IF you were to drive just one car for the next 365 days with all ownership and operating costs to be shouldered out of your own pocket, what car would you pick? If I was asked this question before I got to test-drive the Honda City 1.5 E CVT, this car probably wouldn’t even be among my top 3 choices. But after I logged several hundred kilometers in this City, the car suddenly zoomed to the top of my list for the following reasons:
CONSUMPTION figures of 20-plus kilometers/liter are no longer the exclusive realm of diesel-powered cars or mini-compact cars. These are the consumption figures I got during a run through certain highways in Central Luzon using real-world driving techniques:
• 22 km/liter at a steady 80 kph with only one person onboard
• 20 km/liter at a steady 100 kph with one person onboard
• 19 km/liter at speeds varying between 100 kph to 120 kph with one person onboard, done in the interest of, um, enlightening our dear readers
• 18 km/liter at a steady 80 kph with four adults onboard
• 6 to 11 km/li around the Metro, including several kilometers in mind.numb.ing. tra.ffic. These city driving numbers aren’t exactly stellar but that’s largely the fault of the traffic, not the City’s.
It’s best to give trip computer figures a certain margin for error so the figures above have actually been rounded down from the actual consumption figures displayed on the City’s instrument panel. It is also worth mentioning that the above figures were achieved despite the absence of cruise control.
Like most of its siblings, the City comes with an Econ button that modifies throttle pedal and transmission response and aircon settings to favor fuel-efficiency. I drove the City in Econ mode 90 percent of the time and I hardly found myself wanting in power or torque.
THE City may be easy on the environment but it still allows you to have fun. When I needed extra power and torque for quicker overtaking or charging up a mountain pass, I simply moved the gear lever from “D” to “S”, which put the engine at more optimal areas of the power and torque bands. The City’s 1.5-liter engine develops 120 ps and 145 Nm of torque but with this transmission, it feels like it has more power and torque on tap. It helps that this car is significantly lighter than a similarly spec’d City 1.5-liter automatic variant from the previous generation.
The City turns into corners nimbly; and approaches the limits of adhesion very progressively. Don’t expect hairy moments even when you drive it like you stole it.
An inviting passenger cabin
NOTICE how traffic has been getting worse lately? As the country’s robust economy is allowing more Filipinos to purchase more and more brand-new vehicles, we Metro Manila motorists will be spending even more hours sitting in traffic as we go about our daily activities.
The City’s elegant and predominantly black passenger cabin is at least one positive thing one could derive, um, pleasure from while sitting in traffic. Sure, there are cheap-looking pieces of plastic here and there, such as the panel on which the head unit is mounted, but overall, the fabrics, metallic trim, finely textured plastics and other materials are put together well, giving the car an upscale ambiance.
Helping ease the agony of traffic are front seats that are comfortable and supportive. It is also easy to find an optimal driving position, thanks to the steering wheel’s rake and reach adjustments.
Vehicle right-sizing done right
NOTICE how a majority of private vehicles on the road during rush hour have just one or two occupants? The least we private motorists can do to help reduce traffic is to take up less space on the road by driving smaller vehicles.
However, I do take issue with mini-compact cars that often come with puny engines, cramped rear seats and short wheelbases that give a choppy ride. So, where would I draw the line as far as vehicle right-sizing goes? For me, the City is small enough to justify the space it takes up on the road even with just a single occupant yet is big enough for four adults to stretch out comfortably in. Rear passenger legroom is surprisingly almost as generous as that of the bigger Honda Civic. A fifth adult passenger will fit back there but it may be a pinch.
Impressive refinement
All key vehicle systems and components of the City operate with smoothness and civility one would expect in a car one class higher. The engine and transmission never call attention to themselves, making it is easy to overlook their refinement. Jolts and bumps from potholes and expansion joints are isolated without drama, thanks to the right suspension settings and a wheelbase that grew by 1.97 inches compared to the previous-gen City.
One thing that disrupts the tranquil ride is the amount of noise from the horn that enters the cabin. A Honda product planner admitted that this is a common customer complaint; he recommends upgrading to an aftermarket horn and having it mounted farther from the cabin to solve this issue.
Excellent value
FOR P796,000, you get a car equipped with 15-inch alloy wheels; an iPod-compatible audio head unit with auxiliary input, USB and Bluetooth connectivity; dual front airbags; anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution; three-point seatbelts for all five passengers; front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters; and security alarm with immobilizer.
I think that with the top-of-the-line City VX+ CVT costing P174,000 more, the base City 1.5 E CVT like our test unit presents the best value proposition in the City lineup.
If you are in the market for a practical, safe and good-looking car you can drive every day, you must seriously consider this winner from Honda.
Image credits: Eric Ayrton S. Soriano
1 comment
My dream car. You will be mine next year!