I bought a New Honda city EXI - Alabaster Silver in March 2006. So far I have driven 600 KM (in 15 days). Pros: Steering: top class power steering - light at low speeds and stiffer at high. Gear shift: smooth - positioning little awkward for me when I shift the driver seat forwards - my arm hits the seat back when engaging 2nd and 4th gears. For a taller driver I guess this would not be a problem. Suspension: In the bumpy roads of Trivandrum - ride is very smooth. I haven’t hit the bottom on any bumps here yet. Fuel economy: too early to say. BTW, what is the best fuel to use in this car - normal or premium? Seats: comfortable. Good space for three at the back. Tyres: Goodyear and very good. Boot: very good but a little narrow opening which could cause problems loading large objects. Noise/vibration: almost nil. Wipers: good. Storage space in cabin: adequate if you are not the type who stores half the house in the car. Storage space - boot - double bed space!! Cons: Doors: Solid, but I need to really bang them shut. Just a gentle push will not engage the lock. Rear window: tends to collect rain water in droplets after a light shower - hampers rear visibility. Defogger does not help. No stereo/back speakers as original fitment. No remote entry/burglar alarm as original fitment. Seat fabric could be better. Dashboard is curved so if you are the type who store things on the board - you will find it difficult. Brakes are adequate if you do not try to stop dead from 100kmph to 0kmph in a few metres. You need more braking space. No ABS/EBD/Airbags - not even as an option. Power is adequate for the city. No sudden surge of power on increasing the rpms at higher gears when you want to overtake (even if you are running the car at 2000 rpms at 5th gear). Acceleration is slow and steady. Good for careful and steady drivers. Tends to stall at lower rpms in reverse gear when reversing into a slope. Due to the low power I guess. Struggles in second gear on any slope above 25 degrees below 10kmph. You have to shift to 1st gear. Left corner visibility is poor as the left pillar obstructs. A problem when you are turning right from a bylane into main road traffic - you have to crane your neck. All in all - a very good city car for those with mainly city road drives with a long drive once in a couple of months. If you are a racing freak or a speed maniac on city roads - don’t buy this car - go for the Fiesta instead. Never go for the Baleno. Though it looks extremely attractive on paper, the drivability and handling is extremely poor compared to the City and Fiesta. It’s like driving an Ambassador compared to driving a Zen!! The Fiesta has the problem of longevity though. All Ford cars except the Ikon haven’t lasted that long. Spare parts become a problem. If you like this review please reward me by rating it and if you are not yet a mouthshut member join by entering this link: https://mouthshut.com/register.php?ref=bijibuys1
Update after 3 years and 50000 km use:
It is still as good to drive as when I bought it first. The steering is as responsive and quick and light. No major hassles with electronic, mechanical or engine.
The tyres were a big disappointment. They wore out unevenly and had to be replaced at 30000 km.
I upgraded to 15" alloys with Bridgestone Potenza tyres and believe me, the difference is amazing.
No change in the milage/fuel efficiency with minimal change in throttle response, but the car drives smoother and quieter and I don’t need to nurse it over every speedbreaker.
Honda should have brought it out initially with the 15" alloys!