Honda City ZX iDSI review - Page 2 |
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If by chance one decides to forget about fuel economy and floors the throttle, the city initially disappoints, but once the engine goes beyond 2000rpm and the ECM (Engine Control Module) is done deciding how much boost you deserve, the Honda can keep up very well with most C segmenters. The engine keeps singing all the way to an eventual 6500rpm rev limiter which isnt quite as abrupt as one had expected.
The transmission is also designed with an eye on fuel economy, trying to minimize the gearshifts during city runs by keeping the engine at low revs. The transmission is neat and clunky though the gear lever, I think deserved a little more thought. The clutch requires a little bit of getting used to and does not really like getting burnt. As long as one is in sedated mode, the Honda never ceases to impress and loves every inch of urban road, soaking in the dirt, the heat and the grime like an elephant chews grass, but shift into cheetah mode and the Honda disappoints slightly.
The biggest trick the city pulls on its competation is not at signal to signal drags, but it is at the fuel pump. We drove the city for about 670 kilometers and she drank 37 liters, and average consumption of about 18kpl. Very respectable considering the fact that she had to be driven from Mangalore to Mysore where quite literally no road exits and 3rd gear is a luxury. Much of the in city mileage achieved at elevated rpms. The entire test was done with the aircon on and an ambient temperature ranging between 22 and 25 degrees C. Even in cities like Bangalore, we are sure the city should be able to return 15kpl quite comfortably.
Ride and Handling
 The suspension of the city has always received accolades but as I was told, the city suspension was not very good at handling the bigger potholes. So, Honda has decided to stiffen the suspension wee bit, now the city suspension feels great. The city comes with 175/65 R14 tires mounted on 14x5 1/2JJ steel wheels. Bumps and humps are absorbed with a neat thud, letting you know that you went over it but not letting you feel it. Ride is quite nice even at very low speeds and gets better in the 40 to 60kph range. Corners are handled quite well at low speeds; the suspension is not exactly old city style, so under steer is quite easily provoked at three digit speeds or during hard cornering. The car is very happy cruising at 120kph, but I really missed all round discs, if Honda is listening I wish they make the changes for thesecan go a long way in improving the safety of this car.
The EPS( Electric power steering) is a boon around town, it trasfers none of the effort of turning to the steering wheel, its almost automatic the closest one has been to such effortless steering is on my Sony Playstation! Though it cuts out at higher speeds, its doesnt feel very reassuring as feedback is almost absent. The city continues to have amongst the best rear seats and if you are one to be chauffeured around town, the city is can be an excellent choice thanks to the long travel front seat which is able to liberate a lot of leg room at the rear.
Pricing
The City ZX iDSI models, starting from the base EXi will cost you Rs.684,101, ex-showroom Bangalore. The GXi Rs.730,735, Rs.790,340 for the CVT. The VTEC is dearer still by 20 grand.
Verdict
The Honda city is a car which lives up to its name; it is an excellent urban commuter. Each and every piece of the car has been designed with urban commuting in mind, Honda brand equity is unquestionable. This car can easily outlast you and will not drain UAE of its oil in the process. The city makes for a very sensible 8lakh rupee car; well that was of course untill the Fiesta entered the market. My point is that for all the quality that Honda has on offer, it is collecting a huge amount of money as brand value. I really don't understand how to explain why a Chevrolet Aveo 1.6LT should cost roughly Rs.20000 less when it is offering an engine which atleast on paper offers the same power as a VTec! Well, reasons are many yet they continue to remain subjective. But, the big question is why should you pay so much more? Well, the answer lies in the fact that this a Honda and there isn't much wrong with paying the premium because along with economy that will make an Indica Xeta owner turn green with envy, you also get peace of mind as a freebie.
Special thanks to Mr.Dijish K Damodaran
branch coordinator, sales,
Peninsular Honda
Mangalore | Cochin | Trivandrum | Calicut
Contact:09845948333, 9886748453
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