Honda City Hatchback: 4 reasons to buy

For people with a keen eye on the automotive industry, it is clear that in the Philippines, crossovers have overtaken hatchbacks in popularity. 

The aforementioned is backed by the fact that many brands now offer subcompact crossovers as their most affordable offering after dropping their own selection of hatchbacks. This is true for Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated (HCPI), which opted not to bring in the latest version of the Jazz into the local market. 

Honda’s local arm, however, did not leave the said segment just yet. And instead, it introduced the Philippine-spec City Hatchback a year after it debuted the sedan version. 

So, to the delight of many of its fans, Honda still has a competitor in the local hatchback scene. But for serious buyers, though, why should they pick the City Hatchback? Here are four reasons why. 

Decently peppy powertrain

While the Honda City Hatchback is not a dedicated speedster, it earns the accolade of being one of the few inline-four-engined mass-market models left in its segment. 

The only other inline-four-powered hatchbacks in the market right now are the Suzuki Swift, which uses a smaller displacement 1.2-liter mill, the more expensive Mazda3, and the physically more compact Honda Brio. So, for that matter, the City Hatchback just ticks the right boxes when it comes to pleasing folks who want a “not too small hatch” equipped with a four-banger. 

To be more specific, the Honda City Hatchback is propelled by a 1.5-liter inline-four double-overhead cam (DOHC) gasoline engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). At maximum, it can produce up to 119 horsepower (hp) and 145 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. 

As mentioned, it won’t win any races, but the Honda-made hatch is definitely peppier than many of its three-banger alternatives. 

For ride comfort and stability, the model uses a front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension system. Stopping power for the model, meanwhile, is ensured by front disc and rear drum brakes. 

Here’s a table detailing the basic mechanical specs of the Honda City Hatchback: 

Engine	1.5-liter inline-four DOHC gasoline
Drivetrain	Front wheel drive
Transmission	CVT
Horsepower	119
Torque	145
Front suspension	MacPherson struts
Rear suspension	Torsion beam
Brakes	Front discs, rear drums

Sporty exterior design

People who have experienced the typical car-buying process understand that choosing the model one wants often involves the car’s styling. In other words, if the car appears ugly to you, you simply won’t buy it. 

In the case of the Honda City Hatchback, though, a good portion of the car-buying public will appreciate its well-proportioned sporty design. Sure, it doesn’t sport outrageous details like on many modern crossovers, but its sharp LED headlamps, combined with its appropriately-sized grille and beefy-looking rear bumper, are more than appropriate for what the nameplate is going for. 

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For those who want more out of the City Hatchback with regard to styling, HCPI also sells a selection of genuine accessories. These include the following: 

• Modulo front under spoiler
• Modulo rear under spoiler
• Cargo tray
• Seat back protector
• Door visors
• Modulo Alloy Wheels

For reference, here are the dimensions of the Honda City Hatchback:

Length (in millimeters)	4,369
Width (in mm)	1,748
Height (in mm)	1,488
Wheelbase (in mm)	2,600
Ground clearance (in mm)	134

Loads of creature comforts

Unlike most of its counterparts in the market right now, the Honda City Hatchback offers plenty of features geared towards comfort and convenience. 

For starters, the Honda hatch nameplate comes with a spacious five-seater layout with leather-clad seats and an automatic air-conditioning system with manual knob controls and rear vents. The rear seats also get a folding center armrest, while the driver has access to a leather shift knob, sport pedals, a smart entry system, a push-to-start button, a manual hand-operated parking brake, and a 4.2-inch color TFT meter between its analog gauges. 

Moreover, the model comes with the ULTR (utility, long, tall, and refresh) seats. The said feature is a system that allows for varied configurations of the car’s interior with “utility” offering the most space, “long” enough horizontal room, and “tall” for vertical space. The aforementioned enables users to fit large unwieldy objects inside the City Hatch, such as sports equipment, house plants, and more than a week's worth of groceries. With the rear seats folded down, the model can swallow up to 841 liters of cargo. 

The “refresh” mode, meanwhile, can turn one’s City Hatchback into a comfortable lounge. It achieves this mode by folding down the front seat’s seatbacks flat to form a relatively flat cushion surface that’s good for naps and glamping. 

For on-board entertainment and navigation, the City Hatchback comes equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It was also kitted out with an eight-piece speaker set and a series of USB charging ports. 

Ready to purchase a brand-new Honda City Hatchback? Click here to view exclusive promos from Zigwheels Philippines.

 

Abundance of safety gear

Another big reason to buy the Honda City Hatchback is its robust set of safety gear. For its basic kit, it comes with anti-lock braking, electronic brake-force distribution, ISOFIX, a security alarm and engine immobilizer, agile handling assist, six airbags, vehicle stability assist, and a reverse camera - among others. 

In addition, the model comes fitted with the following advanced driver-assist systems: 

• Adaptive cruise control
• Collision mitigation braking system
• Lane keep assist 
• Road departure mitigation
• Lane departure warning
• Automatic high beams
• Lead car departure notification

Final thoughts

Overall, the Honda City Hatchback has plenty to offer would-be adopters. It has a sporty appearance, a relatively peppy engine, and a highly practical interior that will fit like a glove in the daily driving setting. 

In addition, the model’s price of P1.199 million is reasonably accessible given what it offers. So, for folks who like what they see in this hatch, do take the time to visit the nearest Honda dealership to take it out for a test drive. 

Also read:

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Honda BR-V, Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid, Toyota Avanza: which is the best vacay-ready MPV?

Check out Honda Civic’s strengths, weaknesses

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