Honda City

The Honda City is offered in three color schemes in the Philippines — an all-black layout for the S variant, black with an ivory finish for the V variant, and lastly, black with red touches for the range-topper RS variant. The automaker also revamped the Honda City’s aircon vents along with its climate control buttons. For the base variants, it makes use of manual air conditioning controls, while the V and RS variants utilize rear ventilation along with automatic air conditioning controls.

For convenience, all variants come with four bottle holders and two cup holders as a standard, with the RS variant having four. For seats, the lower variants, V and S, are upholstered in black fabric, whereas the range-topping RS variant has leather and suede cladded seats. This sedan actually stands out from its competitors because of its plush seats. Although the Honda City can seat up to five people at max, including the driver, only four is ideal to consider comfort.

One of the downsides of this sedan lies in its capability to provide an ample amount of headroom space. The automaker also outfitted this vehicle with modern features along with a capacious interior cabin as well as a substantial amount of storage space. The controls and buttons for the driver's ease and convenience of use are positioned in the center console.

All other variants have some other standard features such as height adjustment for the driver seat, seatback pocket on the front passenger seat, one push start system, day and night rearview mirror, map, dome, truck lights, and adjustable headrests.

Comfort & Entertainment

For added comfort and entertainment, the automaker made sure to deck the Honda City with tech-savvy features that its occupants would enjoy. Such features include USB, AUX, Bluetooth, HDMI, MP3, and CD functionalities.

The S CVT, V, and RS variants are all equipped with an 8-inch infotainment screen that supports both Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Weblink, Bluetooth connectivity, as well as two USB ports. With the range-topper variant, it comes equipped with eight speakers. The sound system complements the built-in audio setup of the sedan. Quality is also ensured as the bass is quite above satisfactory, so needless to say, you won’t have to invest in a piece of enhancing equipment.

The latest generation Honda City shares the same sleek, dynamic design as its bigger brothers, the Civic and Accord. The automaker made sure to boost up its already stylish and eye-catching design. Compared to its predecessor, the sedan comes with an added chrome accents at the front for a more upscale look. The base variant’s design has a standard front fascia that includes a chrome grille along with halogen projector headlamps.

The RS variant's wide front fascia features a prominent grille flanked by crisp-looking LED headlights, LED daytime running lights (DRL), with a distinctive high gloss design and an RS insignia. In comparison to the standard looks of the base variants, the top-of-the-line RS variant includes a sporty bumper design to take it up a notch.

All of the Honda City’s dimensions measures 4,553 mm in length, 1,748 mm in width, and 1,467 mm in height, with a ground clearance of 134 mm and wheelbase of 2,600 mm. In addition, this subcompact sedan comes in various colors, namely Crystal Black Pearl, Ignite Red, Lunar Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, and Platinum White Pearl.

Passenger & Boot Space

The Honda City has a maximum capacity of five passengers of average height. It offers sufficient headroom and legroom for a comfortable ride, thanks to its dimensions. However, due to the low height, persons in the back seats, such as those with back difficulties or the elderly, may have trouble getting in. Because of its proportions, this car boasts a large boot space of 536 liters. This then completes the task and transports suitcases perfect for a family weekend getaway or, even better yet, a bulk amount of grocery items.

On the highway, the Honda City renders a comfortable ride and a snappy drive-feel. This subcompact sedan has a MacPherson Strut front suspension and a Torsion Beam rear suspension. The Honda City subcompact sedan not only delivers a pleasurable driving experience, but passengers in the back will appreciate the lack of body roll, thanks to its features that make the ride enjoyable for both the driver and the occupants. Apart from that, there are no issues with Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) in any of the variants.

Not only is the Honda City pleasing to the eye, but it also has an astonishing performance to go with. All four of the Honda City variants ride on a 1.5-liter i-VTEC SOHC four-cylinder engine that can generate a maximum power output of 120 PS and a peak torque of 145 Nm. With the exception of the entry-level S trim, which comes with a six-speed manual transmission, this sedan is mated with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The top-of-the-line RS model also comes with paddle shifters for a more engaging driving experience. In addition, the Honda Global Small Car Platform is used in the current generation of the Honda City. Like its predecessor, it shares the same unibody and suspension layout.

For fuel consumption driving at a steady pace, the Honda City does an exceptional job producing 17 kmpl to 18 kmpl at 80 kmph. However, when stuck in traffic which is pretty prevalent here in the Philippines due to the lack of quality infrastructure, it decreases to 13 kmpl. To boot, the automaker added an ECON button to maintain the fuel economy of the vehicle. This subcompact sedan is ideal for those looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle that can be driven on a daily basis, as it is well-known for its low fuel consumption.

The Honda City performs impressively in terms of its ability to provide safety. When investing in a vehicle, you should note its capability to render a superb performance, a la mode design, and of course, its ability to secure you and your potential passengers’ safety. This subcompact sedan, specifically the RS variant, is awarded a 5-star ASEAN NCAP as it earned an all-in-all score of 86.54 for the Adult Occupant Protection category, Child Occupant Protection, and Safety Assist Technologies.

To name a few features, it comes with a standard of front passenger airbags and side airbags. For additional safety, the RS variant, on the other hand, is equipped with side curtain airbags. Across the lineup, it comes with a G-CON body structure, vehicle stability control, hill start assist, ABS with EBD, emergency stop signal, adjustable 3-point ELR seatbelts at the front and rear, and more.

A Value for Money Car

Filipinos are practical consumers, and the capacity of a car to provide and deliver is usually what pulls them in to check out whatever car they think will suit their needs. Because this vehicle is primarily designed for everyday usage, those interested in purchasing it places more emphasis on the cost-effectiveness of its capabilities. Given the Honda City's excellent fuel economy and performance, as well as its proximity to service locations, buying this car will not be a financial strain in the long run. The Honda City has a price range of PHP 848,000 – PHP 1.058 Million. Thanks to its modern and sleek design, along with its exceptional fuel efficiency, the automaker remains one of the hot picks of Filipinos.

Final Words

The Honda City is unquestionably better than its value. It's ideal for people who want a reliable daily commute as it covers practically every feature a person could want in a car. Also, it provides a nice, strong, and smooth driving experience. The Honda City is well-liked for its powerful performance, as well as the comfort it provides while weaving through the city's congested streets. Assume you've just received your driver's license. In such a scenario, you won't have to worry about driving in congested areas or in traffic because this vehicle offers a smooth ride and easy maneuverability. However, tall passengers in the back seat may feel a little cramped because, while the inside is spacious, there isn't much headroom. Although, if you compare your height to that of the average Filipino, the City still affords more than enough headroom. The concern lies mostly for those with back problems or the elderly.