Honda has been marketing teasers of their new Honda City facelift that’s to be launched really soon. It’s already available in Thailand as the Honda City ZX.
I don’t know whether it will be known as Honda City or Honda City ZX in Malaysia, but either way it’s just a name.
UPDATE: Check out spyshots of the 2009 Honda City!
Launch date is 11th October 2005. 9 days more. Honda fans brace yourselves!
I previously blogged about the Honda City facelift here.
Research Honda Cars at 
Related Cars for Sale on 
All 87 Comments
Add a comment
You can either post as a guest or have an option to register. Among the advantages of registering is once a name has been registered, a guest cannot post using that name. If you have an account, please login before commenting. If you wish to have a profile photo next to your name, register at Gravatar using the same e-mail address you use to comment.
Most Read Stories
Local Car Launches
dono y thy dont get rid of the ugly rear…
At least better than the previous honda city.BTW honda city really has nothing can impress me.The design and engine sux as well.Haizz dunno why still have ppl buy this car.Better get a vios or a better looking same class car.Last time when i test-drive a 2nd hand honda city,the car kept changing gears as i driving it.May be it is underpowered.damn annoying de leh.
imho i prefer the city to the vios even though the vios looks much better. the city has a nicer interior to me, and most of my time i'll be spending in the car looking at the interior instead of the exterior.
plus if you study how i-dsi and the vtec in the L-series honda city engine works, u'll be able to appreciate it more than the 1NZ-FE in the toyota vios.
you wont get the changing gears problem with the current city… it has a CVT transmission. another reason i'd pick the city over the vios.
the city is cheaper than the vios too.
of course… no use me talking. i can't afford either ;)
Toyota Vios is the way man…Honda City, sigh, I don't want to offend Honda fans out there.
in msia:honda city is made expensive by upgrade the interior.toyota vios is made cheaper than its actual suppose to be by downgrade the interior..i think..
the finishing of HONDA CITY or other HONDA cars are always better than TOYOTA VIOS or TOYOTA CARS.
I don't agree… who say tat HONDA is always better than TOYOTA…
ZX? There is already a Citroen named ZX. Well, everyone will refer to this car as 'new city' only.
haiya…..honda and toyota balik la…come on, it's Mitsubishi….
Let's Evo9 beat it all…..no fight at all…..no need to argue…..
Vios? Let's wait for the new Vios.
The current one ….. Let just say I don't like to have my meters and gauges in the middle of my car.
And IIRC , Honda interiors are a bit better , I don't like the idea of having same CD players and Same handles for each and every model , This IMHO makes the Classier models feel less classy. And if you notice carefully , I think most Honda cars have better colour overall. (Just my opinion..)
the new vios facelift launched in taiwan @ sep 28, its interior is almost as good as honda city. imho, toyota has a better suspension framework than honda, always.
http://news.u-car.com.tw/news-detail.asp?nid=3145
The back look is "MOU TAK GAO" in cantonese means no recovery!! Therefore must Shift to new HONDA CIVIC shape lao!!
Looks real good… imho the City has always looked better than the Vios (kinda looks dated the moment it rolled out, maybe becos of it's Soluna genes). nice car, but still can't afford :(
yeah!!! Can't afford!!! sigh…
The CVT in the City is a let down. I'm not sure the City ZX will use the same gearbox. If it is, problem…problem…
well…. for Paul and other who think u cannot afford the city and vios… I have this to tell u,
" continue thinking the same manner and you will NEVER afford it in this live, unless you change the way you think".
as for me, right now I cannot afford the new BMW 3 series, but I stop at the shoproom offen, just to sit inside one and dream of driving it, and I plan and act to acheive my dream. I also like the 2 wheel BMW, but the showroom is not near me. he he ha ha :)
it seem different if compare to the previous.the effect of facelift better than vios.i not really like the back of it.
It still looks dodgy. The interior is definitely roomier compared to the Vios, but I'd still have the Vios. It just looks better. And the chap who says Hondas are better built than Toyotas needs to get new medication.
This car is cute and more femine.. i dont really think macho guy will like it…
honestly.. i dun find City cute at all. i hate the rear. vios definitely has better exterior. but the new city looks better now..no doubt..
..still looks ugly, will choose vios anytime..
How much this New City Cost?? I worries the price won't be favorable to buyer!! More and more buyer will buy vios if Honda Malaysia tend to increase price. Of course, sales for vios is better than this city, but with reasonable price. All i want to say is the only concern to buyer is cost. believe it or not, this model won't boost better sales for honda this time.
It's looks kind of nice. I just got myself a Fortuner from Toyota. Anybody can tell me where i can get bodykit for it? Thanks
flower horn is always a flower horn….hehehe no offence the face lift for me just like the upgrade of fins n tails for the flower horn….hehehehe…sorry if anyone was offended….
Ugly, and still looked like chinese "pao"….. this would be a beautiful shape if it is a sport shoes…LOL
The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream…
– Harry Kemp
Keep on dreaming… at least you may drive your dream car in your dream…
I do agree generally toyota cars r more reliable than honda cars in msia….hear me right, msia. u cant bet the same thing elsewhere cus thinggs r chging. honda overcame toyota in terms of reliablity n cost of maintenance already (cheaper).
another thg, vios myb more reliable and look,the only value added n defnitly more CONVENTIONAL than honda which is always more adventurous wit its technology ,innovations and bold design for the radical mind, sporty n venturous attitude. u think cvt n vtec r petty thgs and problematic? why didnt u complain bmw, benz ,mini cooper cvt? those aside, HONESTLY, U DONT KNOW A GODAMMN THG ABT CVT N VTEC to say those thgs abt those wonderfull tech. u know nuts n only sohw how shallow minded u r …no wonder u r fit to js stuck to ur conventional vios….
ever heard of high risk high return ? im not saying vios is bad here buthonda goes further giving its fans n enthusiasts more techies and wonders of tech but as usual…tech dont come cheap (the replacement IF ANY) but the reward n satisfactions r unlimited….if u dont understd tis which is equavalent to honda…then…no wonder u chose vios. cus ur js as shallow as those who mocked honda jus becuase u know nthg abt honda and jus bc toyota IS toyota…ur a tragic…sad
myb u hv to come out more often to see honda odyssey , civic 2006 to see wht miles hav honda went….im talking abt cars on the road…not the toyota exprimental car ,frankfurt motorshow or concept X, Y or Z protoypte…..geeee
AND another thg,…puh-lease….honda services n parts are more cheaper than toyota's..get ur facts right …dude.
btw, i should say..toyota fans & honda fans will always C eye 2 eye!
Interior, honda clear winners. technology is probably the same, vtec produces more torque while vvti balances fuel consumption & power.
PEACE! cheerz
Naruto,
How can you make sweeping comments that we all dun know anything about cars and technology? And you call us sad….tsk, tsk. You are the one who is sad, defending Honda as though you own the company. Enough about you already.
I really like the City from the time it came out. I always thought the Vios was a bit sissy looking. The only thing I couldn't agree with was their choice of gear transmission, the CVT or Continously Variable Transmission. I used to drive a Fiat Punto with the same kind of gearbox. Suffice it to say, when the gearbox had problems, no one could fix it and had to be replaced with a recond one costing RM6500. The reason why it's so expensive is because it is an uncommon item. Unlike conventional gearboxes, the CVT does not use gears, it uses a chain belt instead.
So current City owners, be prepared to fork out a hefty sum in a few years time for repairs/replacement. I know I did.
HumanSanzz u said honda city engine sux?
u try b4 a VTEC engine or not? U think a honda's VTEC will weaker than a 1.5 VVTi Engine?
gosh.. some of those ppl who dont know much bout the city dont simply criticize the car lah!!!
city is a very nice family car.. the rear is not ugly but it is a kind of the car's characteristic lah!! every car has its own special..
STUPID!!!
I just got a new car last 2 months, the 2 choices I looked at is VIOS E and City iDSI, at the end I choose City… ya, you may said the price is slightly higher…
But to me, I look at long term…
1. City iDSI will save me more petrol (I gonna drive it for atleast 5 to 7 years)
2. More spaces, the back seat is really an innovation
3. City iDSI with 2 airbags, VIOS E is without (I want my wife to be safe too)
4. City iDSI with ABS and EBD, VIOS without (Again safety features is important)
The price of City iDSI is only 2K++ higher than VIOS E…
So I decided to spend my money on value rather than spending them on fashion.
emmmmm….yeah nice car, nice condition and nice price…why must we discuss 'bout this car??? everything is complete….why dont we discuss 'bout kancil??? so many things to say…….:p
Vios better that city :-p
Is honda city part more expensive or toyota vios part move expensive?
Please let me know lah. Some ppl say city and some ppl say vios. If possible give a intelligent answer.
proton crap,
stupid people say stupid thing. cityfan has his own view and is a good thing he present it in a sensible and reasonable way. i bet proton crap talk crap stuff ya..
hello, dictionary is back, here some technical part wanna share with u all
VTEC and VVT i actually is just playing with the valve . Valve have two type, one is inlert valve that the petrol and air go in to the cylinder. another type is exhaust valve that let the output go out.
VTEC mean variable valve timing and electronic lift control system which mean the valve will control the TIMING and LIFT of valve. when u in slow speed , the valve open and close faster and open just a little bit space to let the petrol and air go in. So ur car will be more fuel ecomony.
VVT i mean variable valve timing with inteliegent which mean the valve just control the TIMING of valve only but do not control the space for petrol and air go in.
so as a conclusion which engine is more save pertol and advance ??
U decide
all ladies please pay attention. the new honda city is purposely design for u all. so why don take some time to view the car that make for u all. this is an information that i get from honda sales pupil
goodness. the City design is getting from bad to worse… tsk tsk tsk
actaully honda and toyota also is a good car in the world . but i support toyota and lexus more than honda ..
Still Vios looks better This Honda City looks quite funny cause of its AERODYNAMIC shape.But da front light looks perfect and the front grill..too.
The rear lights looks ugly…It should follow the JAPANESE model the honda CIVIC
Yo, some 2 cents on the outlook of these 2 cars. First glance, I thought Vios looked nice. Bout the City… I tot it was kinda weird.
But that soon changed. Why? Coz I saw a modded City, dam, blew me away! With the added bumpers(or rather add-on to the bumper) side skirts, spoilers, rims… whoot! hot wheels man! XD The Vios paled in comparison in terms of looks. (of course, you'd havta fork out some dough for the parts, but personaly I think it's worth it!)
ALso, from my personal observation, I think people say the City is 'ugly' coz they always see the City that is without spoilers. Any City that adds the spoiler will greatly improve the looks of the Car.
Gosh, 9 years 1++ k per month, really cant afford these… heh
yeah.. honda and toyota is good car.. but im sure proton and perodua is sux car. 20 years old .. the proton car still lousy like hell…
Are honda replacement parts cheaper than vios replacement parts?
So ugly..
Yeah sure toyota and honda is a good car because the car have a good quality and safety system is not like proton. cause the proton car low quality not safety and just can drive in the road that's all nothing protect us .. i also heard so many ppl said the proton very problem .. that's why this is car proton ..
hey does anyonne know where to get the honda city advertisements? there's a link in the malaysia honda website but the link is dead… any ideas?
i hope the design is not crap anymore…otherwise i will buy VIOS!!!
hey i bought a city. its the best in its class. vios? ………nah city is the best . you folks who have tested it have no right to comment anything ok????????? the facelift version looks even better. but the point is the technology and the feel of the car all in one package. great job honda
Hello all. i jus c all de comment up there. all r reasonable. either Honda or Toyota made good engines n bodies for their cars.
Honda's SOHC VTec got nice horsepower(overtaking is de best la!) but higher torque in higher rev.(if for city-run-about,it's very rare for u to drive in high rev).n i know tat City's vtec engine (D15A)is the same as in Honda Jazz n Jazz got lots of modification on engine such as light-weight pulley etc are available in de market now.more potential in modification.(i think.)
Toyota's DOHC VVT-i got higher torque in lower rev. so it's easy to drive in a City. summore most of the ppl hav a common sense tat DOHC is more efficient than SOHC.because DOHC got 2 inlet cam n outlet cam controls inlet valves n outlet valve respectively.while SOHC only got one cam control both inlet n outlet valve.(i heard mechanics say one.)
btw..we cant compare Honda City n Toyota Vios with BMW or cars in higher class because not the same class..although having de same well-known CVT gearbox.it oso got a little different coz not de same manufacturer ma.(i know CVT in MiniCooper is good la..coz BMW got high-end technology n experience.)
In the nut shell,both cars created n made to "suit" every individuals' "appetite". Some who likes extraordinary aerodynamic body den choose City lor. den some say Toyota is common n hav a better suspension frameworks,den choose Vios lo..bla bla bla.FOR ME, both cars also very nice!!!
babyboom, u talking crap ah!!! ugly ur stupid head!
the city is not an ugly car but a very special version of sedan..
its about space and flexibility and comfort.. u havent tried one don simply criticize the car.. STUPID!!!
So Ugly and very funny looking. I own Civic now but my dream car is Stream. I love HONDA.
I own a fully modified Honda Accord Type-R Turbo, with enuff horses to kickass the EVOs,WRXs and even Skyline. I always love Honda, wishing one day I own the NSX-R. But when it comes to Honda City, I do have some reservation. The car design look very strange, especially the rear part – but nevertheless, the interior is good – very practical for a small family. It also feel good to drive, I drove it several times as my younger brother also own a City.
As for Vios, it's a very cute car …. perhaps more suitable for ladies.
But between the two (City vs Vios), which one will I buy? … the answer is neither one. Both are too slow for me.
Just my 2 cents
Vroom vroom ….
Im driving an i-DSI city. one thing you guys cant argue about is the Fuel Consumption for 1.5cc car. City iDSI is the best. full tank [42L] can last up to 500+km on 100% town driving. FYI im living in subang jaya, city of traffics! :P
With a couple of modification to the city, it looks good! Couple with a super huge boot space and the ultra seat feature..woah! perfect car. I do agree city looks ugly without any mod. like a dolphin to me. As for the techonology of CVT, yesthe very first batch of city 2003 suffered the problem but the rest are resolved..mostly! I gotta admit it need some getting used to compared to the normal auto tranny transmission. torque here can rarely be felt thanks to the smooth gear changing. I've encounter a few aggresive vios drivers before. Well they thought their mighty 110bhp can smoke the iDSI 88bhp City easily. Common sense would suggest Vios easily smoked out a city. Sorry to say this is not the situation. On high speed chase, Vios has more advantage due to closer gear ratio compared to the 7 speed city. iDSI runs out of breath after 140kmph. Mind you the peak torque for iDSI is at 2900rpm. Its designed for town driving. But i could keep up with the vios, cant overtake. the distance between our car remained constant. VTEC City has no problem going more than 180kmph. My club member once went up to 220kmph. stock engine with 16" wheel. Need not to remind the good ol VTEC legends! Not to boast around but a number of car magazine tested iDSI n Vios 0-100km. iDSI magically beats Vios.
For Vios, yes i shall say its nice inside out too. no offence but the first turnoff i noticewas the centre placed meters. secondly was the cramp rear passenger space. Theres more Vios on the road to City. And I fancy the TRD bodykit for Vios. looks very fierce on black! I've seen those modded vios by TVCM[Toyota Vios Club Malaysia] really nice! theres also a turbo kitted vios. I dont drive a vios so i cant say much. I dont hate vios for sure.
Lastly i think it personal preference on both cars. Some might like City & vice versa. Dont flame me, just expressing my opinion.
p/s : To those City owners out there who are into modification, plz log on to www.teamcity.rules.it – we're gathering owners who share the same interest with us. Can also visit our parent club @ www.mycityclub.com
cheers!
Dear Neekof,
I plan to buy 2003 idsi honda city. pls give me your honest comments.You mentione problem faces and solved. U mean 2003 has a problem with the engine ?
Since you have been driving city for a long time,
Thank you and hope to rec yr feedback soon.
h/p 016 2813903
I drive an i-DSI City since June '05. The pick up is not the greatest but I can smoke all the run of the mill 1.6 Wajas & Wiras – not really earning much bragging right here, as Carrefour shopping carts can do pretty much the same if they are in good mood.
Don't remember ever racing a Vios, a car I never liked and never thought it looked better than the City – perhaps because I owned an Altis before and thought that the Vios was just a minature version of the Altis for people with identity issues. I liked the City fron day one due to its design uniqueness, though I do admit that the i-DSI version is a bit proportionally challenged due to its aneroxic wheels.
Screw the Vios, lets then take the City to meet the Altis and see how they fair.
One thing that really surprised me with the City is the suspension, particularly when cornering, as compared to the Altis. The City is more willing to hug the road and over steering and side tilting is minimal. Altis just doesn't like corners and if you take it round the bend (with TSC on) you will automatically WANT to slow down, as they don't pay anyone well enough to be a Malaysian highway road divider QA inspector.
Fuel economy – not fair to contrast due to engine capacity difference, though it was one paramount factor prompting the decision to switch from Altis to City. Quite simply put, if one gulps & the other sips, who would you choose? BTW I'm in sales.
As I mentioned, acceleration of my City is a bit lacklustre – regardless whether you stay in Drive and kick down or use the psuedo tiptronic thing that I have not used for months. 0 -100 km/hr takes about 11+seconds. The Altis was more willing to go with a bit more urgency – yet the top speed achieved beats my current City by a mere 10 km/hr, or 190 Vs 180 km/hr. Altis was a disappointment in the performance department.
The auto gear change, or actually CVT pulleys, is seamless. A bit too effortless and numbing but nevertheless a pleasant feature in a car of this class.
In the class of budget non national cars, City is very good value for money. It sets the difference between being delighted with all the little extras you get rather than wishing you could afford something a little bit better.
I have 2 complaints on my City though. 1/ there is a problem with the gear lever (contact point?) that makes it difficult to start in 'P'; the lever has to be adjusted inorder to start. I even had to use shift lock to start once. 2/ Power window on the driver side is a problem and occasionally you have to attempt several times before it winds up. Both problems advised workshop, adjusted, ok for a while, recurred again.
every car have thier own selling point.. so sometimes it does make sense comparing both of the car..juz my 2 cent…Just go for the car u think that is really good and suits you..No offence
both city and vios are good
vvti in theory is smarter than vtec
but well, both engine from toyota and honda are of high quality.
there's very very little warranty claims on those engines
as for reliability, statistically, toyota lasts longer than honda
i agree some say that toyota is more last longer, but honda sure more advance in engine part. for example t.camry still using 4 speed in engine, but honda is using 5 speed .
even tough vtec is more advance than vvti, so sure lose to i vtec la
Any tips u can give for a wet behind the ears buyer pls give ur 2 cents
I happened to own both cars. (well my wife on the other to be exact). Both has their own distinct features. For one thing, the rev in both car equally comparable with VIOS being able to feel torque immediately while City will only starts to kick off V-Tech at 3,000 rpm. But while VIOS gives a good start yet after 3,000 rpm…engine doesn't seems to kick off as good as the City continues to excel up and up. Once the V-Tech kicks in, there's where you feel like the top of King. From my perspective, it will be easy for a Honda to overtake a VIOS.
As for interior, the drawbacks was Honda team trying to push a futuristic body into present time in which I think are not well accepted yet. Yet, after owner it not so long ago, I think Honda City's still the best 1.5cc car in town. I like VIOS too but as for the power, this is one car i would rather let my wife drive… :)
I prefer Honda city bcos of Safety. Ask all of you a question, do you want your wife or family those are seat beside you is safe? answer is yes, rigth? then y all of you going for Vios? Safety first!!
City is a very damn excellent car in malaysia as compared to the vios!! n the price is reasonable, y i said so? the facelift of the overall design is definitely futuristic n fashionable. the rear n back both r cool n interior also looks better than vios. its like luxurious car but not a luxurious price!
so stupid u all who complain both car!!!the car design by profesional engineer.Buy kancil la bodo!!!
Could you pls send me for pictures of Honda city Idsi ?
Thank you and regards,
Ople
i think i'll buy the new honda city idsi
regarding to those above comments, i prefer the new honda city i-dsi. Reason – safety-
Technology:
VTec – relatively new, 120hp per litre, more powerful.
VVT – used in 1960's in Ford, Fiat, Alfa Romeo
VVTi – improvised version of the old-VVT technology, 100hp per litre, reasonably powerful.
Gear transition
VVTi – smoother transition. suitable for family.
VTec – towards 'racy' or 'sporty' cam profile, suitable for those who like sporty feeling.
But this differs in different cars, I drove my brother's Honda Civic before, it is very smooth, unlike some says its jerky. Have to test drive the new City to find out.
About Longevity – I think both will last a life time if the engine oil are kept clean and change regularly.
VVTi – engine parts are simpler, less prone to complication if engine is roughly used
VTec – engine parts are very complicated. more prone to complication if engine is roughly used.
You'll actually spent more money on a Honda car if you don't maintain your car properly. Toyota is known for robust. Those who doesn't maintain the engine timely shall choose toyota.
I test drove the IDSI and Vios, I found the VIOS has more torque, at least in picking up. The new City with VTec will definitely out perform the Vios. At RM89,300, I think its a good price for many more additional features. The Vios G is about the same price.
About fuel consumption, my Vios goes up to about 500Km per RM60 in the city, 600++Km per RM60 highway drive. My friends IDSI went up to 500++KM per RM50 in the city. On the highway about the same.
Between City IDSI and Vios E, I'll go for Vios.
The price difference between City VTec and City IDSI is just RM5,000-RM6,000, might as well spent a little more for much more comfort and power.
Deciding between Vios G and City VTec, I think City VTec is a better buy.
Finally, there are a few notes here about the Vios and toyota before you guys deciding to buy it.
1. The Vios rear boot. I have to slam it hard in order to close. The people inside the car will hear a loud thug noise. Also, I notice almost every Vios on the road, the boot is not perfectly aligned. Please take note of this! Screw the salesman if you find out this and he never fix this for you on delivery. Those in the showroom are perfect one. I noticed most people bring this to the workshop to align the boot. Spent RM80,000, must be perfectlah, right?
2. Toyota has limited workshop. Everytime I service (Puchong), I have to queue and wait at least half a day. The service personnel is not as friend as you would expect (don't be surprise).
3. The paint work on Vios. My Vios kena a small stone dropped from a lorry (probably 1/4cm in diameter) the paint came off (can see the metal inside). I was moving at about 80km/h. My wira used to kena stone like this, and the paint never came off, only light scratches that can be polished away.
4. Everytime after starting when the engine is cold, the engine will ramp at 1500 rpm before I settles below 1000 rpm after 2 or 3 minutes. This is a nuisanse because the engine noise is very noisy. Not sure if Honda City is like this. Not sure why.
On overall, I'm happy with my current Vios E -lah, coz' that's the only good car I can afford. Who doesn't what a better car? only if they can afford lah!
Toyota actually have a more advanced technology called the VVTL-i which is similar to Honda's VTec, with the lift control function. This technology is only available to higher end toyota's car.
how much is the car service in Msia for Honda City (esp the 40km major service?)
What? Vios? Eeee….I think I will choose City…Vios is kinda normal car…..would say nothing special in it….
the price difference between Vios & City in M'sia certainly not great. D price in S'pore differs about S$10,000. Test drive both in S'pore and opts for the new CITY VTEC even it costs me 10K more. This speaks for itself right.
Aiyah …. Both also good car … if u like honda go for City . But if u like toyota go for Vios .. thats all .. :)
Honda City and Toyota Vios ….. both are beautiful to me. However, the price is still too expensive. Proton…. not really cheap…. a national car with current price, still expensive. Further, proton cars have much problems compared to Japanese Cars.
I tested Vios G, City VTECH, and Chevy Aveo the same day.
Comments:-
– Aveo out of the story for sure…..
– City, nice interior, more spacious, more quiet, steering too light and feel like a toy car, handling less rigid than Vios, accleration is the worst part as the power and torque always come a second later….
– Vios, better handling, less spacious (especially for a tall guy like me), power comes as u need it, slightly more noisy then City.
Conclusion:
– For power-minded user, get neither, the hp offered from both cars just can't meet your taste.
– For family-minded, and slightly bigger size user, get City for the sake of storage and leg space.
– For ordinary-single- small size user, get a Vios
– Both cars project a young professional image
– For those have more money to spend, get a Altis or Civic, everything is better when u can afford more
Honda ct is the best….i already test drive 4 both….ct n vios. So, excited more in ct vtec…
I just bought a honda city vtec telling u guys the truth, before this more or less im not prefer driving a honda city at all. After making lots of comparision btw honda city & toyota vios then i make a right move by buying a honda. If u guy go thru with toyota vios it's consider cheap & low budget car (sorry to say more or less like a Kancil in Malaysia). But the prestige of a honda it's worth to buy from the Handling, Cornering, Engine, Interior, Spacious & Safety. Im not intrested in arguing with vios driver or city driver, it's more toward my experince opinion.
No Offence!
lets clearify some stuff…
Honda's V-TEC technology stands for Variable Valve and Lift Electronic Control System and for Honda City L series of V-TEC engine it actually monitor and varies the Valve timing like toyota vvt-i but with the Lift in Honda's V-TEC honda L series engine actually runs on 2 mode… the 12 valve mode and 16 valve mode for performance… inorder to save fuel… while Toyota VVT-i only monitor and varies the valve timing… the i stands for intelligence… (all cars today have intelligence for honda and toyota part that is)
and if one ask me on CVT and normal auto gear… both perform great if you maintain it well… and by the way the spare parts… Honda's used to be GOD DAMN VERY EXPENSIVE… but since Honda Malaysia took over the Honda sales in Malaysia… the price have gone down.. lets say the City front Bumper is WAY cheaper than the Wira Taiwan front bumper… and I mean Original CITY Bumper… lets say the price is RM150.00 including paint job!!! so any vios dude have change a Front Bumper b'fore!!!
the new face lift for City is way better than Vios facelift… I dont see much diffecence in Vios facelift… wat a let down… small changes only… :(
for New city vs New Vios… go for City…
for Old city vs New City Trade in your OLD FROG and get a NEW PRINCE CHARMIN!!!!
Toyata Vios Facelift – little facelift, something change on front nose bumper, interior leather seat, but compared with City. Vios still have a far way to go.
Im an automobile journalist from Singapore. Saw this thread and found it a little interesting.
From what i see here, both the vios and city have their fair share of supporters. Since i have pretty vivid experiences with both cars, i would like to talk a little bit about them. I'm not too sure if they vary much in Malaysia.
However, since both Malaysia and Singapore source their cars from Thailand, i believe specifications should be very similar except for interior trimmings.
I would like to talk abt the i-dsi city in this context as i have not experience the vtec model.
The i-dsi is has two sparkplugs per cylinder and therefore has develops good combustion equating to good fuel economy, not a usual Honda trait. Power is nothing great, but if since the city has CVT, it never really gets stuck in a position where you feel like you're seriously in a wrong gear. The manual transmission gears in Hondas have always been the best in terms of shift action and throws, and in the city it doesn dissapoint.
Toyota Vios 1.5 vvti unit is a proven unit. Having been in the Toyota Yaris/Echo/Vitz way before the Vios was even made. In fact it was the basis of the Yaris T-sport of Europe and the Echo sportivo in Australia. What we get is a twimcam unit boasting good economy (considering its a DOHC unit) and good horsepower and torque figures that would be suitable for city and highway driving. The auto transmission being a regular four speed auto is a no brainer and nothing to get excited about, and the manual though feeling well oiled does have a bit of a notchy shift action.
However, when it comes to handling and ride, both cars have their compromises. The city's high centre of gravity is the primary culprit for its bad body roll even if the chassis is more than capable of hanling some decent speeds through the corner. The Vios on the other hand has the upper hand in terms of carrying speed through corners, but the steering is lifeless even though it is very direct and accurate.
Ride is where the city excels having achieve a fair balance of damping without feeling floaty. The vios on the other hand loses out in the ride department as it tends to have a stiffer setup that just does not feel as balanced as the city's.
In terms of build and quality, both of these cars are not the last word in terms of build compared to the japan assembled vitz and fit on which they are based.
Shut lines can be inconsistant in certain examples and fit and finishing is still not comparable to the japanese assembled units. However, considering what the cars are worth, they are still fine and it could be worse with other manufacturers.
The only thing that is a real concern is if you are looking for decent interior quality plastics. The Vios is a good product on most fronts, but the interior plastics are a disaster. The plastics are hard and brittle, though the surface is texture to help disguise the use of really inferior quality plastics. If you have driven or sat in a Toyota Yaris/ Echo/ Vitz, you'll know what i mean. I really have nothing agaist Toyota, but to have a generally good product and spoil it all by providing a i cant care less atitude to the interior is unforgivable. Especially when we all know how far Toyota has come in terms of building quality interiors in the new Lexus IS and GS. Don't get it wrong, im not asking for Lexus quality interiors in a Vios priced vehicle but just decent plastics like those in a Yaris/ Echo/ Vitz. The Vios plastics look like they came out of an EP71 Toyota Starlet seriously and that is ok for that time but not now. The game has moved on.
All in all, if you could live with inferior quality interiors, the Vios is quite a sweet car with its willing engine and above average roadholding. The City on the other hand is a more mature car, oozing a quality that Toyota has seemed to forget about in the Vios, and not to mention a nice sporty interior with a gigantic rear trunk.
One more thing before i leave, i think some people have the misconception of Vtec in the forums.
Vtec has evolved alot over the years and we now have i-vtec, 3 stage vtecs (in the 1.5L SOHC EK series civics) and the raw twin cam 2 stage vtecs that used to lift at 5500rpm pioneered in the NSX and the B16 engined EF civics. The raw two stage vtecs are still available but only from the current integra R,accord R, S2000 and NSX. Yes the NSX is still available through order even though officially it has cease production.
Cheers.
Whoa Fairman,
Thanks a lot for the detailed overview. I am planning to buy a CITY and
your comments have made it clear to me that it would be the better choice :)
I cant really say why I am not going for VIOS… but something in my heart
is saying…"City…City… city" :)
I am not against Toyota in any way, for I think the new Toyota Corolla (or isit Camry) is absolutely gorgeous! (The one whose trunk looks like a BMW one)
Anyway… Just wondering… can anyone please tell me how to get best price from salesman :) LOL! :) Greatly appreciated.
To
Overhall
Yearly
Or
Throw
Away means TOYOTA.
Honda better though.
Why you guys bothered to compare City with Vios. To me, people should know what they want and what they can and cannot afford. What I mean is you have to compromise between cost, comfort, class etc. And then the comparison of engine power is really ireelevant. Mind you, I own a new city
i-DSI and to me it has got enough power to overtake. There is no need to get a VTEC if you want to compromise price, Fuel consumption and engine output. If you are so hardup for power, don’t go for either. Try to get youself a ferrari instead. Just my opinion.
saya baru beli honda city..
Agreed 100%…