 minutes. Finally got the registration number and he told us to be at the showroom at 4:00 pm. The car looked perfect and I was handed over the documents. I was also explained about the features, service schedule and I was introduced to the service manager. After a small ceremony and Gamesh ji’s Aarti, the car was delivered and, we were home.
So, in last 46 hours, I went from being in dilemma about purchasing the car to getting the car home.



Likes

• Refinement & Comfort
• Engine's power delivery
• Features and Honda's Reliability
• Elegant design of the Car
• Leg space & Boot space
• DRL looks amazing

Dislikes

• 6 Month service interval
• Car gets noisy after 2500 RPM

Features I Love

• ABS, EBD and Airbags inspire confidence
• The rear defogger is a blessing in Delhi Winters.
• Headlights work very well and I have never felt a need of upgrading.
• Apple Carplay and Steering mounted controls.
• Cruise control makes it easy to drive on highways.
• Arm rest also improves to comfort level.
• Seats are very comfortable.

Features I Miss

• Sunroof..!
• Would have been nice to have Automatic Wipers & Auto IVRM.
• Limited number of airbags.
• Steering is not reach adjustable

Usage Pattern
My usage is very restricted. Right now I am working from home and most likely, I have permanent work from home. I only use the car on the weekend for outings. Apart from this, the car is used during the vacations which is usually once every 6 months. At the time of writing this post, the ODO has clocked slightly less than 1500 Kms.

Personal Opinion & Experience

• Overall Build Quality - Since I am upgrading from the Dzire, I felt a significant improvement in the build quality. The door closes with the thud and there is a lot of refinement. The build quality doesn't match the Skoda Rapid which was initially on my list but I am happy with the City's build quality.
  
• Wheels & Tyres - No complaints about the wheels & tires as well. I feel a level of refinement and the allows offered with the car looks good. The spare tire is a full-sized wheel which is a positive point.
  
• Interiors - The interiors are an upgrade over the previous car. The piano black finish on the dashboard is hard to maintain. The armrest is a good addition but I wish it was a sliding one. The buttons and controls are within the reach and the City gives a luxurious feel.
  
• Space, Comfort & Ride Quality - In terms of space, the City is a lot better than some of the cars that I was considering. The rear seat is very comfortable and my wife loves the rear seating comfort. ride-quality is good however, if a tall person is sitting in the rear, they end up bumping their head on the roof. The ride quality and NVH levels are highly refined. The long trips are especially comfortable. The brakes have enough bite and they behave as expected.
  
• Driving Positions, Controls & MID - The seat is height adjustable and hence it is easier to find the ideal driving position. The cruise control and the audio control on the steering are easy to toggle. The quality of the buttons seems to be slightly flimsy and I hope they wont stop working in the near future. The MID is basic with 2 trip meters, a bar for the instantaneous average. You can also check the range or the overall fuel economy on the MID.
  
• visibility - I would rate the overall visibility as average because of the rear view camera. The day time quality is fine but the quality at night is very poor. Also, the screen is not bright enough in sunlight. The OVRMs can be controlled and folded from inside. The IVRM is a major turn off. I wish it was an automatic IVRM or at least, there should be an option to upgrade with Honda accessories. The rear parking sensors work as expected.
  
• Air Conditioner - I don't have any complaints with the air conditioning as such but the rear vents concentrates the air on the knees of person sitting in middle of the rear seat. Also, the flow of the rear AC vents feels to be low. Once you press the Auto Button on the lowest possible temperature, the car decides to blow the air on your face.
  
• Audio System - The audio system is average. It doesn't lags and it has an average output. The Apple CarPlay is certainly a nice to have feature and it works very well with YouTube Music as well. The controls on steering can be used for changing the track on YouTube Music.
  
• Storage - There is ample of storage in the car. The boot is large and the dashboard can also hold enough stuff. The arm rest storage has a lot of space too.
  
• Engine Performance in City & Highway - The 1500 cc engine has a lot of power and it offers enough power to make the overtakes swift. I have driven about 600 Kms on highway and I never felt that the car was under-powered. Even in the city, the car has enough torque.
  
• Gearshifts & Clutch - The clutch is smooth when compared with the Dzire and the gearshifts are also fine. Initially i felt as if something was obstructing the shifts between first and the second gear but this went away by the time i crossed 50 Kms.
  
• Fuel Efficiency - During the city, I got a fuel economy between 9 Kmpl to 10 kmpl. On the highway, I was easily able to extract 18 Kmpl while driving in speed limits. I am a sedated driver and I rarely floor the pedal. I haven't checked the average using tank to tank method but these numbers are what MID indicates.
  
• Steering - The touch and feel of the steering is nice and it offers you confident on the highways. I felt the steering is neither heavy and nor light. It is easy to make U turns and it inspires confidence.
  
• Ground Clearance - You will see many people complaining about the ground clearance of the Honda City but I haven't felt any issues with that. Until now, there has been no instance when the floor of the car touched the speed breaker while driving. It could be because I have never driven a SUV or CSUV but I don't see any issues with ground clearance in Delhi.

After Sales Support
I am pretty happy with the ASS that I have received until now. Whenever I visit the service center, I am immediately attended. I am allowed to stay with the car during the services and there is not much of up-selling. The technician is usually very specific about what is needed and they go by the book. They even offered services worth Rs 15,000 free when I purchased the extended warranty.

Maintenance
For maintenance, I usually wash the car with soft water. I take it for a steam wash once in every two months. Apart from this, I use Meguiar Ceramic Wax and it is a wonderful product. The car wash is used only when the car is very dirty and I use the one from 3M. I also purchased the tire cleaner, tire polish and glass cleaner. I prefer cleaning the myself to avoid scratches.

Niggle?
The only problem that I came across until now is the steering making weird noise during winters. I face this only during early morning and the noise goes away after driving the car for a few Kms. The ASS mentioned that the boots make this noise during winter (Not sure how true is that) but I never faced this issue in any other car.

Ceramic Coating & The First Scratch
I got the 7H ceramic coating on the car and I am sharing some of the pictures too. I also ended up with a cracked rearlight when an underaged biker slammed in the rear hitting me and my parked car. The biker was coming wrong side and he lost control for reasons best known to him. The damage on the car was restricted to broken rear light and a small scratch (~3-4cm) on the bumper. The rearlight was changed the next day and touchup was done to hide the scratch. Damage on my body was slightly more. I had an intense pain in ear, two tennis ball sized bruise on stomach and thigh. The ankle was twisted with some bleeding as well. The motorcyclist fell with face first on road (no helmet) but soon got up. He also had some bruises on his hands
During the Ceramic Coating




After the Ceramic Coating




First Service
The first service was done a month later. The odo reading was 600. During the service, I got engine oil changed, underbody and silencer coating and regular check up. I also purchased the extended warranty for 4th and the 5th year. I am yet to purchase the RSA.

First Road Trip
The first road trip on City was in November. We planned a short trip to Agra and a stay at Oberoi Amarvillas. To reach Agra we took Yamuna Expressway. The ride quality was smooth and refined with car offering enough power on demand. The overall mileage was 18 Kmpl. The property is worth a stay and their hospitality was amazing. Below are some of the pictures from the trip. The car behaved very well during the first trip and it was really fun to drive on the Yamuna Expressway.



















Aspirations
The human aspirations are never ending. The same is the case with me. Not that I am not satisfied with my City but the love for machines takes away the control. Now, after 2 years or so, I plan to purchase a pre-worshipped German car or a pre-worshipped Fortuner. I want to stick to a 25 L budget and I see many 2017-2019 A3/A4, C Class, GLA Class, 3 series and X1 retailing in this price range.

Hahaha, see how everything fell in place to make that happen.

Absolutely agree about the service interval being too short.
But, what you call noise is music to a lot of people! Once you are past the run-in period, let the rpm needle climb and see if you develop a taste for it.

4th Gen Honda City is a very sensible buy even today. Congratulations!!

I went car shopping for a friend last year. We wanted the 5th gen but the 4th Gen Honda City V seemed to be a much better package for the money it demanded. To be honest, 4th gen felt better to drive (steering & power delivery) than the 5th gen City that I test drove.

One thing I cannot agree with your ownership review is about the engine note past 2500 rpm :D If you find that to be a noise, I suggest you to take a ride in a city IDTEC lol.

Honda city (both 4th and 5th gen) is an amazing car if you want space, reliability, refinement, ride quality, performance(petrol) & fuel economy (diesel).

For reasons best known to them, Honda has reduced the wheelbase in the 5th gen City. The 4th gen City has a longer wheelbase which ideally should have been retained in the 5th gen for better ride and handling.

Congrats on your purschase. I got a 4 gen VMT 6 months ago and i'm very impressed with its refinement and backseat comfort.

However, one long drive to goa made me realize that this not the best highway cruiser,and i already have a hatchback for city drives i've decided to sell the honda, albeit with a heavy heart.

I like that articulated segregation of both performance and fuel economy.:Cheering:

The only sorethumb for the 4th gen City that stopped me from going for it is the lack of ESP. Seriously, I consider ESP/ABS to be a mandatory safety feature, more so than even Airbags, after having had the colloquial tennis-balls in the mouth feel when traction/control is lost due to emergency steers/rain, other uncontrollable factors in our unpredictable, undisciplined, cattle-ridden roadways.:sadface

Both models have identical wheelbase
Source:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aut...)-1.5-i-vtec-v

That’s really surprising to hear. Yes, City isn’t the most planted car on highways but it’s not too bad either. Did you feel that you can’t live with it on highways? And what car you are planning to buy after selling it in just six months?

Can you please elaborate why you believe it is not good for highway cruising?

Thank you for sharing a good review.
Honda city petrol is gem of an engine anytime. The fuel efficiency you got is appreciable being a petrol car. One of cousins and a friend own these petrol gems and I had opted for a pre worshipped 2014 idtec V since I was fascinated with Honda diesel strongly for the mileage it has to offer.
In one of my recent trips from Pune to Bidri, Kolhapur, I used the cruise control as much as possible with a steady speed between 80-90 kmph and was rewarded in return with an efficient of 25+kmpl. Also when I had this car and went to see my family for the first time I had got a mileage of 26.3 kmpl.
These figures make me happy in today’s constantly upward fuel prices.

Good choice you made since the condor and space in the city is unbeatable and you always come out of it fresh even if u drive to the longest hours.

Please keep posting updates.

Have thousands of miles on this gem of a car:)

Cheers.

Yes.

Perhaps i should have elaborated further. My usage is mainly to the hills and coffee estates in the western ghats.

The low seating sedan gave me terrible back and shoulder pain after 2-3 hrs.
Night driving was exhausting, the headlights of other vehicles was right at my eye level.

I had to be super cautions on broken and patchy roads, especially narrow ones where i had to move out of the road to give way to other more aggressive vehicles.

However, the car was an absolute dream to driven when i hit 4 lane expressways with good tarmac.

But, i'm not confident of talking this on another long drive.

I'm looking to move to a SUV, maybe a pre owned XUV or an Innova.

Ha!! You needed an SUV/MPV with higher seating and GC.

I agree that oncoming vehicle's headlights bother the most in c2 sedans and low slung hatchbacks.

If you have back issues, don't go for the last Gen XUV 5OO. Better stick to innovas.

WRV could have been the best choice for your usage, but then Honda does not provide it with the 1.5 ivtec. 1.2 ivtec feels 'meh' in comparison.

Interesting.
There are other sites which have recorded the wheelbase of the 5th gen as 2589mm (11mm shorter than the 4th gen). Just cross checked with the official hondacarindia site and it says 2600mm there though.

Source: https://www.overdrive.in/news-cars-a...arison-report/

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...parison-415037

Congratulations Mr. Jain!!

Exactly! I was like what is he even talking about?!? I let go off a considerable amount of petrol by not upshifting just to hear that "noise" rl:

Is everyone getting their car services in 6 months intervals?

Since every other car has 1 year service period, i got curious and called up Honda Technical team and asked the rationale of 6 months servicing, more so since at the time of purchasing, I was promised for my City Ivtec 2019 CVT ( VX ) that the service interval will be of 1 year. When i asked the technical team, they asked me few questions and after knowing my usage, they responded that i can get the car serviced in 1 year instead of 6 months if my running isn't that much ( my car has clocked 13k in last 2 years )

So, i decided to follow their advise and go for 1 service per year. Anyone doing the same ? Any inputs ?