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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The City’s shapely design is carried over to the interiors as well. The door pads are well sculpted and so is the multi-layered dash, replete with ridges and curves which flows into the centre console. The steering wheel, which is similar to the Civic’s, looks and feels great while the instrumentation seems overly lit. A serious letdown, however, is the quality of plastics and fabrics which feel a peg down from the previous City. For practicality, there’s lots of storage space with generous door pockets, cubbyholes and cupholders.

Equipment levels are a mixed bag. The company fitted audio system is fantastic however there is no CD player which we feel is a huge omission, given that most owners are not likely to be download-savvy. A CD player is available as an option but you have to shell out Rs 10,000 for it. The real-time fuel consumption display and the audio controls on the steering wheel are nice touches while twin airbags offered as standard equipment across the range is commendable. But then Honda has been stingy in other areas. There are no leather seats, no adjustable lumbar support and no climate control which is now standard fare for a car in this price bracket.

The sense of space you get in the new City is terrific. The windscreen feels like it’s a mile away and the front seats are quite generous with cushions slightly softer than the old car. Forward visibility is much better than before but the sloping parcel shelf impedes rear vision a bit. Move to the rear and the feeling of space continues. Width and legroom are better than before but you sit a touch lower now. The new model is better than its rivals for comfort and at the rear it still has the natural footrest, created by the upward slope under the front seat to accommodate the fuel tank.