Honda City (February 2009)

Launched: Honda City

Wheels Magazine
January, 2009

It isn't the ideal place to realistically assess a new small car, but this racetrack near Pattaya is certainly a saner and safer place to drive than the crowded and crazy streets of Bangkok. Honda's City is made in Thailand, which is why we're here to sample it well ahead of its Australian launch, scheduled for early February 2009. With only a 1.5-litre engine beneath its bonnet, the little sedan naturally feels slow around the Bira Circuit, but there's actually very little wrong with the way it drives.

Around the 2.4km track (named after Prince Bira, a well-known racer of the 1930s and 1950s, who remains the only Thai ever to compete in a Formula One race) the Honda's handling is of the safe and sound variety. Good thing, too, since the City won't come (initially at least) with an electronic chassis stability system.

More impressive is the City's refinement. The engine never sounds overstrained or thrashy, while the five-speed automatic transmission does a good job of picking ratios, and shifts smoothly. There's little noise from the Bridgestone tyres, nor is there notable wind noise on the faster sections of the circuit.

Honda LPL (Large Project Leader), Takeshi Nakamura, the man in command of developing the City, says that there's around 60 percent commonality between his sedan and the new Jazz hatchback. The list of shared parts includes engines, transmissions, suspension, steering and brakes. But the City is built on a wheelbase that's 50mm longer than the Jazz, and not a single exterior panel is shared. The interior, too, is all new.

The City's primary purpose is to attract hordes of first-time car buyers in India and China, but other markets weren't neglected, insists Nakamura. In Australia, for example, Honda hopes the City will find favour with downsizers looking for relief from the higher running costs of medium and large cars.

It works surprisingly well in this context. The City's exterior features a rising belt-line that endows it with a sizeable boot (at 506 litres, its capacity is slightly greater than a Commodore's). And the extra wheelbase delivers great rear-seat leg room. With a little less frontal area than the related Jazz, Honda claims slightly superior fuel consumption for the City.

City's refinement, efficiency, spacious cabin and cargo capacity are sure to be strong selling points for potential Australia buyers. So, too, will be the interior design. The instrument panel is clean and user-friendly, the driving position is fine, and the general air of quality is proof that Honda's Japanese production values don't go on holiday when transferred to Thailand.

More research
Honda City -- Carsales Network launch review: here

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