[vaisakhr]

Great review as usual. Awesome work GTO

The car, Fantastic interiors, powertrain and features in a sadly boring body. Cost cutting is evident in many places. Still, would definitely recommend some one.

[Max]

As always thanks for the detailed review GTO. I was eagerly waiting for team-bhp honda city review. The Quality of pictures and those small details you add are very much helpful and always deciding factor while purchasing the car. Its really impossible to note all these things you take a note of and describe them wonderfully. I am sure team bhp reviews are the deciding factors for many car buyers.

Thanks for adding the pics for all gen city. It wasn't really expected and adds charm to the review, one can really compare older generation designs and see how honda city has grown in all these years. It will also be helpful to note, which gen city one owns as lots of people get confused about the generation specially when you ask garages about the parts. They keep asking which gen you have and there is always an confusion about it! and btw, many of them call honda city gen2 as gen3 and also call it as dolphin model.

I agree with you about the boring alloy design, however new city looks much better then launch pics may be its just a TEAM-BHP magic? Very disappointed to know that NVH levels of new city aren't great and there is engine noise present in the cabin. This will be the deal breaker for many buyers. However, 26kmpl in 1 liter of diesel is just mind blowing economy and will be they key selling point for Honda.

Finally very happy to see arm reset and climate control coming to honda city. Lets hope Honda will price this car sensibly.

[vb-saan]

Thanks for the detailed and well-balanced review. On the first-look the car looks pleasant and a reasonably nice evolution from the outgoing model. But on going through the review further, I found the exterior looks of the 3rd gen more elegant than the new one, especially in that side-by-side comparison of the side profile. Whatever is the case, the car with its neutral looks (and right pricing), will surely draw crowds back into Honda showrooms.

Originally Posted by GTO

For a car that's moving up the food chain, I wish Honda had beefed up the safety kit with additional airbags, ESP and rear disc brakes (2nd gen City Vtec had rear discs). Hyundai does sell the top-end Verna with 6 airbags. Useful features that are conspicuous by their absence are seatbelt height adjustment, a proper dead pedal, folding rear seat, steering rake adjustment and a vanity mirror on the driver sunvisor.

This in my view is the biggest problem with the new City. They had an opportunity to bring in some of these essentials. With those skinny tyres, no ESP, cost-cutting on various elements (e.g. boot lid), the car looks more like a rich man’s Amaze (rather than being a poor man’s Civic).

Originally Posted by GTO

The dash definitely suffers from asymmetry. In that, it lacks cohesiveness. This must be the only car on sale with 3 different types of air vents on the dashboard, all placed at varying heights. Further, the leftmost vent has its air flow control on the side, while the rightmost has it below. The positioning of the engine start / stop button seems like an afterthought; it should have been placed a level up (on the piano black area). Then, the rectangular hazard light switch appears to be in no man's land! I like the idea of an all-black dashboard, but detest all-beige carpets for Indian conditions. They're simply not practical, and will get easily soiled.

Its asymmetrical, and also somehow the dashboard looks very busy. I find Honda and Toyota quite lacking (compared to the Europeans) in this aspect. Thankfully unlike some of its peers, Honda is not obsessed with faux wood inserts.

[avira_tk]

Honda has fixed the biggest weakness of the old City, which was a diesel. The car will sell and no doubt about it. The Verna still has a market, but for VAG cars, this is the nemesis. Honda reliability (perception is enough) will make sure that people queue up for this.

The only thing this car needs is 195/60 15 tyres which will take care of braking and handling. The kit is not overwhelming but people prioritise economy, with beige interiors, large display audio and ACC, the City delivers.

Its only a matter of time before the Japs demolish the Euro superiority in diesels.

[girishglg]

A superlative review as expected GTO. A well deserved one for a great car that has got better. A great review bringing out the pros and cons - this is something for a car that has been perfected over the generations. This really brings out the best of the review.

The car itself seems to have evolved over the time not very radical this time over though. The numbers would start buzzing in the sales counter in a constant stream with the launch of the oil burner which was sorely missing especially some years back when they did not have the Brios and the Amazes to back up the sales.

Nevertheless the Honda brand and the merits of the car itself would go a long way in getting the best numbers of all the City generations. Having driven the previous 2 gens (except gen 3), must say we have a fine car available as an option to choose from.

One thing that would surely come to the top of mind - Beware Verna!

[ambivalent_98]

5 star review as usual GTO. THanks. I was rather hoping that in performance the DTEC with a retune would be faster than the Vento / Rapid. But its disappointing to read that such a good looking re-worked Honda's power plant is not exciting as the 1.6TDI on the VW.
Lots of gizmos and goodies will make the Honda a hit but for diesel heads like me it is sad to see that my 2 yr old Vento would still be better in pick up and performace and sheer driving pleasure albeit missing few techno goodies on the car.

[tabrez]

The review - is as usual, impeccable.

The diesel's state of tune is an absolute downer. That too when Honda is trying to replace 2 cars, fill the void in a segment above & take on rivals such as Verna, Vento & Rapid. Add to it cost cutting being brazen in some key areas - tyres, security features & odd.

But despite having said that, the crowd will still usurp this given the reputation it's predecessors have built for themselves. They will not even bother taking a test drive, endure months of long waiting period & end up with an Amaze adorning better gadgetry.

[pats]

Fantastic and Detailed Review as usual GTO. I was eagerly waiting for the same before going ahead with the booking.

Will be going in for the top end Petrol MT.

[Siddy]

Fantastic review GTO!! Any information about the variants offered? Corporate edition? I am interested in the interiors of the CE variant.

[Rajeevraj]

Thank you for the brilliant well balanced review as usual. Many of the reviews that came out today seemed to be very high level and mostly one sided. The standard and consistency of Team-Bhp reviews is something else. No one can match that.

The CVT was a surprise, I was assuming that the same 5 speed Torque Converter box would be carried over. Would be interesting to see how they price this.

[iliketurtles]

GTO, the level of detail you drill down to is incredible. Even the smallest of things, like the quality of plastic covers on voltage points and diesel letterings on the fuel cap, come under the scanner. I haven't seen the car yet, and yet I know all I have to. I know I'm not alone in saying that.

This City, IMO will do very well if priced correctly. I think Honda has called it right by making the i-DTEC engine immensely driveable in City conditions. Our junta will see the diesel badge, Honda logo and fabulous mileage and go ga-ga. I'm inclined to believe that Honda really has learned its lessons vis-a-vis pricing cars in India and this City will in all likelihood set the sales charts on fire.

On a side note...by god, it's so spacious at the back! With that kind of space and a very decent level of equipment, the gap between the City and some cars a segment above becomes very small indeed. Nicely done!

[DragonHawk]

As usual top notch review GTO.

For me it looks like a mixed bag for people looking out for new City. Not much to differentiate new model with the previous generation model in terms of looks. Overdosed chrome in the front facia looks bit clumsy and I wonder why Honda is more akin towards placing chrome in all their models. Build quality is definitely not a match to European competitors. Same diesel engine which does duty on Amaze, atleast for the premium I was expecting a tuned engine pumping out more power with 6 speed transmission.
Only thing I like the most is its interiors. I would say one of best interiors in its class. It is the one which clearly differentiates itself from the previous generation city and definitely a thumps up to Honda for bringing out this. All in all despite all the negative factors I feel City is back and with no nonsense design, segment best interiors, Honda reliability makes it one of most sought after cars in the market.

[//M]

Thank You for the review GTO.

I am going to book the car tomorrow so wanted to know how different is the Golden Brown metallic from Urban Titanium shade that is available currently in the Amaze? Also what other colors on offer apart from the maroon, silver and golden brown metallic?

[Vid6639]

Excellent Review. Can't get better than this for sure.

The new City appears to be the best package now in the C2 segment. It fixes all complaints from earlier gen and emphasizes on the plus points.

I love the touch screen climate control, instruments look fab and features wise it's very close to the Verna.

The CVT was a surprise for me and I expected the good old 5 speed conventional AT. The Vento TSI and now the City are the best automatics you can buy.

This City really hits the D segment cars like the Elantra and Altis as well. It appears to have more space than my Altis and features that are right up there. What extra does the Altis give in comparison? Yes the Altis is build much better and there is no cost cutting evident but that is not tangible as much as space.

What I did not like about the City:

1. That silver part on the dash around the AC vents and going to passenger side. Still looks cheap.
2. Looks are not too different from outgoing.
3. Alloy design is horrible and added with skinny 175 tyres.
4. Cost cutting in some places. No driver vanity mirror, adjustable seat belts, rake adjust steering, no boot cladding on boot lid.
5. That horrible design rear parcel shelf.

[sourabhzen]

I spent the day reading the City review wherever I could find on the net. But this one beats them down by a huge margin. The attention to detail in GTO's reviews is amazing. I bet even Honda officials have not scrutinized the car as well as this before the launch.

Overall an excellent review and most helpful for the prospective sedan buyers. Rated 5 stars.