Honda City S M/T

Superb comfort and space, impressive fuel economy and a huge boot make the new City every bit as practical as the previous model

Published on Dec 10, 2009 08:00:00 AM

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Make : Honda

Model : City (4th gen)

The new City is based on the Jazz platform but not one body panel is shared with its hatchback cousin and this has given designers much-needed freedom. It has a bigger wheelbase to 2550mm, a massive 100mm increase over the earlier car. The other benefit is increased passenger space.
The nose is the focal point of the design in which the slatted grille with its warped effect, straddled by tapering headlamps, forms an arrowhead of sorts.

The front quarter-glass has been removed in the new City and this has not only improved visibility (the A-pillar in the previous model obstructed vision) but has made the car less ‘cab forward’ and better proportioned. Unlike the previous City, the new model’s boot is now seamlessly integrated with the rest of the body and looks compact and sporty but still manages to displace a huge 506 litres of luggage space. The quest for better packaging is the key reason why Honda continues to use its non-independent ‘H-frame’ layout for the rear suspension. The new chassis is much more rigid and the suspension towers have been beefed up too. Advanced suspension bushes with more rubber are used to improve suppleness and a negative camber for the front struts, Honda says, has improved agility. Drum brakes at the rear may raise eyebrows given the power of the car but Honda has enlarged the drum size and has moved to a larger 14-inch disc in front as well. All new Citys have ABS as standard too, but strangely alloys are not available, even as an option.