The proud Honda subcompact: Cebu Daily News checks out why all-new City takes pride in its brand

The all-new Honda City is among the top subcompacts in Cebu, and it’s confident it’ll remain that way.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

Last April, Honda Cars Cebu Inc. (HCCI) unveiled the all-new Honda City subcompact sedan at the Ayala Center Cebu.
HCCI officials were excited with the release of the all-new model, which is the fourth generation of the subcompact in the country.
It turned out that Honda afficionados were also excited with the arrival of the City, too thrilled that HCCI wasn’t able to lend us a unit for review that time because of the number of reservations it got during the unveiling party.
Finally, Cebu Daily News got a weekend date with the City recently through the efforts of HCCI general manager Alec Bucao.
I, too, got fired up when I received the call from Bucao about doing a review for the City. After all, I’ve heard and read a lot of positive things about it from friends and the Internet.
Now was the chance to see for myself why the City remains to be one of the top contenders in the local subcompact sedan market.

The difference between the previous version is clearer from the rear.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

I’ve tested other subcompacts before, some by test drive invitations and others simply by taking public transportation once in a while.
The first advantage I noticed about the City, even in its previous generations, was its quality that seemed to be a notch higher than the rest.
In this current generation City, quality is once again at its best. This is made very clear in the interior as everything inside feels very premium, from the fit-and-finish of its seats and dashboard, to the durable sounds of the doors and trunk lid when they are shut. There’s no boring plastic feel inside, at least with the variant that was lent to us by HCCI, which was the mid range VX model.
Then there’s also the tried-and-tested 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, which is actually a carryover from the previous edition. There’s no need to pout about that because that engine did perform well with the third-gen City. So why fix something that isn’t broken?
A bright side is that improvements have been made to the i-VTEC engine (119PS power, 120NM torque) to improve fuel efficiency. That’s what matters for most subcompact users.
So far, we know that this new City has Honda’s known premium feel and a tried-and-tested powerplant. We expected that. So what’s new about this generation of the City?

The nifty touch screen audio and climate controls.
CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA

Here comes the really good part.
First cool feature: touch screen audio and climate controls. Yup, you read it right, climate controls a.k.a. air conditioning.
The 7-inch touch screen display audio is impressive with audio feature functions such as hands-free telephone (HFT) and audio streaming via Bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition control. But the automatic air-conditioning system that comes with user-friendly touch panel is what impressed me more. It’s something we don’t usually see, especially in a subcompact sedan priced below a million.
Another attractive addition is the smart key and push start system, which basically eliminates the need of the conventional key. Just make sure the remote fob is with you and you’re good to go.
Other cool features I found impressive was the City’s rear back-up camera and its handsome 16-inch alloy wheels.
And did I mention that the City really looks good? A thorough glance at the sedan will reveal the highlights of the Honda’s H-Design concept, which will be applied to all future Honda global models. This design gives the new model a stylish yet sporty look from every angle.
Now if all that doesn’t impress anyone, how about adding the brand factor to the mix. Now, I think we can all agree that we’ve got for ourselves a perfect subcompact.
The brand alone can actually be the best selling point for the City. For one, we all know that the car will have a good future. Do I have to prove good resale value? I didn’t think so.
Finally, there’s also this little factor that, for me, means a lot. When driving the City, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be flagged down by someone at the taxi stand.