The ride
quality is good, too, the suspension soaking up the bumps nicely without
letting any annoying sounds into the cabin. The car feels stable but lacks that
feeling of being planted. It’s the same in the bends; show it some curves and
the 175s squeal as they try and stick to whatever surface they can find,
keeping the car pointed in the intended direction. There is a hint of roll, but
no real feeling that throws you off focus. The steering is light and precise
too and returns the right amount of feedback to push you all the way through
the corner. The location we were at had some narrow bends and, with oncoming
traffic, the steering was a real hero helping us get the better of whatever
space there was. The car is quite flickable and
handling isn’t bad at all. We even tried to overthrow the system while off
road, but the City held its own. The brakes are good and, on mud, the ABS
didn’t disappoint even with the foot hard on the pedal.
The City never
sleeps, unless the Eco Assist system steps in; i-VTEC engine is smooth, refined
and rev-happy
There isn’t
anything that really disappoints. Well, there are two things, actually, and
they both involve the rear seats. For one, the swoop of the roof means that
tall passengers will find the roof-liner getting in the way of the occasional
head-tilt. Second, and more importantly, Honda have opted for built-in head
rests; which is fine for children or really short passengers in the back. From
the safety perspective, the lack of head restraints at the rear is a huge
negative; and this stands out like a Labrador in Art class in the top-end VX
model. The airbags and impact mitigating head restraints are there for front
occupants, while back-seat occupants have to be content with safety belts and
rely on the driver to avoid any untoward incident.
So the City is
comfortable for long journeys and with the sunroof and climate control, the
cabin feels fresh and airy. Storage space is no issue at all, with the
doors-pockets holding bottles and maps, thus leaving room elsewhere for other
things you may need to store. The boot offers 510 litres
of space, which can turn into a cavern with the rear seats folded down. The
absence of any lining under the boot is an eyesore, though, as it leaves
exposed metal, wires and couplings in plain sight. Not a good idea really.
Maybe, Honda just forgot to put it in.
Eco Assist
keeps you informed of your driving style and potential fuel consumption by
turning green to indicate higher efficiency
Where the City
reclaims brownie points is fuel efficiency. In the city, the City, er... the car, returns 16 kilometres to a litre, with a
jump to 20 km/l when allowed to stretch its legs on the highway. That’s an
overall 17 km/l, and with a 40-litre tank, it means you can safely go 700 kilometres before you would need to stop for juice. All
said and done, the City is a fantastic car to own and if Honda only step in and
correct the niggles, there would quite simply be no
wrong for a car of its segment and price point.
The new design
philosophy's wing face is clearly seen in the City
