[nanduchitnis]

HONDA CITY AN OWNERS REVIEW

My wife Medini Chitnis received the keys of the all Whte Honda City SMT on 26th Aug 2010 at an elaborate ceremony at the Crystal Honda Show Room in Pune.
We had made elaborate plans to drive North to Baroda>Ahmedabad>Jodhpur>Jaisalmer before that and I also purchased a Map My India GPS.
I ran out 1000 kms by 3rd September for the first service and we set course for Baroda on 06 Sept 2010. We returned to Pune from Jaisalmer on 22nd Sept 2010, got the second servicing done having crossed 5400 kms.
26th September we started from Pune on a road trip to Kerela and returned home to Pune on 04 Oct 2010.
Todate I have burned rubber = 9,800 kms in a short period of just 2 months.
My Review of the Honda City.

THE RUNNING IN
Paid almost Rs 9.75 lakhs for the car. Did the run in of the engine on the Pune Mumbai Expressway, revving up and down to 7000 rpm in all gears the first 3000 kms. Took the car to 170 kmph during the run in briefly. Run in done I have kept the rpm at 4000 rpm max at all times.

THE ENGINE
The V Tech engine is absolutely amazing. With a little depression on the accellaretor the Honda touches 110 kmph, returning an incredible 16.9 kmpl on fuel consumption on the Expressway. In the City of Mumbai she returns around 12 kmpl which is cool for a 1.5 liter engine. The 2nd and 3rd gear delivers plenty of torque which I really love, as I am addicted to torque.The drive quality of the car is super.
I give the V Tech engine 9/10 marks.

THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTS
Very nicely designed though I love the space age instrument panel of the Civic much more. No cribs though. I am really pleased that at any given time I get a display of the fuel consumption and also kms to go for the level of fuel in the tank.
Points 8/10.
REAR VIEW SIDE VIEW MIRRORS
Absolutely great. The filter to cut off glare at night on the rear view mirror is a big plus for me.
Points 9/10.

INTERIORS
Seats are really comfortable.The air conditioning top class with amazing climate controls. The music system is adequate for my needs. Plenty of leg room forward and aft.
What I hate is the cheap charlie plastics all around me. Come on give me some leathers!
Marks 8/10.
Dikie/Trunk/Boot
Plenty of space.

DRIVING ON INDIAN HIGHWAYS
Now comes the moment of truth. The Honda City is fit for
a) City driving in large metros like Mumbai or Delhi.
b) Expressways only.
This car sucks big time for National Highways and Indian Highways for one reason alone. Very small ground clearence. The Honda City is fine for highways in Malaysia or South Korea, not for Indian Highways. This car hits the bottom even at very slow speeds on the speed breakers anywhere in North and South India. My car’s bottom has taken heavy beating to date. Having said that even after 8 hours on the wheel the driving stress is negligible.
Points: 6/10

The BREAKING SYSTEM
No debate absolutely reliable. My wife slammed the breaks at 70 kmph and the car came to a dead halt immediately. An Alto that rammed us from behind got smashed. The Honda City rear just suffered dents. So I guess the safety features are super.
9.5/10

MOUNTAIN ROADS
Our desi ghats are never smooth roads. Here again for poor ground clearence the Honda City is a failure. There is enough power to drive any ghat.

WHAT HONDA NEEDS TO DO

1. Raise the ground clearence forward.
2. Jazz up the interiors with smart leathers get rid of plastics.
3. The HEADLIGHTS SUCK big time. Do something about that. Even my Pulsar 220 street bike has a more powerful beam than the Honda City!
4. Give an option to the buyer to select his own Music System.
5. Warning should come even if other passengers do not buckle up seat belts.
6. By default headlights should switch on when engine starts as per International norms.
7. Give a better tool kit including a good jack. What has been given to me is really flimsy and cheap. Shame shame !!
8. Make the Honda City driveable on Indian Highways.

Seriously for people who like to travel long distances, Hond City is NOT the car for Indian Roads. You may be better off with a cheap Indian SUV like the Bolero or for that matter a Hundai Santro i 10/20.

LAST WORDS
Yes the car is NAISH !!

Commander Nandu Chitnis (Retd)

[sachinj12]

Congrats on the new acquisition . Happy mile crunching

The biggest grouse with the City is the GC, otherwise its an excellent overall package.

[raghu230506]

Hi Nandu,

Congratulations to you and your wife for ANHC.

GC is a real concern for me too when ever I plan long drives with four adults and a kid. But, believe me I only scrapped once when we are 5 adults, 2 kids and boot loaded. Else never, one needs to be very slow while guiding through them. With the level of scrapping you have, better get an under body coating done.

Regarding headlights, just found Honda dealers are officially upgrading them, check it out.

You seem to be munching miles, keep doing the same.

Drive safe and have fun with IVTEC.

Pics please.

Cheers
Raghu

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by raghu230506

Hi Nandu,


You seem to be munching miles, keep doing the same.

Drive safe and have fun with IVTEC.

Pics please.

Cheers
Raghu

Hi Raghu...yes that is the reason I buy cars or bikes...munch in multiples of 1k kms or more!But htere is a price to pay for that..

Planning to drive to Chandigad next frm Pune.

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by raghu230506

Hi Nandu,


Pics please.

Cheers
Raghu

I have uploaded pics on Introductions page. Hope you get to see them.

Rgds

Nandu

[PaddleShifter]

Congrats Nandu. You have got a nice car for yourself.

10000Km in 2 months! That is some serious competition to diesel car owners (Or is your ANHC a diesel!)

Also, you revved your new car upto 7000rpm while it was in it's Run-In period. And now maintaining it under 4000rpm. It seems to be the opposite of what's recommended. Any particular reason to do this?

And just one more thing, is there Automatic Climate Control AC in your ANHC? Because you talked of Climate Control AC in your first post above. I think it isn't available in ANHC.

I wish you happy ownership experience ahead. Enjoy your beauty.

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by PaddleShifter

Congrats Nandu. You have got a nice car for yourself.


Also, you revved your new car upto 7000rpm while it was in it's Run-In period. And now maintaining it under 4000rpm. It seems to be the opposite of what's recommended. Any particular reason to do this?

And just one more thing, is there Automatic Climate Control AC in your ANHC? Because you talked of Climate Control AC in your first post above. I think it isn't available in ANHC.

I wish you happy ownership experience ahead. Enjoy your beauty.

Yes, the procedure is to rev up and down in 2/3/4/5 gears to 7,000 rpm and down to the least in ALL gears. However just touch 7k rpm and release the accellorator. Then cruise at 2500 rpm...

This procedure is also called "Drive like you stole the car!"

My home a/c LG uses the term Climate Control. I used the same term. No one can control climate with machines. Tis just a catch word.Else I be creating cyclones!

[j76]

I must admit you have a funky run-in algorithm, the first time that someone has actually recommended doing such a run-in. Did the manual say this ? Or did the Honda folks say this ? What is the source for this algo ?

Climate control means when you can actually set a temperature and the AC adjusts itself to keep that temperature. (without creating cyclones ).
What the ANHC has is just a normal aircon which can only regulate the knob from high to low, it will just keep cooling or heating with the same intensity.

[RemingtonSteele]

Congrats Nandu on the ANHC white (I have the same white one V series from Crystal Honda).
BTW your Run-in algorithm is really amazing.
How is the FE of your car ?? Your car was banged really bad; keep us updated on Crystal Honda Service quality.
Anyway take care and keep driving safe, driving ANHC is addictive!

[PaddleShifter]

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

My home a/c LG uses the term Climate Control. I used the same term. No one can control climate with machines. Tis just a catch word.Else I be creating cyclones!

That is funny sir.

"Climate Control" in cars is referred to the Automatic Climate Control AC in which we just set the temperature and let it run at "Full Auto" mode.

The AC will decide various parameters [e.g. fan speed, air volume distribution to various directions(face, foot, rear AC vents), fresh air vs recirculation, compressor on-off] and takes into account the amount of sunlight entering the car, external temperature and cabin temperature] while adjusting all of these parameters from time to time to maintain a uniform and controlled temperature.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

My wife Medini Chitnis received the keys of the all Whte Honda City SMT on 26th Aug 2010 at an elaborate ceremony at the Crystal Honda Show Room in Pune.

Congrats on your buy commander. She looks stunning in white!

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Make the Honda City driveable on Indian Highways.[/list]Seriously for people who like to travel long distances, Hond City is NOT the car for Indian Roads. You may be better off with a cheap Indian SUV like the Bolero or for that matter a Hundai Santro i 10/20.

I quite don't agree to that. Alright.. Bolero may be a competent alternate for your highway drive... but then not definitely not those Korean hatches.

I always feel that I am more safe and comfortable on my sedan in the Highway than on my hatch.

Could you please substantiate your statement?

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by j76

I must admit you have a funky run-in algorithm, the first time that someone has actually recommended doing such a run-in. Did the manual say this ? Or did the Honda folks say this ? What is the source for this algo ?

intensity.

Yes funky run in algo indeed. The Honda rep said limit to 2500 rpm for 1000 kms, which is not correct. The engine is already run in in the factory, you have to mesh in the engine with the gears clutch and many other engine driven parts. This is best done by varying the rpm. Go up come down in all gears 2 to 5. I took the car to 170 kmph just touched in 5th gear and down to 30 kmph. Running in the engine at 2500 rpm is not enough. Now after the first 5000 k, I get a kpl of 16.9. That is because of correct run in of the engine. I have read posts here from defensive drivers that after first serving this noise that issue, all because they kept 1000 kms at 2.5 k rpm. Naturally the small metal particals kept going in the sump when they actually started to rip the car. Better all metal particals be dumped after first engine/g box oil change.

All my cars n mo bikes I do this "Drive like you stole the car ". And all performed to peak levels even after 10 yrs.

Cheers

I learned this from Rally drivers (cars) when I was young. Now they top shot auto mag guys.

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

Congrats on your buy commander. She looks stunning in white!

I quite don't agree to that. Alright.. Bolero may be a competent alternate for your highway drive... but then not definitely not those Korean hatches.

I always feel that I am more safe and comfortable on my sedan in the Highway than on my hatch.

Could you please substantiate your statement?

I had a Santro for 10 years, drove her right upto Manali from Pune. Many areas of Himachal sp. Simla to Manali ghats, the road was awful 10 yrs ago. The Santro never BOTTOMED OUT like the ANHC (crazy acro, ANHC) ...besides the comfort of Santro is not bad at all for long distances. The car a/c is abs super. Really 9/10 point car Santro for just Rs 3 lakhs. I guess i10/20 must be even better !!

No doubt we are much safer in ANHC's or sedans as compared to Hatch. The collision bars and other systems including the dickie make the ANHC very safe. When my wife slammed the brakes at 80 kmph to avoid hitting a buffalo the car came to a halt without skidding instantly !!...Super breaks. I was held in position by the seat belt. A pax behind was also abs safe felt nothing when an Alto rammed us from behind. Ofcourse all my rear pax (passengers) I insist wear seat belts. Wives are dangerous drivers, specially my wife is...she never misses a Moto Gp or F1 race on Tv. And she is a good driver. Hevens forbid if a truck from front had hit us, else the airbags wld have got deployed...yes u are right sedans are def safer ...

[nanduchitnis]

Originally Posted by RemingtonSteele

Congrats Nandu on the ANHC white (I have the same white one V series from Crystal Honda).
BTW your Run-in algorithm is really amazing.
How is the FE of your car ?? Your car was banged really bad; keep us updated on Crystal Honda Service quality.
Anyway take care and keep driving safe, driving ANHC is addictive!

Dear R Steel...congrats n your White City. I have just parked the car with Crystal Honda for insurance and body work and 10 k servicing. Will take another week for me to give you feed back.

FE> Wife drove from Pune to Navy Nagar ...on Expressway she was driving 2500/3000 rpm approx 90 to 110 kmph. The FE was an incredible 16.9 !
In the city of Mumbai around 11.2. Return back I was driving at around 4000 rpm= 120/130 kmph, returned FE 14.8. My guess is is on the Expressway a disicplined 2500 rpm = max 90 kmph speed, the car will return 18 Kms/ltr...I am sure it will...the V Tec is an amazing engine.

[v.anand]

Congrats on the new car @nanduchitnis, its a wonderful review indeed.

I agree with your insight on running in the new engine by going through its revvs but have always wondered why the manufacturers don't recommend this. I too have done it in the past but can't measure its superiority over traditional way.

I have seen people literally lugging their new engines in the name of running-in, 2500 rpm is hardly any revvs and incorrect way of doing it. In case of City, V-tec will never get activated at those RPM and so would turbos in turbo engines.

The best manufacturer recommendation I have come across is from the VW/Skoda, they insist on not revving beyond 75% of the maximum engine power i.e., starting of redline. I feel this is the middle path and sounds logically right too. What is your take on it?