The Honda city Gxi:
General
Good aesthetics all round with distinctive styling.The legendary Honda quality is very much evident here and you are likely to go to a repair workshop only if some other vehicle comes and bangs you.This one of the top vehicles in India with the least PPV (problems per vehicle). Market wise, this is one of the vehicles which commands an excellent resale value.Service from the dealer, Peninsular Honda in Kerala has been quite up to the mark.
Interiors
The tenth anniversary edition (the one which is reviewed here) has wood finish and beige colors inside which is subdued and understated.Build quality is quite good with no plasticky feeling. The instrument cluster is quite acceptable and readable, color co ordinated but nothing like the Civic.Decent seats , acceptable air conditioning, tubeless tyres and alloy wheels are part of the package.
Ride and handling
The turning radius is 4.9 m and the steering and handling are superb for this size of the car.The car will just follow the lines you draw with the steering on the road.This is a well bred and refined, elegant machine.
Mileage
The engine is 1497 cc, i-DSl, 8 V, 4 cylinder with programmable fuel injection.Max .Power is 78 PS @ 5500 revs and max torque is 12.7 @ 2700 revs.The mileage generally reported are between 11 pmpl in the city to 17 kmpl in the highway.In practice, the figures will never go below 11kmpl in any condition and if you can drive within 60 to 70 km, you can achieve 15 - 16 kmpl. But will find it very difficult to keep within these limits since this is such a responsive and refined car to drive.
Space
If you compare the physical dimensions, to get an idea about the space inside look at the data given below:
City dimensions in mm are LXBXH (4390 x 1690 x 1495), boot is 500 litres
Chevrolet Aveo (4310 x 1710 x 1505), boot is 400 litres
Ford Fiesta ( 4282 x 1686 x 1468), boot is 430 litres.
Hyundai Verna(4310 x 1695 x 1490) , boot is 380 litres.
Tata Indigo Manza (4150 x 1620 x 1540) , boot is 450 litres.
Maruti SX4 (4490 x 1735 x 1560).
So in the space stakes, the winner is the City because of the combination of interior and boot space. You will never have to worry about luggage space again in your life.
Accessories
Only a basic stereo system(Alpine with no usb support) is bundled with the car which needs to be repalced with a good unit and speakers if you are a music afficianado.
Downside
Ground clearance is 160 mm.This is a serious drawback although you can and should fit and engine guard which protects your engine crankcase against knocks.But if you are thinking of any prolonged or continuous off roading, forget this car , this is not for you.But do not be alarmed, it can take an occasional underside knock with reliable Honda panache.This car has no ABS and no airbags which is really unpardonable for a car in this class.
Conclusion
For all your City needs and the occasional run of 200 to 600 kms in the highway, look no further. This is the ideal vehicle for you. Additional bonus: This is a very lady friendly car; the wife can drive it effortlessly in the city as well as on the highway without looking inelegant.
Data
Model: Honda GXi Feb 2008 Anniversary edition. 15000 km on the odometer.Average mileage 11 kmpl in the city and 14 kmpl in the highway (with average highway speeds of 70-80 kmph).. Complaints : none; breakdowns: none; serviced regularly as per manual.
Update on April 201218000 km on the odometer/ still going strong and still liking it