[Voodooblaster]

THE GREY STALLION –BS6 4TH GEN HONDA CITY SVMT - IVTEC

I had hit a century in posts on Team-Bhp. So to celebrate, I thought of adding something special and decided to finally complete and post review of the new addition to our family.

Be prepared for a long long 7000 words odyssey to know how I finally brought home the Grey Stallion aka BS6 4th Gen Honda City SV MT. Come on, grab a coffee and get some munchies while you are at it. It’s going to be a long haul. There are many reviews of Honda City in our forum. I don’t know whether it will be the best or most popular or most informative, but it will definitely among the lengthier ones.

Feel free to use the index to teleport to sections that may be more relevant if you are on a tight schedule and to view a concise summary

Around middle of October 2020, I was in the market for a petrol car. The purchase is through my company lease program. There was an ex showroom price cap of 8.25 lacs. The program doesn’t take into account dealer discounts as GST and road tax is to be paid on full value and not the discounted price.

As is usual with all Bhpians I called in the cavalry to help me select the right steed. (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...-showroom.html (Petrol car under 8.20 lakhs ex-showroom) )

The Expected monthly running is 400kms {due to covid} and hopefully 800kms or more in a post covid world. I don’t need the car for daily commute, as I have relocated to a place less than 700m from my place of work. Resale value was not a criteria. I plan to keep the car for a minimum of 5 years and hopefully longer.

Around November 2020, my HR team offered some specific models in which some were over the 8.25 lacs limit, but purchase would be done through our Head Office. If desired model was not available in their list, we could purchase within the limit of 8.25 lacs.

[Voodooblaster]

THE CHOICES

TEST DRIVE EXPLOITS

THE SHOWDOWN

PADDOCKING THE GREY STALLION

BRIDLING THE GREY STALLION

THE INTERIORS

CREATURE COMFORTS

IVTEC-LAST OF THE MOHICANS

TIRES AND NIGGLES

SAYONARA





PREFACE

This will be a short capsule of the driveability and practicality of the 4th Gen Honda City based on the 700 odd kms driven by me so far:
The high displacement engine is very forgiving in the urban snarls. At 10-15 kmph in 2nd and 15-25 kmph in 3rd gears, we can simply use the brake and clutch to drive like an automatic with minimal accelerator input. The relatively large dimensions mean that we can’t try to squeeze into gaps like a Wagon R or polo for that matter. The low slung position means we won’t be able to see what’s in front of the vehicle in front of us, especially if it’s a SUV, C-SUV or other bigger vehicles like trucks and buses. I could check out the cars performance in approx 10 km of pot hole ridden urban roads. Thankfully there was no underbody scrapping. Just once I didn’t see a speed breaker and crossed it at about 60kmph. Since only wife and I were in the car at that time and there was no luggage, there was no underbody scrapping and thud from suspension. Only a maximum of 70kms have been in the chaotic urban roads. All others are on winding roads in the outskirts of Trivandrum city.

Approximately 400kms of the usage was on the 2 laned highways of southern Kerala, namely the MC road aka State Highway 1 and NH 66. Overtaking in the 2 laned highways needs a bit more planning than in the expressways. The city performed beautifully. Being a new vehicle I didn’t drive pedal to metal, and rather ensured that overtakes happened at cruising speeds. The cruise control feature is good. While its use is comparatively limited in 2 laned roads, it will be a game changer in terms of fatigue reduction in expressways. In the highways my brother felt that acceleration was better in the 4th gear than in the 3rd gear.

The MC road is full of curves and is a joy to drive. I felt that the City had better cornering dynamics than the Jazz despite both of them having same un-laden GC. As always Honda Steering is an absolute joy. The return to centre action and feedback in both the Jazz and City are phenomenal compared to the Maruti’s and Hyundai’s. Recently drove the Ertiga, Brezza, Xcent and Grand i10 Nios before coming to appreciate the Honda steering. Manual FE calculation in Tankful to tankful is approx 12.75. As usual MID optimitically shows FE in the range of 13.8 to 14.25. I have put trip meter B to permanently record lifetime FE. Hopefully no one will accidentally reset it. The seatbelt reminder is present for the front passenger also. A good move in my opinion.

The gear throws are precise and the engine latches on immediately. However shifting to 2nd gear from higher gears felt notchy occasionally. The Reverse gear engages easily when we pump the clutch twice. Need to ask the ASS if it’s a problem. The NVH levels inside cabin are very controlled, despite the Engine Hood not getting insulation.

Pros:

• Rev Happy and long lasting 1.5 litre I-Vtec
• Good braking power
• Steering with correct feedback
• Rear AC vents
• VFM compared to the Verna

Cons:

• Failing QC compared to previous generations
• Skinny tires
• Prominent hump in rear middle seat makes the seating posture of 5th passenger very terrible.
• Low GC and cost cutting compared to the 2017 facelift version
• The positioning of MIC below the AC blowers is a design flaw that’s not rectified for years.

In short, the city has to be delicately handled in the urban chaos, while it will eat up costlier cars in the open NH.

[Voodooblaster]

List offered by Company:



HONDA
o Honda City SVMT Petrol
o Honda WR-V SVMT - Petrol BS-VI
o Honda Amaze VX CVT and all variants below it

HYUNDAI
o VERNA 1.5 S+ Petrol
o VERNA 1.5 MPI MT S
o VENUE 1.0 TURBO S DCT Petrol
o Venue Sx Turbo
o VENUE 1.2 S+ Petrol
o GRAND I10 NIOS SPORTZ AMT ( PETROL)
o AURA SX PETROL

MAHINDRA
o MAHINDRA XUV 3OO W6 (PETROL)

MARUTI
o SWIFT ZXI+
o Ciaz Delta SHVS Petrol MT
o Ertiga Vxi SHVS
o VITARA BREZZA VXI 1.5L MT
o SUZUKI S-CROSS SIGMA SHVS MT

TATA
o Nexon XZ (P)
o Nexon XMA (P)
o Tigor XZ+ (P)
o Altroz XT (P)

RENAULT
o Triber RXZ MT Petrol
o Duster RXS Petrol 106PS



SPOILT FOR CHOICE

Now that a plethora of choices were available, I enjoyed (as a Bhpian) pondering about the following things:
• C-SUV vs Sedan vs Premium Hatch vs MPV
• NA Petrol Engine vs 6 speed Turbo petrol
• Base model of a higher segment vs Top Spec model of a lower segment


Hyundai/Kia has been given a miss after reading the thread regarding EPS/Brake failure/paint issues in TBhp: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-response.html (Hyundai India - The occasional serious quality lapse and apathetic manufacturer response!)

Also the disappointing Ncap results of Kia Seltos put a dampner on Hyundai/Kia siblings. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...orm-badly.html (Global NCAP tests Kia Seltos, i10 Nios and S-Presso. All three perform badly)

Honda Jazz/Amaze not considered as we already own a Jazz. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...automatic.html (The Magic Carpet - My Honda Jazz Petrol CVT (Automatic))

[Voodooblaster]

TEST DRIVE EXPLOITS

On discussing this list with the Home Minister, strong recommendation was for the Honda City. (I can sense some of the readers snickering and thinking that I really shouldn’t have bothered with TD of other models). However most men are slow to read the writing on the wall and I went for TD of the following vehicles shortlisted based on the budget cap, and TBhp official and ownership reviews. All are MT and covers all possible genres in the mass market. The cars are listed in the order in which I took TD


VW Polo 1.0 litre TSI

Pros:

• Fun to drive

Cons:

• Rear space {strictly a 4 seater}
• Boot space
• Reliability issues of smaller displacement turbo engine (Though 1.0TSI seems to have no major issues in the international markets unlike some earlier iterations of the VAG group)
• VW ASS Horror stories in various forums
EVM Volkswagen of Trivandrum graciously arranged TD Vehicles despite it being a Sunday.

The executive was very professional. I had informed them about my shortlisted cars. The best part was that, they never dissed the other models I had shortlisted. Kudos to them. Since it was a Sunday, and I was the sole customer, I had his undivided attention.

Had a lot of fun driving POLO. Was able to test stability, maneuverability and braking at speeds that grant euphoria. Polo performed brilliantly.

However the rear bench was a bit cramped. Also it's strictly a 4 seater. Max rear legroom was 10 inches and minimum was a measly 5 inches. Seating 3 in a stationery car was a chore by itself. The mid passenger in the back bench gets the rawest deal, due to the big hump and the rear ac vent blowing directly into them.
Switches and plastic quality was top notch. However absence of isofix and rear view camera is not expected in a premium hatch that costs almost 10 lacs on the road. Frankly speaking, the Polo can be beautifully managed with parking sensors alone. Unfortunately reverse sensors aren’t synced with the display to show in which side the obstacle is present.


Maruti Brezza

Pros:

• High GC
• Reliable naturally aspirated 4 cylinder 1.5 liter engine
• Maruti and its wide service network

Cons:

• No excitement factor

TD was through Sarathy Maruti, Trivandrum on a Sunday. Again a shout out to them for arranging TD on Sunday at a very short notice. Brezza was as usual jack of all trades. Tall driving position was appreciated by wife. Brakes weren't as impressive as POLO. Also acceleration was lower than POLO. Brezza cannot and shouldn't be pushed hard. Take it sedately and that's where it truly shines. Plastic and button quality is strictly average. Longevity of the buttons is an issue. On the plus side, it has a bigger boot size, easy ingress and exit and can seat 3 in back comfortably. Minimum leg space for rear passenger is 9 inches and max is 13.5 inches.

As of now, the mind says Brezza, while the heart is thumping for POLO.


Ford Ecosport

Pros:

• High GC
• Great looks that popularized C-SUV Segment (Though Premier RIO started it as far as I know)
• Good driving dynamics

Cons:

• Less rear and boot space
• Isofix only in the top variant (Competitors like Brezza and Nexon are offering from the base variant)
• Ford seeking to exit India. Seeing the predicament of Chevy owners after GM quit India is heartbreaking


Test-drive mule was expectedly the Titanium+ variant.

Ecosport impressed me favourably after Polo. It was also the Home Ministers backup choice

Vehicle in my budget is the ecosport ambient


Ford Freestyle and Aspire

Since I was at the Ford Showroom, test drove aspire and freestyle. Both seemed VFM. The top Titanium+ variants with 6 airbags are very reasonably priced. Expectedly Aspire had a plusher ride than Ecosport and Freestyle. Rear bench on freestyle seemed a bit more spacious than the Ecosport.

Unfortunately none of them tugged at the hearts as much as Ecosport
Aspire comes only in beige interiors. In the top variant, having 6 airbags we won't be able to add seat covers. Hope ford changes at least the seat colors. Doors of the Freestyle and Aspire don't have the heft of Ecosport. Sadly Ford doesn’t support Apple Carplay or android auto even in the topmost variants of Freestyle and Aspire. This is seriously affecting sales of these otherwise very competent cars. Sadly Freestyle doesn’t come with ISOFIX mountings.
The 3 cylinder engines of all the 3 Fords were noisy from the outside. This was very noticeable when compared to the Polo TSI and Brezza. However NVH levels inside the cabin was reasonable. This kind of broke the deal for Ford for my all powerful Home Minister


Tata Altroz

Pros:

• Great looks
• Feature laden and 5* safety rating

Cons:

• Less than impressive fit and finish
• Sluggish 1.2 litre NA engine

Due to my work nature I could take a test drive only on weekends or public holidays. I approached the dealer "Trivandrum Motors" at Trivandrum for a test drive of Nexon and Altroz. I reside approx 25kms from the dealer point. I called them on 29th October (a public holiday in Kerala) sometime around 10.30 am, for a test drive at around 1.00pm. They agreed to have the vehicles ready for TD. Once I reached there, I was told that only Altroz was available.
The Altroz was feature rich, but sadly the fit and finish were not up to the mark. When I pulled or released the hand break, the whole centre console moves slightly. It could be partially due to the fact that it was a TD vehicle with 15k kms on the odo.
I tried to start it from a moderate incline, and had to make the engine really work for it to pull up. Thankfully I didn’t stall. Since I had been driving only automatics for the past 1.5 years, I thought it would be my driving style that needed to change. However the SA confirmed that it’s a bit underpowered for its weight and the engine needs some getting used to. The iTurbo was not launched at that time, though there were reports that a Turbo version would be released soon to counter the impending release of i20


Tata Nexon

Since Trivandrum motors couldn’t provide Nexon for TD, I requested them for a Test Drive on 1 Nov 2020, a Sunday. However when I called on 31 October, they asked me to confirm on 1 Nov again. I did so and came to know that the vehicle couldn't be arranged as they were holding a stock verification exercise. Since stock verification exercise will most definitely be a pre planned event, the least the dealership could have done was to inform me at the earliest. This rubbed me off the wrong way
I visited the Tata motors website and found about a second dealer in Trivandrum, Derik Motors. Unfortunately the number listed was not working. So I raised a TD request mentioning that I would like to have the TD on that day, i.e. Sunday (1-Nov-20) itself. Derik motors representative called me on 2 Nov 20 and were ready to provide a TD vehicle on any of the weekdays. However I couldn't make time for a TD in the weekdays.
Tata motors representative called on 02 Nov 20 seeking feedback on the response from Dealer end. The caller was not really interested in bagging a sale. All they wanted to know was whether the dealer had contacted the customer. Tata motors need to train its telecallers.
On 5th November, (Thursday) I called up Trivandrum motors again to book a TD appointment for 7 Nov (Saturday). They promised to have the vehicle ready. Since I reside 25kms away from dealer location I called to confirm the availability of the vehicle on 7th November. Unsurprisingly the wonderful folk at Trivandrum Motors didn't have the vehicle again. Thankfully I escaped from a futile 50km commute (both sides). Twice bitten, thrice shy. So I abandoned Trivandrum Motors totally.

[RANT BEGINS]That's almost 2 weeks to arrange a TD vehicle. These kind of pathetic dealers are bringing down the sales and reputation of Tata Motors despite having some great cars. Unless and until Tata Motors dealers are agile, all the enquiries and buzz around Altroz and Nexon will simply fizz off. And the crores spent on advertising in IPL 2020 will not really convert into sales. Tata Motors is being let down by dealers who seem to be hell bent on spoiling the brand name. For reference, sales of market leader Maruti in Oct 20 were 1.63 lacs units, whereas Tata had managed 23,600 units only (a meager 14%). The sales experience at a Maruti Dealer is one of the reason for the same. Hope Tata Motors takes a leaf out of the way Maruti handles its dealers and scales newer heights. [RANT OVER]

I contacted Derik Motors again, but their TD vehicle had crashed and won't be ready for 2 days at least. I finally got a TD on Nov 14th, 2020 (Diwali). Despite it being a holiday, the sales executive was ready to give a Test Drive. Kudos to Derik Motors.

Pros:

• Good road view and highest GC in the segment
• 5* safety rating in my list of shortlisted cars
• AC was powerful and cooled cabin very quickly

Cons:

• Slotting into 3rd gear is slightly problematic
• Noisy Engine

Power and handling was good. Deliberately stopped vehicle at a sharp incline and managed to ascend it without straining the engine (Altroz NA petrol had trouble in this department). Unfortunately 3rd gear had slotting issues. The issue was felt acutely by wife. The problem was noted in TBhp reviews also. Since 3rd gear is inevitable in city commutes, this may become a deal breaker. Also she was not happy with the engine noise though NVH inside cabin was controlled.

Since I was very much looking forward to a Nexon in Foliage Green, I convinced my wife to give Nexon one more chance as TD vehicles are abused to hell and back. Spoke with Derik Motors again and they agreed to provide me with a different vehicle. So went for TD in a new car the next week. 2nd to 3rd gear slotting issue was minimal in the new car. But reverse gear issue seems to exist. Clutch requires additional pumping and gear to be engaged twice. At times the rear view camera gets engaged, but not the gear. Also NVH was higher compared to the other models we had test driven, and wife vetoed it. (You can drive this car yourself was the specific ultimatum)
In hindsight I should have expected the Veto as the Home Minister was not very impressed with the polarizing looks of the Nexon from the beginning itself, and still regards TATA as a CV maker.


Honda WRV

Pros:

• Very spacious cabin and boot compared to other C-SUVs
• Precise gear throws

Cons

• Weakest engine in the C-SUV segment. Frequent gearshifts needed to extract decent power from the engine
• No Rear AC and blind spots due to front pillars
• No Isofix (Competitors like Brezza and Nexon are offering from the base variant)
• Very pricey and no CVT, despite Honda having the tech

Took a TD from Perfect Honda since our family had purchased Honda Jazz from them in 2019 and we were completely satisfied with their service. Compared to the Nexon, the gear throws were precise and a pleasure to row. Reminded me of the Maruti Ritz. Was expecting it to be underpowered, but was pleasantly surprised. Keep the rpms above 2000, and it easily pulls through. Stopped the vehicle completely on a very steep incline, and then moved forward. It cleared the test with a little prodding from my end. In the 1500 to 2000 rpm band the motor struggles a lot. Drop the revs below 1500, and it goes into coma. Rear cam of 2020 WR-V has lesser clarity than the 2019 Jazz. I tried fiddling with the brightness, color and contrast settings but to no avail.
To make WRV a success, Honda simply has to plonk the 1.5 liter I-Vtec and offer CVT without hiking the prices unreasonably


Honda City 4th Gen

Pros:

• I-Vtec – One of the best NA petrol engine
• Precise gear throws
• Humongous leg room and segment leading comfortable rear seats
• Cavernous boot
• Base model is reasonably loaded with goodies

Cons

• Ground Clearance
• Dropping quality levels compared to the previous generations

TD vehicle of 4th gen City BS6 was not available. Hence took a TD of BS4 4th gen CIty. Compared to the WR-V, it's simply more powerful. To assess the impact of low GC, drove a bit harshly (without slowing down at about 35 kmph) over a relatively small speed breaker and was awarded with a scrape on the engine guard. Again hit a pothole at similar speed without slowing down. The suspension took the impact fully with a thud, but without underbody scrapping. Surprisingly the turning radius of City is almost same as that of WRV despite being almost half a meter long. Even though it was listed on the brochure, i needed to experience it myself to get convinced.
Rear visibility is very limited. Since the base variant which I falls in my budget doesn't have a reverse cam, I will have to install one. The SA was very patient with all my queries and showed me the underbody protection in a 4th Gen City that was in the Service Centre.


XUV 300

Pros:

• Turbo Engine with the highest torque in its segment
• Widest rear seat in its segment. Will put some C segment sedans to shame
• 5* safety rating
• Very good looking

Cons

• Very tiny boot
• Infotainment controls looks and feels cheap

TD was done at 6.15 pm. It was dark and got a chance to test the headlights also. I found the rear bench of XUV 300 to be wider than City. On the other hand, the boot is tiny (almost similar to our erstwhile 2005, 1.1 litre Wagon R). Adding a parcel tray would further decrease the boot space of XUV300, though it may marginally increase the AC performance in cabin. I felt that the brakes were a bit worrisome. Had to almost fully pump for the brakes to work. And when it finally bites it's very strong. Would have like the braking effect to be a bit more gradual. Sales executive of SS motors was very helpful despite the very late hour. +1 to him


Ertiga

Pros:

Only spacious petrol 7 seater MPV (Sub 4m Triber and Datsun rear row is only for kids)

Cons:

Least fun to drive in my shortlisted car list

The Automatic version of Self Drive Ertiga through Indusgo was tested in an almost 500km road trip a month ago. It’s a very practical car with multiple seat folding options that enables it to carry out airport/railway station trips with elan. Home minister was not impressed with the Ertigas looks.

[Voodooblaster]

The Selection

Experienced Bhpians would have guessed the final selection even without reading the title. Seems Darwin’s theory holds good for cars also. All models of cars arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete and survive in the brutal Indian market. My better half and I decided to select by elimination.

Better half wielded the first Veto and Nexon was out (For reasons already mentioned above).

I vetoed Ecosport. (Rumors regarding Ford Mahindra divorce were circulating in Nov 2020 itself)

Ertiga was booted out by home minister for being boring.

By mutual consent we vetoed Altroz, Freestyle and Aspire

Brezza was nixed by home minister for not being exciting enough.

I voted against WR-V for the disappointing powertrain.

If you had noticed, the all powerful Home Minister gets 3 Strikes and I get only 2. Life is like that

Finally the war was between Polo TSI - Highline Plus – MT and 4th Gen Honda City SV-MT



I was besotted with VW Polo. Wife loved the Honda City (It was her favorite car from her teenage and college days). Now that the battle lines had been drawn, the war starts.

Round 1: Polo is an out and out driver’s car and I argued for that. While she did agree on that, she argued that the I-Vtec was no slouch. On paper City (119 PS) has more 9 more horses than the Polo (110 PS). However the Polo is torqueier. Polo wins the Torque game outright with 175 Nm right from 1750 to 4000 rpm compared with the City’s 145 Nm @ 4600 RPM. I explain to her how the Polo will perform better in the urban traffic due to the higher torque at lower RPM. She simply counters by saying that I am not living in a Fast and Furious movie. Besides she says that a Honda Petrol Naturally Aspirated engines will be more reliable in the VW Turbo Petrol. Frankly speaking, I too am slightly concerned with smaller displacement turbo petrol engine. Finally she throws a bouncer in the form of Japanese reliability vs VAG tantrums (Which was discussed by me almost 6 months ago in a different context- The age old adage about the long memory of womankind has been proved true once again). So this one ends in a stalemate (or does it?)

Round 2: Wife brings the cramped rear seats in POLO. Since she has to often sit in the backseat on family trips, she had a valid point. I tried to convince her saying that the compact dimensions will be easier to maneuver and park in tight urban spaces and basement parking spaces. She counters by saying that the difference of nearly 50 cm in length is compensated by the humongous cavernous boot which is ideal for long road trips and Airport/Railway station trips. Since the car won’t be used for daily commute for the foreseeable future (My workplace is approx 700 meters away from my residence), I had to concede this one. City wins outright in the real estate battle.

Round 3: I make a pitch for the feature laden highline plus variant was (Android Auto/Apple Carplay, Cruise control, Rain sensing wipers, auto dimming IVRM, Voice Control etc). Wife counters about the lack of ISOFIX and rear charging slots. While ISOFIX is not an immediate need, hopefully it’s something that we might need in the future. In addition she adds that touch screen infotainment systems can be added as aftermarket accessories. So I would like to believe that this one also ends in a stalemate.

Final Score: Polo TSI - Highline Plus MT – 0 and 4th Gen Honda City SVMT – 1

It was a classic head vs heart decision, and the head won due to the all powerful Home Minister

Bhpians had suggested the following worthy alternatives:

• Skoda RIDER PLUS MT, it didn’t tug at my heart like the Polo Despite being very VFM
• Ciaz Delta Petrol – Didn’t enthuse either of us.
• Upcoming Magnite (and the Renault iteration) – Horror stories of Nissan and Renault ASS in TBhp forums as well as personal experience of friends plus the long term commitment of Renault/Nissan to Indian Market

I went through CrAzY dRiVeR’s thread regarding the niggles of 4th gen Honda City. ( https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...e-anymore.html (Honda City (4th gen) niggles: A compilation. Are Honda cars niggle-free anymore?))

However still decided to go ahead with the City, as it was among the better choices in my Shopping Cart. Special thanks to two of my friends (a colleague and a school friend) for encouraging me to go ahead with the city.


Old is Gold:

Meanwhile I feel that the first gen Honda City sold in India is the most handsome and distinguished of the lot. A 20 year old 1st Gen (the best looking) Honda City that I caught in the city





In the meantime, came across news that Honda was closing its Noida plant. Also there were reports that dealers were leaving Honda in droves. While my city has 2 dealers, Perfect Honda and Peninsular Honda, there is an uncertainty regarding the continued existence of both. This is more due to the actions or rather inactions of Honda rather than the misdemeanors of the dealers.

[Voodooblaster]

Bringing Home the Grey Stallion

Now that the car had been selected, it was time to select the color. The following color options were available:

• Radiant Red – Rejected as the Jazz at home is the same color
• White Orchid pearl – Better half didn’t like white.
• Golden Brown Metallic aka Brownish Black – Home minister loved it. While it was a looker, I realized that this too on needs a wash after every spin since dirt and dust will show prominently. Hence rejected
• Lunar Silver metallic – Both of us didn’t like it much
• Modern Steel Metallic – This was the last color option and Wife was ok with it.

Now the natural question is: How did I arrive at the conclusion that Golden Brown Metallic is difficult to maintain (Though most gorgeous)?
I looked at the vehicles in the dealer stock-yard. All were covered with a fine layer of dust and grime. The Grey color seemed a bit easier on the eyes even when covered with dirt and grime.

Order for the vehicle was placed by the mid of December 2020. As my company was making the purchase directly from OEM, there was no margin for the dealer. Since the vehicle will be shipped only after invoicing there was no option for PDI. Also purchase by the company meant that it will be delivered to dealer yard in Ernakulam, where my firm’s Controlling Office is situated. I reside at Trivandrum, which is approximately 220 kms from my home. In the middle of Feb 21 the vehicle arrived at Ernakulam Vision Honda. Due to some hectic work at office I was not in a position to take delivery of the car from Ernakulam. I contacted Perfect Honda-Trivandrum, and got them to shift the car to Trivandrum in a flatbed. They also took care of the insurance, HSRP, Fastag and other registration formalities. Also purchased extended warranty and RSA for 5 years.

Finally took delivery of vehicle on the 3rd of March 2021. Took a box of sweets to be shared with the dealership staff. Also took a small gift for the sales executive who patiently gave the test drive and their corporate sales staff for handling the slightly complicated documentation. Following delivery went to a nearby temple to do a simple puja.



Then picked up a close friend and off we went for Pizza in the new ride. One picture taken by my friend caught my fancy:

[Voodooblaster]

Registration process

In Kerala once Road tax is paid and vehicle fixed with Fastag, it has to be produced before RTO. RTO has ascertains that vehicle is in immaculate condition and matches Chassis No with invoice and road tax receipt. If all is well, they will issue RC. The RTO agent reported on 09 Mar 2021 that I faced a unique problem. Insurance database is linked with Parivahan (Pan India RTO software platform) and hence paperless. RC will be issued only if valid insurance shows up against Chassis no + application number combination. For my case the following error messages were shown (I.e. the insurance was not valid):



I took up the issue with the insurance company. Coincidentally the insurance company was experiencing some IT issues in the week after which my cars policy was issued. It was assumed that my policy was also part of the problematic batch. They requested 2 days time to rectify the issue. However the policy was not updated in RTO database even after a week. This was again confirmed by the RTO agent and he shared the screenshots. I took up the matter with the insurance company again.

All insurance companies upload their policy details to IIB (INSURANCE INFORMATION BUREAU OF INDIA) database. From there NIC (National Informatics Centre) which has developed and is now maintaining the Parivahan website fetches and provides data on a real time basis.



I had the RTO agent contact the RTO officials, but the same problem exists. In the meantime, the first service of the vehicle is almost due and nearly a month has passed since taking delivery of the car. I was constantly following up with the IT team of insurance company and they in turn were following with IIB and NIC officials. Finally NIC officials pinpointed the issue. Apparently there is a refresh button in the RTO software. In case of non updation of any documents like PUC/Insurance etc due to technical error, RTO officials have to simply click on the refresh button and the details will get updated.



I have narrated the above experience in detail as it was pretty unique. Also it was frustrating to be not use the vehicle for almost 1 month. By then the 1st service was due. The vehicle goes to the workshop, gets washed and has the perfunctory checkup completed and comes back.


The Grey Stallion in its Paddock



Initial driving impressions were positive. The car has sufficient grunt and can easily clear the 2nd gear speed breaker test. Me thinks that it can attempt the 3rd gear speed breaker test, but don’t want to test on a new car (Maybe after a couple of 1000 kilometers). The car can run without lugging or stalling at 15kmph in 3rd gear on flat roads. The 4th gear can be engaged at speeds as low as 30kmph and 5th gear at 40kmph without lugging the engine. Probably the engine is tuned this way to derive maximum mileage. I feel that the 4th gen Honda city looks the best from the rear. It gets rear parking sensors that are reasonably accurate and help to park easily. But getting a reverse cam is advised for tight parking spots in malls (where 3 cars are squeezed in the basement between 3 pillars)

[Voodooblaster]

The Cabin

The all beige interiors contribute to the humongous sense of space in the city. However maintenance will be a herculean task. As always the driver gets the best seat. Driver seat has recline, height and leg room adjustments. The seats are comfortable, but cushioning seems too soft. Don’t know how it will hold in long drives. The boot release lever is placed near the seat adjustment levers. While the seat adjustment levers are sturdy,boot release lever feels flimsy.



The rear seat is the place to be in a Honda City if you couldn’t be the pilot. It’s luxurious and almost like a sofa. Chauffeur driven car owners will like it a lot. The fabric seats accentuate the comfort more.



The armrest can be pulled out, and has 2 cup holders. Frankly, I would be wary of eating and drinking with all the beige real estate.



The rear seat also gets 2 isofix points, one at each side. The middle passenger will have to adjust with a lap belt.



The City as with all Honda Cars, offers segment leading leg space. Minimum leg space is approx 10 inches with the front seat fully pushed back.



Maximum leg space is a whooping 19 inches



The passenger side visor gets a vanity mirror.



The driver side visor does not get a vanity mirror. As already pointed out in TBhp reviews, the roof has is scooped out to have a visor with mirror. This kind of cost cutting is not expected in a premium offering.



The driver gets an armrest. However it doesn’t get the slide functionality and hence can be mostly used as an elbow rest. It can be opened to reveal a compartment that can easily hold a couple of phones/wallet/power bank etc



There are two 12 volt power sockets below the rear ac vents. I wish at least one was placed near the rear parcel tray to be more useful. It could charge phones, power a dash cam and so on. Honda can even release dashcam as official accessories and earn some bucks.



The basic accessory kit includes a hammer, microfiber cloth, carpet mats,2 pillows and mud flaps. It costs Rs 5,500. The driver side mats has a mechanism to hold the mat in place. While it’s a bit expensive, the quality is good.



Due to the lockdown we couldn’t complete any major trips. The longest was a 140km round trip to a temple in the neighboring district. However it gave us an opportunity to test the car with 5 people on board. The rear seats are sufficiently wide for 3 adults of average build. However the significant hump in the middle portion of the rear seat is the deal-breaker. As always, the 5th passenger gets the least ergonomics. See how high the pillow is in the middle seat.



The front door opens in 3 stages. The ingress and egress is a breeze



The rear door opens in 2 stages. The ingress and egress is not bad for a sedan. Senior citizens and people with joint problems may need slightly additional time to settle in the back seats.



The humongous 510 liter boot keeps and keeps swallowing bags. The usable space of boot will be however 400 liters as, some space has to be left for the trunk hinges to close and the tires bulge into the boot. Also the loading lip is tad higher. Retrieving heavy bags might be slightly difficult.



The usable space seems 40 inches wide, 34 inches long and 17 inches high. The boot door gets insulation cladding. Also the boot is illuminated.



The spare wheel is accessible by lifting a flap in the boot. The spare wheel is a full size steel wheel. (Thankfully no space savers). The tools and jack are kept loosely near the spare wheel. The tools in Jazz which is a full segment lower, gets a polystyrene foam case to hold the tools inside the spare wheel. Again such blatant cost cutting in the City leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Inflating the spare tire is a chore, as the nozzle faces down. The tire has to be lifted out of its cavity for checking air pressure. This will be more difficult if the boot is full of luggage.



The glove box has a depth of 9 inches and can comfortably hold the Honda Manuals and RSA papers.



There is a cubby hole to place 2 cups near the handbrake lever. The cigarette lighter and usb port are also placed nearby



The engine hood release lever and petrol tank lever are placed in the footwall near the accelerator pedal and seem sturdy unlike the boot release lever



The driver side window gets auto up and down functionality. Also the driver can lock/unlock all doors and control all 4 windows. The fabric beige insert at the door pads will easily attract dust and grime.

[Voodooblaster]

AC, Headlights, IRVM and ORVM

The AC comes with touch controls. However I wish that the touch controls would be changed to manual ones. The driver may have to look away from the road to change settings while driving. It’s advisable to make necessary adjustments when we start the journey or when waiting at traffic signals (Keep an eye out for the signal though- We don’t want any rear-enders now, do we?). The auto temperature control feature of the AC does an excellent job of maintaining cabin temperature with minimal intervention though. The vents in the centre console have only directional controls and can’t be closed.



The rear AC vents help to cool the humongous cabin quickly. It’s advised to keep the rear vents half open (a shout out to all the optimists out there) after reaching the optimum temperature. If the vent is turned upwards the cold air will directly hit our face, and if kept down it chills and paralyses (hyperbole) the legs.



The vents near the driver and front passenger can be kept closed fully or partially and also has directional controls. Make sure that the vent isn’t turned towards ORVM as it may cause fogging in the windows. The ORVM views can be controlled from the insides, but need to be folded manually. They offer decent view.





The IRVM doesn’t cover the back side fully. Also glare the parcel tray in bright conditions hampers the rear vision



The headlights are about adequate. However they might be inadequate when oncoming traffic decides to use blinding projectors. Frankly speaking, it’s high time the Courts clamp down on the obscenely bright lights used nowadays considering the nuisance and accident potential.

[Voodooblaster]

Grey Stallion’s Heart- The Last of the Mohicans

The 1.5 litre I-Vtec - Enough Said!!!



Seeing the recent trend of smaller displacement turbo petrols and 3 cylinder NA mills that all OEMS’s are adopting, this is probably the best and last of the free revving naturally aspirated petrol engines that we will be able to buy. The engine bay is neatly organized and seems easy to work on (Unlike, say the Marazzo). The battery is the el cheapo SF-Sonic.



Thankfully the engine gets a partial protective sheet of plastic. This is very much needed as GC of the Honda city can result in underbelly scraps.



The hood neither gets Insulation cladding, nor is it painted. Again brutal cost cutting by Honda



The instrument cluster with all the warning lamps during startup. If you notice carefully you can also see the indicator for E-con mode which is not available for India Spec Models. I am yet to rev the engine past 2500rpm, so no luck in listening to the sweet music of I-Vtec. The car gives a warning chime when we cross 80kmph and a light glows up in the dashboard. This is repeated every couple of minutes unless we go below 80kmph. On crossing 120kmph, the manual says the MID will begin beeping continuously. Yet to test it though. The speedometer changes colors based on throttle input and fuel consumption. For sedate driving its green, then turns cyan and for metal to floor driving turns a deep shade of blue. Staying in the green zone will help our wallets. The MID displays:

• Instantaneous FE, Fuel level, Time and Temperature
• The range with current fuel level and driving style
• 2 trip meters with separate FE readings



The ABC pedals are comfortably spaced and a dead pedal is also provided.



The fuse box is placed in a crevice above the accelerator pedal.



The clutch+gearshift is very smooth and tempts us to keep riding through the gears. However shifting to 2nd gear from the higher gears feels notchy occasionally. My brother felt that grunt in 3rd gear is sub optimal. For overtakes, the 2nd or 4th gear performs better. Experienced Bhpians are requested to chip in. Need to check both issues in the open highways. The safety hammer (part of basic kit) to break through glass can also been.



The cruise control can be activated at speeds above 40kmph. It will be a very useful feature in expressway runs. Speed can be decreased or increased using the +/- buttons. Cruise control will get disengaged on applying brakes or accelerator. The headlight, indicator and wiper stalks are chunky and seem durable. Had to do a 30 km run in the heavy rains caused due to cyclone Tauktae. The wipers did a good job



Cabin panel rattling can be felt when the car is driven at 4th(25-35kmph) and 5th(35-45kmph) gear in 1000 to 1500 rpm. However the engine doesn't feel lugged. For now shifting to a lower gear eliminates the problem. Maybe the rattling is an warning mechanism devised by Honda to prevent us from lugging the I-Vtec

ICE

We are going to see the In Car Entertainment system, though it’s the acronym for internal combustion engines. The audio system does its job beautifully (at least for me). I listen to music at pretty low volume while Home Minister likes it when the music is loud. However the stock speaker works beautifully for us. There is an USB and AUX port, FM/AM radio and Bluetooth connectivity. Sadly there seems to be no mute/pause function.



Steering has audio controls for volume and to change tracks. Pairing Bluetooth device is a breeze, and I feel Apple products latch on to the device quicker than android devices. I.e. when we turn on the car with Bluetooth in ON condition of my phone (Android – Samsung/Redmi) and better halves I Phone (after all she is the better half), the audio system gets connected to I phone. In pairing order, Samsung is first followed by I Phone and then Redmi in the audio system, so I don’t think the pairing order has any relevance in this case. All 3 phones were set to automatically try to connect when in range of car.

Now coming to call quality; it works fine when blower speed is minimum (3 points and below). However at higher blower speeds, the person at the other end needs to strain a bit to make out the words clearly. This was already highlighted in Crazy Drivers thread regarding niggles of 4th gen Honda City SVMT. It’s a pity that they didn’t rectify it even when they had the chance to do so in the BS 6 avatar. Phone calls can be accepted and declined via steering or through the buttons in the music system. The buttons are of good quality.

[Voodooblaster]

Tires and Niggles

Now everyone knows that Honda City provides the skinniest possible tires. TeamBhp has dedicated threads for upgrading Honda City tires.

1. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...de-thread.html (Honda City : Tyre & wheel upgrade thread)
2. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...de-thread.html (4th gen. Honda City : Tyre & wheel upgrade thread)

However there were some posts that suggested that Honda my not honor warranty if tire is replaced with non stock specifications. This had me worried, so I shot out a mail to Honda. Unfortunately got a reply that tire replacement with non stock specifications voids the warranty. However my mails regarding applicability of NCAP ratings for the 4th gen Honda City retailing in India went unanswered.



As per Team Bhp review on the 2017 Honda City Facelift (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...lose-look.html (2017 Honda City Facelift : A Close Look) ) the car had 185/55 R16 shoes and alloy spare wheels. Not sure if this was for the top variant only.



However in the BS6 iteration, Honda has silently gone back to 175/65 R15 for all variants. On top of that, the threat to warranty cut in case of upgrading tire is unfair. Also spare wheel is steel for all variants in the BS6 avatar



It seems as though for tires, BS6 4th Gen Honda City specs has been copy pasted from the 2014 version. Honda mocks us by asking us to maintain higher air pressure if we plan to do above 160kmph on these ridiculously skinny tires.



Misaligned panels have been highlighted in our forums. The uneven panel gap issue still plagues Honda. This is definitely a textbook case of poor QC. And to think that Japanese are the apex authority in Quality Control (Remember Toyota and TQM).






Features not available in the 4th Gen City vis a vis the Jazz

• Features like insulation in engine hood, and vanity mirror in driver side sun visor are present in Jazz.
• Panel gaps seem more consistent in Jazz.
• The Jazz gets a polystyrene foam case to hold the tools inside the spare wheel.
• The overall fit and finish in The Jazz seem better.

[Voodooblaster]

Sayonara

Thank you for patiently poring over this 7000 words humongous review. The word humongous has been repeated in various parts of this review, simply because the Honda City is humongous in its segment. The ad tag lines of Nissan Sunny’s “It’s a CAAAR” and Tata Indica’s “More Car per Car” seems to suit the City also. The official brochure highlighting variant wise features as well as the accesories brochure is attached for reference.

BS6 Honda city 4th gen Brochure.pdf

City accessories brochure.pdf

My state, Kerala is in Covid 19 lockdown for the majority of May 2021. I spent nearly 20 very enjoyable hrs (spread over 3 weeks) in preparing this review. (Including photo sessions; short listing 60 odd images from nearly thrice that number; uploading them in our forum and so on). I am full of admiration and respect for our wonderful set of unbiased mods who do this on a frequent basis with even more intricate details.



3 Hondas in 1 frame: My Magic carpet and Grey Stallion discussing, whether the Activa can be fitted into the City like they did in the 80’s (watch the videos below).

Ad for the 1980’s Japanese Honda City:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tijwq5P6mhY

Top Gear Review of the 80’s Honda city:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFp_dHpwM8c

Sunlight applying white stripes to the Grey Stallion similar to this legend.

Planned Accessories

Official Reverse cam on IRVM and 3D mats from OEM has been ordered. Due to lock-down situation, ASS has no idea when it will be delivered. Once the dealer side work is over, planning to install Door visors, Door edge garnish and side step cover. Also plan to install a dashcam in the coming days.

As of now decided not to use seat covers. I feel that the fabric seats are more comfy. Almost no accessory shops are having fabric seat covers. Will install if and when i get fabric seat covers. Also in 2 minds whether I should install floor mats, since i plan to get 3D mats. Any pointers from our forum members regarding the + and - of not having seat covers and floor mats will be deeply appreciated.



My favorite view of the City as it prepares to soar ahead:



Big shout-out to GTO and Aditya for guiding me to make this review more engaging.

Goodbye Folks and keep vrooming!!!

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Your car is going to our homepage today

[vivekji05]

Congratulations. I was there to pick up my car after servicing, late in the evening and saw your car being loaded on the flatbed at Vision Honda in Kochi. I checked with them what the story was and they told it was sold in Trivandrum. Small world.

[BhayanaV]

Congratulations on your new ride.
Seat covers changes the design contour of the seats, I personally never install seat covers and get the seats cleaned twice a year.
Since you are installing 3d mats and have the carpet mats (OEM) what additional floor mats you want to check?