Look around you in the city of Mumbai and you will feel that every second mid-sized car is a Honda City especially the 10th Anniversary edition. This is how popular the car has become at least in Mumbai. The Japanese have a way of understanding consumer needs intimately and they seem to have done it very successfully with this car.
I opted for the GXi model which is a higher version than the Exi but lower than the V-tec. The dealer’s representative advised me to go for the base model(Exi) as the price difference between the two(about 65, 000 rupees in July 2008) was not worth the value for money. But I did the test drive on the Gxi and the beige finish was something that I really liked. This is really pleasing to the eye unlike the Exi where dull grey is the standard colour. The other bells and whistles that make a big difference between the two models are the alloy wheels and electronic central locking. The alloy wheels makes the car much lighter and handling is improved as the wheels are almost skeletal in appearance while being much more efficient that the traditional wheels. The central locking feature is something that will be used all the time once you start using the car.
About the ride-you enjoy a very leisurely ride though handling of bumps and potholes on post monsoon roads of Mumbai could certainly have been better. The driving comfort is superb and the adjustable steering angle is a boon during long drives. There are some other minor features which really helps like the extra glove box on the dashboard, the CD holder and bottle storage area next to the handbrake, and the storage bins on the front doors. These are important small features which help to improve the overall driving experience. Another important attribute is the back seat-three persons can sit comfortably in the rear seat .However when there are only two passengers(as is normally the case) there is an arm rest which can be pulled down, much like an aero plane seat.
But be warned about the big let down- the engine is not a very powerful one. I do not want to go into the bhp or torque details but a comparable car like Maruti SX4 of Toyota Corolla has a much more powerful engine and this is very evident when you try to pull away from the crowd after a traffic signal. You just can’t and the signal that the car seems to give during such a time is –“Hey I am a car for city riding only”. Same goes if you want to take it for a Shirdi trip-you can’t zip on the highway, the power is just not there. What Honda has forsaken in terms of engine power they have compensated by having a higher fuel efficiency. You will get about 10-10.5 kmpl on the city roads in peak traffic with all the jams and stalling. On a long ride you will get about 13-13.5 kms per litre.The AC is a silent workhorse and keeps purring efficiently. No puffing and panting of the engine.The boot is a really large one and you can safely use this car to bring some relatives home from the airport or railway station.
The Alpine stereo with the four speakers is a powerhouse but this is not a car where you will find drivers blasting away on the music system. However the after sales service at the dealer can vary from showroom to showroom and this is one area where Honda has not been able to standardize the quality of service. But other than the regular scheduled servicing it is unlikely that you will ever need to go back to the dealer’s workshop.
And lastly another reason for this car’s popularity is its resale value.Mid size cars have a habit of depreciating very fast in the second hand car market but apparently this is a car which will give you a decent return should you want to sell it off after a period of time. But do not worry-you will fall in love with the car and this issue will not crop up.
To sum up, this is an extremely fuel efficient car for city driving. However if you are looking for a car for zooming on the highway look elsewhere; this car does not have a panther under its bonnet.