mike
12-20-2008, 06:45 AM
THE WONDER HONDA i-VTEC CAR, The new City looks nothing like the model it replaces. For one, it's ioomm longer and looks almost like a car that belongs in a higher segment. One glance is enough to catch it's no nonsense, taut and modern design. There's no flab or unsightly bulges anywhere. The silver¬gray car that we drove gave the illusion of being a fluid and seamless piece of metal from front to back - the creaseless doors accentuating this fact.
The new wraparound headlights and the very masculine V shaped grille give the car a rather aggressive look. The two creases that start from the grille and run across the wide bonnet accentuate this sense of aggression. A yawning air dam set cleverly between the boot lid and slightlypunctures the thick bumper with its integrated fog lamps. Honda has made the A pillar thinner and this has made visibility much better - something that bothered drivers in the 2nd generation City. The little quarter glass on the front door has also been done away with. The broad C pillar has a BMW style Hofmesiter kink that accentuates its purposeful stance and overall sense of having a tightly packed body. The wheel arches are simple in execution but do accommodate is-inch wheels.
A sculpted rear end perfectly. The tail lamps, overbearing rear bumper, look like a set of piercing eyes. The boot itself is commodious and will easily gobble up a considerable amount of luggage. The interior also is very impressive indeed. The wider wheelbase means that the cabin space has noticeably increased. Honda hasn't compromised with interior fit and finish like it did with the first generation City. The beige and matt black dashboard makes the interior look expensive. Most components in the cockpit seem to continue the V shape.
70
The black and brushed aluminum steering wheel has an obvious resemblance to the Civic, and, little too harsh. In addition to the usual likewise, it hides twin paddle shifters behind its spokes. Unlike the Civic, however, it adjusts for rake (height) but not for reach. As expected, the big horn button also houses an airbag. The passenger airbag takes up the space of an additional glove box, which existed in the previous model. Safety has rightly taken a front seat, and airbags and ABS are now standard equipment. The ergonomics are spot on - with switches that fall easily to hand.
Bright backlit meters in the hooded instrument cluster are perfectly readable -although some may find the light a and select songs on its small screen. But if gauges, there's also an extremely useful meter that indicates real time fuel consumption. With today's high fuel prices, this will definitely help to drive carefully in an effort to derive maximum mileage.
The brushed aluminum center console houses the music system and AC controls. We're clearly in a digital age, and Honda has decided to grasp the moment and move with the times ¬demonstrated by the music system of the new City. The latest model doesn't have a CD player. Instead, there's a USB port where you can plug in your pen drive with MP3 files or even attach your iPod you still want to fit an aftermarket CD player, the provision exists. Sound quality is top notch too.
Up front, the seats have become more comfortable, and adjustment controls have been borrowed from the Civic, i.e. it has a pump action operation. There's adequate legroom, both at the front and the rear. Without having had the opportunity to use the rear seat for an extended period of time, it nonetheless seems at least as comfortable as before. Moreover, even though it's a low car, ingress and egress is a breeze.
The new wraparound headlights and the very masculine V shaped grille give the car a rather aggressive look. The two creases that start from the grille and run across the wide bonnet accentuate this sense of aggression. A yawning air dam set cleverly between the boot lid and slightlypunctures the thick bumper with its integrated fog lamps. Honda has made the A pillar thinner and this has made visibility much better - something that bothered drivers in the 2nd generation City. The little quarter glass on the front door has also been done away with. The broad C pillar has a BMW style Hofmesiter kink that accentuates its purposeful stance and overall sense of having a tightly packed body. The wheel arches are simple in execution but do accommodate is-inch wheels.
A sculpted rear end perfectly. The tail lamps, overbearing rear bumper, look like a set of piercing eyes. The boot itself is commodious and will easily gobble up a considerable amount of luggage. The interior also is very impressive indeed. The wider wheelbase means that the cabin space has noticeably increased. Honda hasn't compromised with interior fit and finish like it did with the first generation City. The beige and matt black dashboard makes the interior look expensive. Most components in the cockpit seem to continue the V shape.
70
The black and brushed aluminum steering wheel has an obvious resemblance to the Civic, and, little too harsh. In addition to the usual likewise, it hides twin paddle shifters behind its spokes. Unlike the Civic, however, it adjusts for rake (height) but not for reach. As expected, the big horn button also houses an airbag. The passenger airbag takes up the space of an additional glove box, which existed in the previous model. Safety has rightly taken a front seat, and airbags and ABS are now standard equipment. The ergonomics are spot on - with switches that fall easily to hand.
Bright backlit meters in the hooded instrument cluster are perfectly readable -although some may find the light a and select songs on its small screen. But if gauges, there's also an extremely useful meter that indicates real time fuel consumption. With today's high fuel prices, this will definitely help to drive carefully in an effort to derive maximum mileage.
The brushed aluminum center console houses the music system and AC controls. We're clearly in a digital age, and Honda has decided to grasp the moment and move with the times ¬demonstrated by the music system of the new City. The latest model doesn't have a CD player. Instead, there's a USB port where you can plug in your pen drive with MP3 files or even attach your iPod you still want to fit an aftermarket CD player, the provision exists. Sound quality is top notch too.
Up front, the seats have become more comfortable, and adjustment controls have been borrowed from the Civic, i.e. it has a pump action operation. There's adequate legroom, both at the front and the rear. Without having had the opportunity to use the rear seat for an extended period of time, it nonetheless seems at least as comfortable as before. Moreover, even though it's a low car, ingress and egress is a breeze.