[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by Seran Manian

Very thoughtful of you to add the price of each accessory (Some of them look very costly though).

Yep, not all of them are VFM. The illuminated step garnishes are the best accessories out of the lot, IMO.

Originally Posted by thebfg

How about a performance upgrade by ECU remap and new exhaust? And why don't you purchase the same alloys you had on Pegasus

Not immediately, but maybe in the future.

Alloys + tyre upgrade are in the pipeline, as soon as I save enough. Have my eyes on a few Plati designs.

http://platiindia.com/products.php5?range=15

Originally Posted by a4anurag

The stock alloys spoil the look of the car along with that front chrome strip

Something should be done by Honda!

They won't do anything until the facelift is due (after 3 years, possibly). I don't like the alloys offered as the OEM accessory, either. Maybe we will see a better design offered on the facelift.

Front grille looks very, very loud. Only a mother can love that chrome-filled front. I noticed a 2014 City with a matching chrome bull-bar to that heavy-chrome grille in my stay at Raipur. Just imagine - chrome, and absolute dollops of it! If ever there was a HUGE macho statement to make, that City's owner was making it.

[Amey]

Congrats! Wonderful purchase, but even I am not a big fan of this new iteration of the City, the earlier generation and the Type II were the best ones in my honest opinion.
Nonetheless, it's a Honda afterall so it will be a very able performer, comfortable at the same time.

Just out of curiosity, what's the grade of engine oil recommended by Honda for this engine ?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Yep, not all of them are VFM. The illuminated step garnishes are the best accessories out of the lot, IMO.

Since this is a Honda things are bound to be costly! Nothing much can be done here. Some accessories made me

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Alloys + tyre upgrade are in the pipeline, as soon as I save enough. Have my eyes on a few Plati designs.

Even the Swift gets a 185/65 R15 but a Honda City gets a 175 section! This car does need an upgrade on tyres + power (A remap may be or an RD Box) when budget permits!

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

They won't do anything until the facelift is due (after 3 years, possibly). I don't like the alloys offered as the OEM accessory, either. Maybe we will see a better design offered on the facelift.

I know! :( The Gen-3 Honda City had a nice set of alloys!

Out of the Plati Alloys list, these are the ones I liked:

1) PY 149
2) PP 337 FM MATTBLACK
3) PP 337 HB
4) PY - 768

Whats your pick?

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Front grille looks very, very loud.

Loud is a understatement for that design. I don't know what Honda thinking when the design board had designed this and someone had finalised it saying - Yes this will be the design of the New Honda City!

Anurag.

[neoonwheels]

Awesome review . I was surprised to see such panel gaps on City. To me, a lot of demand certainly does not justify such inconsistent gaps. At the end you are paying full amount and not a discounted high demand vehicle cost, right?

[rajivn]

Wonderful writeup and congratulations for your new ride. I own an iDTEC V trim as well and have clocked about 700 kms so far. I really agree with all the positives and negatives you elegantly articulated in your report. Engine is refined when driven at the right RPM and car is pretty good for quick acceleration in the city. What sometimes bothers me is the AC compressor noise that filters in to the cabin at idle.

Regarding the tyres do the upgrade whenever possible. I drove about 200kms in stock before reluctantly upgrading the tyres to Michelin 3ST. Its been worth the upgrade with the improved ride quality and handling.

[puchoo]

Many congratulations RavenAvi , a great review , very informative. Wishing you a great ownership experience with her.

The portable service facility is a great idea , the downside is one will need to ensure that there is no chance of missing the alert else you wait another two months , additionally i hope this does not mean long lines or pressure on the staff to do work quickly at the cost of quality. How many days will it stay per visit?

[RavenAvi]

Thanks a lot, guys.

Originally Posted by Amey

Just out of curiosity, what's the grade of engine oil recommended by Honda for this engine ?

The manual says Honda Diesel Oil #2.0/ACEA C2 or C3.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Loud is a understatement for that design. I don't know what Honda thinking when the design board had designed this and someone had finalised it saying - Yes this will be the design of the New Honda City!

Simply put, the one who finalised the alloys and the front grille needs to get his/their head(s) examined. Pronto.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Out of the Plati Alloys list, these are the ones I liked:

1) PY 149
2) PP 337 FM MATTBLACK
3) PP 337 HB
4) PY - 768

Whats your pick?

PY 140 & 312 look great, although PY 399 is smokin' hot!

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

I was surprised to see such panel gaps on City. To me, a lot of demand certainly does not justify such inconsistent gaps. At the end you are paying full amount and not a discounted high demand vehicle cost, right?

Indeed. The last thing you expect in a 12L car is inconsistent panel gaps. But the plus point is, none of the panels (except the top ends of the rear bumper) move to the touch, and are screwed on tight. A minor relief.

Originally Posted by rajivn

What sometimes bothers me is the AC compressor noise that filters in to the cabin at idle.

Haven't noticed it yet. But will keep an ear open for that. Drives have been butter-smooth till now. The 3rd & 4th gear ratios are excellent for driving inside the city.

Originally Posted by rajivn

Regarding the tyres do the upgrade whenever possible. I drove about 200kms in stock before reluctantly upgrading the tyres to Michelin 3ST. Its been worth the upgrade with the improved ride quality and handling.

Good to hear. I have an eye on them as well. Upgrade is a definite as soon as funds are in hand.

Originally Posted by puchoo

The portable service facility is a great idea , the downside is one will need to ensure that there is no chance of missing the alert else you wait another two months , additionally i hope this does not mean long lines or pressure on the staff to do work quickly at the cost of quality. How many days will it stay per visit?

Three days. Good thing is that customers of the new 2014 City will get priority.

They have been very punctual in calling me for servicings for Pegasus before, so I expect that trend to continue in the future as well.

There will be 7-8 technicians available with the service truck, out of which 3-4 will be specifically for the diesels, so one-day servicings shouldn't be a problem.

Things will become much clearer once I avail the first service through it. Let's see how efficient they really are.

[pdma]

Congratulations !!!! Avi,

We both started off booking the IDTEC at the same time and were inclined heavily towards the city.
Iam happy that you received your car and thanks for putting up a detailed review.

Cheers,
pdma

[puchoo]

Thanks for the update , seems well thought through and organized by Honda and i suppose they too would be looking at tweaking the logistics as they start implementing these camps.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Three days. Good thing is that customers of the new 2014 City will get priority.

They have been very punctual in calling me for servicings for Pegasus before, so I expect that trend to continue in the future as well.

There will be 7-8 technicians available with the service truck, out of which 3-4 will be specifically for the diesels, so one-day servicings shouldn't be a problem.

[Sommos]

Many Congratulations Avi, for the "Empress".
Wishing you many happy mile munching with the iDtec.
The golden brown colour looks fantastic and makes the car stand out.

What caught my attention is the CG17 number on the silver Pegasus.
It is great to see another (senior) member from CG (a rare community in this forum).
Hope to meet you sometime in person.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by pdma

We both started off booking the IDTEC at the same time and were inclined heavily towards the city.
Iam happy that you received your car and thanks for putting up a detailed review.

Thanks, pdma.

I read about your relocation in the City thread, and it's a shame that despite being one of the earliest ones who had booked the 2014 City, you still haven't got your car yet. But things usually take a turn for the brighter side - by the time you will be back in your car hunt, the 2014 City would be lining up for it's mid-life facelift, and I am sure many of it's current issues would have been ironed out by then (at least, I hope they have!) You would have a car with better finish and hopefully a few more features to boot.

Wishing you the best for all your future endeavours.

Originally Posted by puchoo

Thanks for the update , seems well thought through and organized by Honda and i suppose they too would be looking at tweaking the logistics as they start implementing these camps.

Indeed. And it's a huge relief for outstation customers of the state who can't do periodic visits to the capital just for maintaining the servicing schedules. A very welcome move by the Shubh Honda dealership indeed.

Originally Posted by Sommos

Many Congratulations Avi, for the "Empress".
Wishing you many happy mile munching with the iDtec.
The golden brown colour looks fantastic and makes the car stand out.

What caught my attention is the CG17 number on the silver Pegasus.
It is great to see another (senior) member from CG (a rare community in this forum).
Hope to meet you sometime in person.

Thank you, Sommos.

I have been following your Linea thread quite closely since the day you got your beauty home. The T-Jet was on my radar during the initial days of my car hunt but the new Fiat dealer at Raipur simply wasn't interested enough to sell me one. Too bad, because I love the car for all that it offers.

I would love to meet up as well, my friend! Send me a PM whenever you are visiting Raipur (or Jagdalpur, for that matter) in the near future and let's see if our plans and timings match. I might be visiting Maa Bamleshwari's temple in Dongargarh over the summer with my family, so when I pass through Bhilai, I would definitely love to meet you in person. Let's see if we can chalk out a mutual plan on those lines.



Some observations of my in-city driving of the last week or so:

- Empress loves the 3rd gear for in-city pottering. Find empty stretches and slot her into 4th, and she cruises nonchalantly without any problems.

- Took Empress over moderate speed-breakers in 2nd gear and she didn't stall. Great for dismissing smaller breakers by just freeing the engine and an instant tap on the throttle afterwards. The linear power delivery of the i-DTEC is at the fore here, and is an absolute charm to drive.

- Slot the 1st gear in and slowly release the clutch, and the car jerks forward without any throttle input! Be careful when you are behind another car in B2B traffic.

- Ride quality is not as plush as the 3rd-gen City. Small undulations from the road filter into the cabin at city speeds. Definitely the stiffened suspension + added weight of the oil burner are the culprits here. On the positive side, the underbelly doesn't scrape anywhere.

- Soft vibrations filter into the feet through the ABC pedals. The i-DTEC is not as refined as some other diesels we know, but that's a small price to pay for the fantastic FE it offers.

- FE figure inside the city so far is at a solid 19.3 kmpl!! That's the FE which my Pegasus gave while cruising on highways! Mind-boggling, specially when this is with the Auto Climate Control on all the time. Even when taking MID variations into account, an overall FE of 19 kmpl for in-city cruising is a fantastic figure. Exact figure will be known when the first tankful of diesel is consumed.

- The ACC is an absolute chiller. It goes all the way down to 18*C and cools the cabin really quickly. Rear AC vents are very effective and keep the rear occupants cool as well. My Mom is very happy now that she has her own AC vent in the rear!

- The beige interiors are a pain to maintain. Have asked my local accessory guy to procure matching Nomad mats as soon as he can. Not going the 3D Kagu route.

- Haven't felt the need for sunfilm yet, despite afternoon temperatures soaring to 39*C. The cabin is sufficiently cool inside, which makes me suspect if the glass in the windows is not a tinted one. A slight bluish-green tinge can be made out, if checked closely.

- The headlamps are adequate so far. All 3 bulbs (Low, High & foglamp) light up the road ahead quite well. Yet to test them out on the highway.

- Braking is perfect in a straight line. The car comes to a standstill from 40-ish speeds in an instant. Better to keep an eye on the traffic behind you, or there is a good chance of getting rear-ended while engaging in hard-braking.

- Gear shifts are hard but precise. Will take some time to get adjusted to them. Same goes for the clutch.

- The sound system is perfect for my music tastes right now. Not fiddling with them anytime soon.


More inputs and pictorials to follow soon.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

- Slot the 1st gear in and slowly release the clutch, and the car jerks forward without any throttle input!

At idle WITHOUT any accelerator input in first gear when you release the clutch fully, what speed does the car settle down to?

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

- A slight bluish-green tinge can be made out, if checked closely.

Maruti cars have a greenish tinge to their windows. Not that effective in sun here at temperatures are crossing 40*C.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

- Gear shifts are hard but precise. Will take some time to get adjusted to them. Same goes for the clutch.

The first service/oil change should sort out the clutch and gear shifts.

Anurag.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

At idle WITHOUT any accelerator input in first gear when you release the clutch fully, what speed does the car settle down to?

Around 7-8 kmph, from what I noticed. Will test this out fully tomorrow and report back.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Maruti cars have a greenish tinge to their windows. Not that effective in sun here at temperatures are crossing 40*C.

This tinge on Empress's windows is mostly bluish, with a greenish hue. It is keeping out the heat so far. Let's see how it tackles May & June.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

The first service/oil change should sort out the clutch and gear shifts.

Hopefully the first oil change at 5000 kms should make them a bit smoother, although I have my doubts about the gear shifting. It's very precise in it's slotting, so I think it will continue to be that way - hard but precise.

--------------------------------------


I got Empress's touchscreen ACC section covered with a transparent film used for Samsung touchscreen phones earlier in the afternoon today.

My friend, not used to working with car units, did his best and I must say it's a decent job. He left a few air bubbles in finishing, which should disappear in 1-2 days, and if they didn't, then he promised to replace the film with a new one, hopefully with better finish.

The film is of Indian make (forgot to ask him which company), and looks/feels very smooth to the touch.

The touchscreen is working smoothly even with the film on and has lost none of it's effectiveness to touch responses, and should hopefully repel any scratches/fingerprints on it for now.

The ACC panel all shined up with foam polish.



Measurements taken and film section cut accordingly.



The ultra-shiny black central console.



Film being applied.



Film set as a snug fit.



Continuous scraping using that white piece from behind to apply the film uniformly.



Precise cutting, according to the ACC panel. Notice the bubbles?

I will be returning back to him tomorrow to get the shiny black parts of the OEM Head Unit and the right-most AC vent section (housing the controls for the ORVMs) covered with film as well.

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

This car does need an upgrade on tyres + power (A remap may be or an RD Box) when budget permits!

Is RD available for honda diesel engines? Last time i checked compatibility list on their website, no Honda were there.
http://racedynamics.in/products/dieseltronic/
It would be great if it can be used to remove top speed limit which Honda has given to the diesel Amaze.

[malgudi]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Hopefully the first oil change at 5000 kms should make them a bit smoother, although I have my doubts about the gear shifting.

First oil change as per honda is at 10000 kms in 3rd free service. Already got my 2 free services done at 0 bill.