Honda City 1.5L i-VTEC - The safer and sexier bet from Honda still rules the A3 rooster

Lay people still identify small cars as Maruti's and sedans as Honda City's. Undoubtedly this is one of the most successful sedans in India from the time it was launched in 1998. But there have been several tweaks and retweaks to the Honda City and the most recent one was the third generation Honda City which was launched in 2008.

Styling and design
The new Honda City has a host of things making it an alluring sedan still. The new 1.5 l i-VTEC engine, new and futuristic 'arrowshot form design are its USPs. Besides, the streamlined appealing front grille, sharp headlights in the front present bold yet very unique look. The shortened rear-end (still aerodynamics-honoring) add to the sporty looks of the car.

The arrowshot form design enhances the cars aerodynamics as well as its presence on the road. The car with dimensions of 4420mm length, 1695mm width, and 1480mm height will make its maneuverability easier than others in the class. Reduced height of third generation Honda City by 15mm gives the car better looks. Wheelbase of 2550mm helps effective use of space inside the car; the 506 liters boot is spacious and the interiors come in really soothing color options.

Honda 1.5 liter iVTEC engine
The third generation Honda City runs on a 1.5-l i-VTEC engine which is more fuel efficient and a super performer. The engine produces a power of 118PS @6000 rpm and a peak torque of 146Nm @4600 rpm. The 4-cylinder 16 valve engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with a special feature called 'paddle shift' which gives the driver control of the drive and thrill of manual transmission. The engine is E10 compliant and meets Euro IV emission norms. Best part of the 1.5 liter iVTEC is it has been tuned for producing decent low-end torque, so the car's performance is satisfactory for within the city driving while not compromising on the fuel economy.

Standard safety features of the Honda City
Honda City comes with a hoard of safety features; active and the passive ones which include ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with BA (Brake Assist), and dual front seat airbags, seatbelts with pre-tensioner for all seats. Then there is G-CON (G-Force Control Technology) body which provides a crush-proof survival zone. In fact, Honda should be given all credit for being pioneer in offering safety features as standard rather than the optional features.



Honda City's front ensures an advanced safety to pedestrians. As regards entertainment features, the car comes with Advanced Integrated Audio System, and offers integration with technologies including an iPOD, mobile phone, an MP3player and a USB Memory. Although there's no CD player the audio system is futuristic and offers par excellent quality sound with the latest functionalities.

Honda City being the 'bread and butter' model for Honda Siel the model has gotten all attention from the team and deserves all the applause for this feat. The car has won several accolades that speak loudly about its performance. Honda City 1.5 iVTEC was pronounced Indian Car of the Year 2009 by auto journalists, it also won UTVi viewers choice car of the year (2009) award, BS motoring car of the year 2009 award, CNBC TV 18 Overdrive car of the year award, etc to name but few.

Buy it and you wont regret
Honda City has gone through many upgrades and the third generation of the upgrade has changed the landscape of Honda Siel in India. The second generation was a big flop and a disaster of design as compared to the first gen City. Team from Honda took the challenge and worked to bring a block buster for a lakh cheaper price which is as fuel-efficient as some hatches. Honda wrote new rules of the game thanks to the iVTEC with its compact design and futuristic styling; the City 1.5 iVTEC continues to rule the A3 segment as a leader.

Deny for these reasons
While the interiors look a lot of plasticky the engineering innovations inside simply ask you to excuse for the plastics. Lack of auto AC, expensive price tag and out-of-proportion skinny tyres are the few things that are let downs for the third generation Honda City.

Last word
Honda City 1.5 iVTEC comes with essential safety features packaged and choosing the car can only bring smile on many faces.