The fourth-gen Honda City is a much-awaited car, and not in the least because it marks the debut of a diesel heart in the very popular City. How good is it? We break the suspense in a first drive.
The fourth-generation Honda City enters the arena at a time when its predecessor has been vanquished by rivals. Its official launch is scheduled for early next month, but we got a crack at the car during an exclusive pre-launch drive for mediapersons in Jaipur.
Design
Head on, you would be hard-pressed to spot any styling changes. Instead of three horizontal slats, there is now one fat slat in chrome. The bumper is now less rounded and almost protrudes a bit. A sharp crease starts just below the ORVMs and extends below the chrome door handles all the way to the taillight. The roof is slightly more rounded than the last generation, and also includes a sunroof. Honda seems to have taken a cue from the BMW 3 Series for the rear, and the City’s taillights and shark fin antenna clearly show the influence.
The overall impression is of an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design – in more than six hours on the road, only one person stopped us to ask what car we were driving!
Interior
The triple-pod chrome-ringed instrument cluster displays all the required information, including a digital readout of instant fuel consumption. The chrome ring around the speedo is backlit at the 10 o’ clock and 2 o’ clock positions, and it glows green when driving most economically and blue otherwise. An engine Start/Stop button to the left of the steering wheel is a welcome addition.
The music system is compatible with iPods/iPhones, other smartphones, and AUX/USB; it plays CDs too, albeit in the highest trim only. The 5” screen also doubles up as a display for the reversing camera. The automatic climate control system is operable via a large touchscreen, which works really well. The car has three charging sockets, and the dual vents between the front seats direct cool air to the rear passengers.
The beige seats are a little softer than I would have liked. What stands out is the abundant legroom – with the driver having pushed his seat a fair way back, the rear passenger can still stretch his legs. The 510-litre boot is sufficient for most luggage requirements.
