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Honda City turns 25 in India: Owners share their pictures & sentiments

12th October 2022, 15:17 by Dev Shah

What's especially noteworthy is, each generation of the City has been the best in segment when on sale. That's not easy to do consecutively with 5 generations!

BHPian TusharK recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Honda is celebrating 25 years since the City was launched in the Indian market. The popular mid-size sedan went on sale in 1998.

To date, Honda has sold over 9 lakh units of the City in India. The car is sold in 80 countries across the world and has generated cumulative sales of 4.5 million units globally. India accounted for over 28% of its sales in the Asia / Oceania region during the period of January-August 2022.

Currently, in its fifth generation, the Honda City is offered with two engine options. The 1.5-litre petrol engine makes 119 BHP and 145 Nm, while the 1.5-litre diesel puts out 99 BHP and 200 Nm.

Earlier this year, Honda introduced the City Hybrid in India. It uses a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine paired with two electric motors, offering a combined output of 124 BHP and 253 Nm.

Since there are many City owners on the forum, it would be nice to hear about their memories with their cars and favourite gen of the car.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Still the benchmark you-cant-go-wrong all rounder sedan in the C2 segment. Only the VAG twins come close, but they will never match the long-term reliability & dependability of the Honda City.
Congrats to Honda on the silver jubilee . What's especially noteworthy is, each generation of the City has been the best in segment when on sale. That's not easy to do consecutively with 5 generations!
I still remember the wild nature of my 1st-gen City Vtec:
Crank your speaker volume up & just listen to her sing.
106 BHP at the wheels @ 70,000 km:

Here's what BHPian Dippy had to say on the matter:

While the City has grown leaps in terms of features etc. I have voted for the first gen car. It has oodles of character even today, something that generations that came after it couldn't match. Drove a 1.5 EXI AT for 10 years and 1.5 lakh kms. A well kept one still looks the part even today in a sea of modern cars.
I still miss my car even to this day. Wouldn't have sold it if not for parking issues.

Here's what BHPian vigsom had to say on the matter:

A very memorable journey indeed. I remember when I'd purchased my first car in 1998 (a humble 1993 Premier Padmini), the City was on sale and in a league of its own:
90bhp off the 1.3L engine and 100 bhp off the 1.5L engine
"Hyper" 16 valve engines (the first car in India to come with 16 valve engines IIRC).
Citys were the then road-rockets, and had a pleasing character to them too. The first Citys came with replaceable bumper edges (instead of changing the entire bumper), and IIRC also had the battery on the right, with acres of space in the engine bay. Barring the fact that they were low seaters like most sedans of that time, City was the reliable style statement of the time.
It was the model that established brand "Honda" in India.
Established and how! Even today, this car has its fan following despite the onslaught of SUVs with no S in most of them. I know executives who moved from one gen of the City to another till even post retirement.
first gen has oodles of character even today, something that generations that came after it couldn't match
Agree with you, Dippy.
Here is a brief review by BHPian snehanshuchk on a 1998 City.

Here's what BHPian ramnath_77 had to say on the matter:

Proud owner of a 3rd Gen Honda City. 10 years and going strong.
For me personally, this car is the essence of Long term reliability provided we maintain her well.
I am a big fan of manual gearbox and her gearbox is as slick today as it was on the day i brought her home.
Congratulations Honda on the Silver jubilee. Wish you bring more such products to the Indian market.

Here's what BHPian revsperminute had to say on the matter:

Can’t go wrong with a City. We have owned generations 2,3,4 of this awesome car. Even today when our 2018 CVT only serves the purpose of a beater car/ city go around, it’s certainly the darling of our house. I built up my driving skills in a Honda city, it’s such a forgiving chassis. Till this day, I often pick up the keys to my Honda over faster, more luxurious cars in the garage.

Here's what BHPian for_cars1 had to say on the matter:

Every car I've used has had one or the other niggle at any given point in time. For example, there would be a minor belt noise or a power window switch loose connection, something or the other. I never got a feeling that yes! each and everything works perfectly in a car any given day.
The City is the first car where I experienced an absolutely niggle free experience (touch wood). Everything in the car just works perfectly just the way it is intended to be (touch wood again ).
The only things I've replaced in the last 8 years are battery (preventive maintenance at 5 years), brake disc and pads at 60K KM, tyres at 30K and 90K KM and clutch at 95 K KM(clutch was fine with no slippage but a bit hard, more of preventive) and a couple of bulbs apart from periodic servicing and usual consumables (such as oil, fluids, filters, wiper blades).
So Honda should just continue to make absolutely bulletproof reliable, powerful and efficient cars which is their main USP.
It is quite difficult to move away from a Honda once you get used to it.

Here's what BHPian lemedico had to say on the matter:

Writing about the significance of the Honda City was what got me membership to Team BHP!
Proud owner of gen 3,4 and 5! And the 2009 Jazz which is seriously IRREPLACEABLE. Good going Honda, just hang in there and come back with a fatter product brochure.

Here's what BHPian powertrain had to say on the matter:

Hi All!!
Voted for the 3rd Generation Honda City! In my view, the best iteration of an icon!
Was privileged to own a 2011 V AT from 2016 to 2019!
Brilliant high revving engine, sorted handling, beautiful AT gearbox! Absolutely nothing to find fault with.
Sold it to my friend before buying the Seltos in 2020! Best thing is, still get to drive it sometimes!
Regards,
Powertrain