Small cars are big business. As other industries gnash their teeth over sales declines and predict the end of the world, the automotive players, those with B-segment contenders in particular, are doing rather well. Significantly up last year and, with new entrants late last year and this year, almost certainly more in 2014.
The rules of small cars are fast changing too. Until recently, small meant basic. If you wanted big car features you would (obviously enough) buy a big car. And if you couldn’t afford it, or fit it into your garage, tough.
Enter the 2014 Honda City. It’s not a size thing – this car is as dinky as other, more utilitarian sedans. What it offers is big car equipment and interior space. Not minimalism, but rather downsizing. So is it any good, and more crucially, is it better than the Toyota Vios? We hopped over to Phuket, Thailand to find out.
Perhaps more than others, the new City transcends the imaginary limitations of a B-segmenter. It has stand-out styling, decent (though not quite class-leading) build quality and a long list of equipment (even if most of them are kept for the flagship variant).
Across the range, it has a mildly improved version of Honda’s sweet 120 PS/145 Nm 1.5 litre SOHC i-VTEC engine. Best of all, though, thanks to its early introduction in this region, it’s already riding on the third-generation 2014 Honda Jazz platform, which is a big step-up from the Jazz that’s currently on sale here.
The first-gen Jazz-based 2002 Honda City, along with the original Toyota Vios, were the small sedans that started this B-segment phenomenon, passing invisibly in the early Noughties from small and reliable to small, premium-priced and reliable.
Not only did they quickly establish that people would pay slightly over the odds for badges, but also that they’d queue up to do so. If hot cakes ever need an analogy to illustrate their popularity, either the City or Vios would be a good place to come.
This is an all-new car rather than the 2013 Vios’ predominantly-skin-deep makeover. It gets a whole new look, based on Honda’s latest ‘Exciting H’ design direction and a completely funked-up interior (in the good sense, of course). Visual familiarity next to the outgoing City can’t disguise this new car’s promised excellence.
With four rather than just two model variants, the City becomes capable of sitting across numerous market segments. At the bottom end (the City S and S+) it can finally play forecourt tag with the base Vios and Nissan Almera, but in the upper ranges (the E and V; the latter especially), the equipment gets serious.
Turning back on its previous premium-priced strategy, Honda Malaysia is targeting the ever-popular Vios squarely in its new chiselled face now, while promising a realistic compromise between variant prices and the corresponding kit count. More on this when the full local prices and specifications are announced soon, but expect fireworks.
The Thai-built cars you see in these pictures vary from the Malaysian-assembled ones that you can buy here. The differences are minor, however, and are mostly in our favour. For instance, even the top-spec Thai models have a urethane steering wheel, while ours will be leather-wrapped. Ignore the rear centre lap belt too, as we’ll get proper three-point items.
But if you’ve been following the new City closely since its global debut in India late last year, you’d already know what it has (ESP, six airbags, rear air-con vents and a factory-fitted touch-screen media system in the top models), and what it doesn’t (leather seats, rear disc brakes, projector headlights, LED tail lamps). What we’re here to judge is how it feels to be in and to drive.
First up, the space. This car is massive inside; there’s no other way to describe it. With full freedom of seat movement, there’s a roomy, fairly comfortable driving position with plenty of air around your head, despite the seat being mounted a touch too high for our liking.
Speaking of the front thrones, they fail to escape Honda’s perennial seating issue – excessive lumbar support (too big a bulge on your lower back). It is non-adjustable in the City, forcing you to sit more upright than is ideal. The latest Vios’ much-improved front seats put these to absolute shame.
That’s a real pity, which then makes you think that you’d rather be in the back instead. Well actually, there are plenty of other reasons why you’d think that, for the new Honda’s rear cabin is the very best in the class, by far. For absolute legroom, it matches the Almera’s, but it’s the width that makes the City a real winner.
The space advantage is upheld by the cavernous 536-litre boot too, which is also class-leading (the Vios offers 506 litres). Honda’s “Man Maximum, Machine Minimum” philosophy pushes the frontier of interior space, and the City is a showcase of packaging masterclass. If you have a large family, this is the B-segment sedan to have. Period.
On the quality front, however, it’s not so class-leading. While the Vios cabin (hard plastics notwithstanding) makes you feel good, the City’s quality pales in comparison. We’re talking about perceived quality here, of course, not actual quality – there’s no doubt that the Honda’s interior will face the test of time as well, if not better than the Toyota’s.
Based on what you can see and feel, the Vios has the edge on material quality. Surely that wasn’t in the script. Apart from the City’s small section of soft-touch pad above the glove box (which is only present on the high-spec models, by the way), the Vios’ equally-hard plastics are finished in a nicer, more eye- and touch-friendly texture.
It’s still a good place to be in, though. Details such as the blue-ringed illuminated instrument cluster and touch-sensitive automatic air-con controls are nice, and the large touch-screen display mounted flush within the piano black centre console looks very premium indeed.
It works very well too. Its sleek, smartphone-like interface is both attractive and intuitive to operate, which betters UMW Toyota and Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s locally-developed retrofit items that are offered on the Vios and Almera. Phone/audio streaming through Bluetooth and GPS navigation are all present, though you’d miss a dedicated volume knob.
You get four USB jacks too (two up front, two in the back; not counting the 12V power socket), plus a class-first HDMI input. The latter allows you to link up the screen to your smartphones (iOS only for now) through HondaLink. It’s not the full-blown Apple CarPlay just yet, but it’s a good start nonetheless.
In terms of driving dynamics, it’s clear that, even more so than before, this City is not aiming at all-out back-road pace. What this car does best is transport you around in comfort by the line of least resistance, especially through the urban sprawl, and this explains the move back to having a CVT gearbox.
Yes, like it or not, Honda CVTs are back and it’s here to stay. This new Earth Dreams Technology transmission promises improved refinement and a total lack of bunny-hopping through traffic (rough low-speed gearchanges) that can inflict conventional torque-converter-equipped automatic cars, along with improved fuel efficiency.
It’s in the city, then, that the new City feels most at home. The tried and tested engine has enough low-down torque to feel sprightly around town, while the steering is light, and visibility (thanks to the elevated seating position that’s forced on you) is good. The new car’s softer suspension setup also rides out ripples particularly well, if not as good as either the Vios and Almera.
Out and about, the Honda sends mixed signals. On the highways (or rather empty two-lane Thai roads) it cruises easily enough, the suspension pillowing or parrying undulations as appropriate, with only the engine noise playing against the significantly improved cabin refinement.
Though still rather loud, the i-VTEC wail is at least pleasing to the ears in a way that the Vios’ VVTi and Almera’s CVTC power units just aren’t. And at full chat, the Honda engine is the quietest of the lot, despite its transmission’s unnerving inclination to keep it running at a constant 6,000 rpm (just a shade under the red line).
You quickly learn that the engine and gearbox combo works best when under-stressed, the smooth power delivery making the car feel more rapid than it is against the clock. Plant your foot hard down, however, and the illusion falls apart, as the available 120 PS feels no better than the Toyota’s 109 PS. You can blame the CVT for that.
Take it beyond the city limits, and the car hardly feels happy for you to lean on it in corners, where you can feel the back end taking a share of the load through the significant amount of body roll. This is certainly no Type R, and it makes no attempts to claim as such.
The springing is fundamentally soft, but the damping confident enough to carry a good amount of speed through. Having said that, the Thai-spec cars run on a decent set of Bridgestone Turanza ER370, while the local cars we’ve seen so far are all shod with the less-than-stellar Goodyear GT3s. How that will affect grip and road noise remains to be seen.
In short, the 2014 Honda City is nowhere near as wieldy as the Ford Fiesta, but it’s marginally more capable through the twisty stuff than the Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera and the locally-assembled Volkswagen Polo. On the flipside, those three have slightly better ride comfort than the City, but only just.
If you sense a little bit of disappointment in this preview, you’ve read it correctly. The new City promises a lot with its brand new platform and transmission, yet offers a mere incremental improvement over the older model. If anything, the jump here is smaller than what Toyota achieved by simply fine-tuning its existing (old) hardware. But let’s not allow that to distract you from what is still a great achievement.
So back to the initial question – is this the Vios-beater everyone is waiting for? It’s not quite the game-changer everyone – us included – expected it to be, but with its impressive breadth of abilities plus stand-out styling and class-leading features (on both toys and safety fronts, no less), it certainly looks like it.
Ultimately, its price will likely determine how it fares against the popular Toyota, so watch this space closely. From an objective point of view, that’s a job well done once again, Honda. This City joins the Accord at the top of their respective classes, and the CR-V is not bad either. Now, about that Civic…
Wow, the maroon color is really nice, hope they bring the same car color over here, overall a really nice car. Good Job Honda :)
Whatever which colour,if Honda consider ESP stability and 6 airbags,I will sure visit B.Mertajam showroom.
Its already confirm that the RM90+k H.City V-specf would have 6-airbags and VSC, couple with some niceties like 7″ display with HDMI/Honda Link, rear air vents , cruise control and automatic aircond.
wah, if like that how to sell the vios after this?
People buying Toyota is because of its brand name and the RV. And the new vious looks stylish then the Honda which is so conventional. Nowaday buying Honda also scared because the Honda model may become Proton City.
Apa Apa, from the sales market report based in 2013 and early 2014 majority of Malaysian does not think like you as Honda and also Nissan sales is catching up to Toyota really fast. If people are that afraid to buy Honda cars, how come in the month of January 2014 Honda sales is just 100 units short of Toyota sales?
You didn’t read the whole article, did you?
Seriously, my dad bought the Vios without even thinking twice or even a test drive. That’s how strong Toyota has built its brand over the years. But the younger ones are starting to get smarter no? kekeke
I can’t help but notice the HDMI part. Does that mean I can now play videos from my phone in the car using an HDMI cable?
Vios is still the best in term of RV
Be patient a bit lah, sure get promotions rebated etc later on at least within year end. Let others become lab test first. And who knows, Proton may rebadge it as new Saga. Desperado rules.
too late, sudah bakar
Isn’t the BM showroom barbequed already?
Balance review..gud one!
Beautiful exterior and interior also come with good safety package! Vios is so ugly and bad!
lol…another fag who didn’t read the article
Maroon are not available in Malaysia
No Maroon in Malaysia Version….SAD….
En.Hafriz Shah,the City looks promising and will give the Vios a fantastic competition.But your write up is very difficult to comprehend.You seem to twist and turn using very flowery language.
Paul Tan’s English(from my school,The VI) is crisp and clear to understand.
Make it short,precise and easy to read.We are not educated in Oxford .Some of your readers could hardly comprehend what you write.
I was about to say that too. While reading the article, I was thinking the company had hire a new mat salleh staff.
I would agree with you if the writer had issues with his grammar or issues with conveying the message over but I don’t see any issue with it. It all has to do with people not taking effort to study harder and then go on to blame others for their shortcomings.
We can argue on the complexity of one’s English but that shows just how shallow we are with our master of the language. No one says we need to be educated at Oxford. My parents used to say that my English has degraded since their time and I have to agree with them now in seeing that the language has degraded even further in this country!
seancorr,
In my humble opinion, first and foremost this is an automotive website and I believe plain English is the best way read the review. Others opinions might differ.
I believe that this is not regarding “people not taking effort to study harder and then go on to blame others for their shortcomings” but rather about the writing style. It seems that most readers here are comfortable with other writers simple and straight-forward style of writing.
This is not dumb-down English, it’s called the plain English. If you care, please look about it here.
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/
“Fighting for Crystal Clear Communication Since 1979”
Cheers.
Red 7,I agree with you.The level of English for the newer generation of youngsters have deteriorated horrendously since our “education authorities” have “pusing pusing” with PPSMI,which is actually a 2 Billion Rm mega project.
You just read the grammar of most of these comments from the readers.I can’t blame them,cos they have inherited a load of “manglish”.
My point has nothing to do with studying hard.It has to do with EASY COMMUNICATION with the masses.
My comments were not intended to downgrade En.Hafriz who is also a fellow Victorian but to highlight “easy communication skills.”
Anyway,I appreciate his effort in doing his homework thoroughly before writing.
I agree with you. You can’t just condemn someone who can write good english. I find the writer’s level of english is acceptable and it is still understandable for me to read it.
Probably some people over here should try and read Top Gear Magazine articles by those writers from UK. Then they will know how different their level of english is compared to the one in this article. This one over here is still understandable while those from the UK writers are not as easy to understand as this one does. You need to really think about what they meant in their writing.
Apologies if you find my writing incomprehensible, Albert.
And, though I didn’t go to Oxford, I, too, went to school in VI :)
Don’t worry, I like the way you write and I can’t stop laughing on your “This is an all-new car rather than the 2013 Vios’ predominantly-skin-deep makeover.” where somehow you give me the overall comparison between vios and city
Anyway keep up on your way of writing
Keep up the good work Hafriz. I like the descriptive writing. It makes the article much more interesting to read, making it feels more like a proper publication rather than a teenage petrol head’s amateur blog post.
In fact, I think it needs more “flower”, but not too much otherwise people will think you’re imitating Jeremy Clarkson haha!
This was much easier to read than previous articles. Personally, I find this readable :)
im setapak high school old boys..and i have no complaint bout an ex VI english write up
Writing styles differ and one should just sit back and enjoy reading both creative and direct criticisms/opinions for what they are worth.And dear Hafriz, never apologize for giving an honest and well meant review .
This article is well written and the language is very well balanced and clear, and that to me spells quality. Keep it up, buddy Hafriz !
It’s all semantics. I always enjoy Hafriz’s writing style, which includes, wit, dark humor, cynicism. Your most subtle statements sometimes cuts deep, for those who can read between the lines lah, haha. As for the whiners, tough.
So Paultan aim for high-educated reader and ABC/Banana, obviously.
I too believe that is not regarding “people not taking effort to study harder and then go on to blame others for their shortcomings” which somehow describes like “95 is for poor people”.
Language is for communication purpose, people who master English meant upper class ?
High-educated but lack moral personality.
perhaps? indeed ,…
ok aje english dia.
Yay babe, please write in rempit or gila gila style. Then the mass market can comprehend what you trying to says. Please use word such as “ni kereta sedap, boleh korner baring syok gila”.
I was not educated at VI but I have no problems understanding Hafriz. His articles are meant for those who read it through rather than those who skim & head straight to the comments section to bash senselessly.
As for the car, while the equipment levels are ok, the return of the CVT is, at least through my own personal experience with Honda’s CVT, not really comforting.
ONE CITY FOR ME PLEASE.
then, go and ask ur dad to buy one!
the car interior space is huge for a b-segment car!
Awesome! will pow all other b segment cars.
The price will determines whether it’s a better car than vois
Wow that’s a lot of USB ports for a car! Am I right to say that the rear split folding seats are now gone?
On the design of the car I still think the rear end looks funny. The previous gen will not look outdated beside this car if u ask me but the interior looks modern now.
Kudos to Honda for adding more features which will in turn draw more sales. The new Vios is starting to appear everwhere now and I’ve heard of its comfortable ride but I think this round Honda will be hunting Toyota in this B segment class unlike previous generations where it was always trailing behind Toyota.
In Thailand, only the top variants get split-folding rear seats (with nifty pull-tabs by the boot hinges). Not sure if the Malaysian cars will be the same.
bro,
Could you spare some comments about the new Honda City’s engine part?
Would the same old iVtec with CVT gearbox made much different with this whole new outfit?
It seems that the features vs price is one of the big boom of this car (not to mentioned the cheaper roadtax and the usual FC)
Please advice…
Im disappointed. I tot the noise damping will be better… Now im waiting for the fc. Hope better than almari
Im disappointed. I tot the noise damping will be better… Now im waiting for the fc. Hope better than almari
2 words that beat the vios: 6 airbags
Don’t forget VSA!
and that’s 3 letter!
‘120 PS feels no better than the Toyota’s 109 PS. You can blame the CVT for that.’ – and I’ll gladly blame them for it. The current city that I drive has a rather rough engine, the gearbox at slow city speed is indecisive and the engine just lacks the torque to pull. However, slip in S and keep the engine revving, and it feels rather lively, 4k rpm above I can certainly feel a pulling sensation that just slaps a smile on my face.
Personally looking at this new city, it roughly abandon the slight boy-racer characteristic of the current car and opt for a more family friendly image. The absence of rear disc brakes and CVT are enough reasons that if I have the choice, gladly skip past it and take up the old unit. But for a family car, bigger rear room , top notch safety system, tech refinement (HDMI and Honda link etc) and rear seat vents! keeps the normal joe and his family and I am sure there are many out there that will opt a CVT over a 5-speeder. Along with the new Accord, it’s past it’s teens and into a matured adult, and that’s a pity because what makes the current car unique is the fact that it juggles between sports-sedan wannabe and family cruiser but mastering none if it, the new one leans towards the latter. The fact there’s a cheapskate S variant trying to bite a piece of the Almera and Vios J’s pie while a top spec V, laden enough to stand head-to-head with excellent specs offered by Kia and Peugeot, shows tht HM is very serious to make this a b-segment leader ,meaning the city has to wash its face and accept the market demand.
As much as the Honda boy in me is willing to lie, I find the new vios more attractive in design and a better polish product thou cursed with a woefully disappointing distributor. If by any chance was given that I have to replace my current city E, I would skip the new City V( the ideal city)….
…..because the Vezel is coming at year end.
Ps: is smoked headlamps going to be available as seen in the DrB roadshow? really liven up the city looks.
Can’t believe i hear someone using “sensation” word to describe the City. Well i guess even Kancil owners can say their ride is sensational.
Sensation:perception or awareness of stimuli through the senses. Basically a ‘feeling’ from a singular person, in this case me the driver.
Sensational :(of an event, a person, or a piece of information) causing great public interest and excitement. Basically a mass hysterical reaction, usually in concerts or zombie outbreak.
Two different meaning.
If your initial understanding is that the current city is another boring Japanese beige mobile, you are to some extant wrong. The NVH is terrible, the SOHC engine is rough and the gearshift unrefined. Compared to the comperitively silky powertrain and ride of the Vios, the driving experience of the city is more akin to a B-17 bomber over Germany in 1942 than a first class flight in an Emirates airplane over a clear Pacific Ocean today. It’s definitely livelier.
Because I’ve never felt the monstrous surge of a R35 GTR in launch mode, there’s not much I can compare to, in fact in terms of performance number, the most powerful car I’ve driven is a slightly modified manual persona. These definitely a sensation when accelerating a city in 3rd @ 4k rpm and rising, it’s still a VTEC after all. And yes, there’s definitely a sensation in a kancolle, it weighs only 600+ kilos after all, every thing on the road affects the drivability of the car in that weight.
best among the rest. Dpec and design wise, Easily trash Vios to the river
Always a good detailed review !
good car! dislkie the CVT though… sluggish during pickup…
My City MY 2006 Vtec also uses CVT gearbox and it feel very smooth when drive on the road.
Guess you never realize those overtaking you were on CVT huh?
yea man cant wait
Hi ikan keli….u gonna end up same like ur brother du gong…Honda Bandar is just pinnacle of human motorkereta technologi
At least tak boleh beat Preve, top speed 220kph
Why when there is a Toyota/Honda/Hyundai review, all you Proton lovers come out of the woodwork like hormon-raging teenagers? B-segment compare to Preve, C-segment also compare to Preve. What la, like beria-ia wanna compare. It’s like you guys are compensating for something….
I drive a BLM Saga and of all the purchases I made in my adult life, this piece of shit has to be at the top of the list. Every single accessory had to be changed and thats what is so irritating. The smaller stuff like door handles, glove box handle, emergency light switch malfunction and the worst of it all is the FC. So get out of here with all these Proton comparison nonsense, we click on this page to read about Honda City, not the Preve.
Herm. Why when he compare to preve you marah? But others compare to vios xmarah? Heh. Dont be to emotional bro.
Wow, just wow…read, much?
Please go donate some money for Proton, they need you.
How often can you drive at 220kph within the city?? With all the jam and traffic lights you will be cursing the high FC of your Preve, high maintenance and quality of interior finishings after the 1st year of ownership.
Honestly there are more new Vios on the road in 3 months compared to you Preve of 3 years. Give this Honda City 3 months and its definately more on the road than Preve also.
xhabis2 dengan preve, sorry to say, i have been noticed especially preve owner they keep praising their cars like there is no other car in this world and preve is only the best according to them…..Whatever la
Preve owners syok sendiri and always sing praises and oblivious or ignorant of the flaws in the car.
Its because they were proud of their ”turbocharged” engine.
preve, another epic fail from the epic fail of carmakers.
It is unwise to compare City with Preve my friend
Preve is C-segment car. Vios/City/Almera is B-segment
U need to compare apple to apple bro
I guess this is the true successor to the third-gen 3A2/3A3 Honda City.
Funny. The dash looks more premium than the current Civic dash…
Seems like a disappointing car from the review. It’s funny that the Fit it based on are claimed for great handling that challenge the best of it’s class.
I wish it can get the hybrid powertrain from the new fit, which is a very capable hybrid, it achieved 0-100 under 8 seconds, which is best in class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPryI2SscrY
RIP Toyota Vios
dat off-black city.. dayumm!! but how ironic when traditional 4speeder performs better than those newly build 6 or 7 gears.
btw isit better off to purchase current city with major discounts?
I’m not sure the major discount is still available.
I’m one of the buyer and never regret bout my decision on getting the B class leader at very much lower price eventhough I aware about new City is coming very soon.
Slightly disappointed, but still a good car to buy.
“H City joins the Accord at the top of their respective classes” congratulation honda. hope paultan.org team will review, make comparison with video like previous ”
Driven Web Series Toyota Camry 2.5 vs Honda Accord 2.4 vs Mazda6 2.5″,
might be h city vs n almera vs t vios vs w golf this time.
I don’t know about the Golf, but Honda City vs Toyota Vios vs Nissan Almera sounds good, doesn’t it? What say you guys?
Honda City vs Toyota Vios vs Nissan Almera vs VW Polo Sedan sounds good to me.
Yes please!
Yes you should. PETRONAS can sponsor (again!)and see which car has the best FC.
BTW the econ mode button in the new city got any function arr? Or it just a button to give people confidence that they are saving fuel when they press it?
petronas primax definitely gives great mileage :)
don’t forget the fiesta sedan
Do an Eastern Mega Shootout, then another Western Mega Shootout, like how some motorcycle sites do shootout on bikes in 1000/600/250cc category.
Eastern:
Honda City, Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera, Mitsubishi Attrage/Mirage, Mazda 2, Suzuki Swift, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent (not sure why it’s not on the website but I saw the new one running in Penang a lot).
Western:
VW Polo ckd/cbu, Ford Fiesta, Chevy Sonic, Peugeot 208, Citroen DS3.
Small car mega shootout yeaaaahhh.
Oh..YES Hafriz, go for it. Honda City vs Toyota Vios vs Nissan Almera
ooops, very sorry, not vw golf, new vw Polo 1.6 might be same price range.
but comparison for H City vs Toyota Vios vs Nissan Almera is good enough i think.
A LOT of malaysians would be interested to see that.
Cause that’s what they buy mostly.
Compare to a VW golf is madness, it’s like comparing an immature child to an educated gentleman, which is the golf. Golf is world class, has the best tech, it’s a European car of the year. This is jaguh Malaysia and Thailand perhaps, all because it’s a honda where ppl here perceive it to be the best along Toyota. Do yourself a favor, walk into a VW showroom and drive any of the cars, discard your perception abt resale value and what other ppl say abt conti cars. Then go immediately to drive your dream civic, altis, Camry 2.5 and write back your sincere after thoughts. No comparisons needed. It’s a different class- the golf/ golf gti or even polo TSI.
Why am i not surprised that the CVT is the ‘weak link’ in the new City’s packaging? And the decline of Honda’s interior quality continues, which might not be a huge disappointment if not for the new Vios’ much improved interior quality and feel. A missed chance for Honda, perhaps?
Very well honda.. Looks like we have a b segment winner.. Cheers
Not with the cvt. Why honda city opted back to conventional auto is due to the reliability of the cvt. And now, they decide to switch back to cvt again. Sigh.
Give me a conventional 4 speed or 5 speed auto please. This type of segments where people emphasise on reliability and maintenance, the conventional auto take the cake.
How is the hardness of this City’s bonnet? The current Accord’s bonnet is too soft that when you whip the bonnet with a cloth you can feel the bonnet is bending down and up.
what do you expect when you want maximum space n minimum machine/metal?
whip the car with cloth? who the hell does that?
Sorry. Typo error. Should be “wipe” instead of “whip”. LOL. Seriously the metal is too soft for new Accord’s bonnet. I checked to 8th Gen Accord, Teana, Camry and none of them as soft as this new Accord.
Still prefer the previous Honda City’s back lights… The new one lacks originality….
the pre-facelift one i agree.
Looks damn nice.Vios and almera now in deeeeep trouble.This car and new 3rd gen jazz will defintely sell extremely well.The 3rd gen fit is extremely popular and well received in japan.IN bolehland, malaysians will definitely forever worship the Honda brand. Vtec turbo has kicked in Yo Malaysians!Honda is now on a huge roll compared to their useless high rev piece of monkey crap in the past!
Well Vios is in trouble. Almera is targetted at a different segment of customers IMHO. Almera owners are looking for something with bloody good FC and the space to fit a horse and MOST importantly with the price of kangkung :)
the 7inch screen color looks really bad…
THe rear legroom is huge! Looks more spacious than even D-segment cars. Feels wierd…guess this segment is very competitive. Makes C-segment cars like civic/altis irrelevant.
Nice rear space. I can kongkek my bojan chowkit with so much space behind.
Whoever invented cvt should jus rot in hell… It wil make any car worse.. N dont believe all da hype abt improved fc… U get pissed n iritated using it is not worth the few litres u save… Btw im on vios side.. Looks beter… Dis one has too much chrome at da front like its trying too hard… Curent city does hv a sluggish pickup… Have to whack engine to get a meaningful pickup… N we all kno what hapens to fc when u do that…
Unlile da previous gen, dis one has lot more competition..
Yes it has a CVT, and yes, it loses rear discs.
but then, for the amount of kit in the top end variants, all that safety and tech and the fact its a Honda (it will probably last forever), makes it a steal. Compared to the unsafe and empty Vios, I would gladly have this.
The interior looks nice too. The exterior is not bad, but the one thing I hope they introduce is the Modulo grille, like on the CRV, which replaces the chrome for a honeycomb design. That will look nicer.
front look awkward, vios look much more better overall
Aiya for an Asean built car what else we expect?JDM standard?Just glad the engine is built in Japan..other parts is just a gamble play.Modern days even the renowned Europe marque also got parts from China so dont hope for d sky
Haha I like the last sentence abt Civic, damn agree~!!!
I wonder whether Honda Malaysia will give the same player and air-cond system to the City E or V spec?
“On the quality front, however, it’s not so class-leading. While the Vios cabin makes you feel good, the City’s quality pales in comparison.” “There’s no doubt that the Honda’s interior will face the test of time as well, if not better than the Toyota’s.”
Mixed messages here?
I’ve seen both interiors first hand. The quality and design of Honda’s interiors have traditionally been very good. The Vios interior is definitely a step up from the previous generation. It just looks a bit too plasticky to my eyes. I feel piano-black plastics on the dash will be prone to scratching.
The exterior styling is a serious let down. Looks like a down sized Civic, Honda playing it safe again. The Civic has dated very badly (it was face lifted just 18 months after its debut). Does not fair well for the City.
Having said all that, It will do well.
Hafriz,
i’m assuming this city is using L15a7 engine, am I rite?
any idea regarding service interval (km or month)?
why no one talk about the ride and handling in their comments? lolz!!!
because there isn’t much for these type of cars.
For christ sake, it is just a honda city. You think this r3 super neo beng proton meh ? Where your grandma will complain of backache and her dentures falling off from all the mat sapu korner and jarring ride.
Job well done Honda..Need to see the modulo kits before can make decision. Come on come on bring it on..
Really hate the front grill and the tire rim, it looks ugly to me.
Goodness ….. Gracious…..This Siti is my dream car .
maybe owning a car is ur dream?
Regarding the CVT slow pick up issue, there’s a trick to it.. You’ll noe once u drive a CVT long enough… Can easily smoke the torque converter in pick up… It’s just the art or throttle application.. Is there a paddle shifter or sth??
Using CVT to smoke the torque converter in pick up? Eventually you will end up smoking your own CVT if you keep on doing this
Hi Hafriz.
Any news on the fuel efficiency yet? (mpg or km/l)?
Or is it pretty much equal to the Vios?
Thanks!
For now, we can only compare the official figures.
The Honda City is claimed to average 18.0 km/l, while Toyota says the Vios does 15.8 km/l.
vios is better handling? Noted and thank you mr paul.
In short, the 2014 Honda City is nowhere near as wieldy as the Ford Fiesta, but it’s marginally more capable through the twisty stuff than the Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera and the locally-assembled Volkswagen Polo. On the flipside, those three have slightly better ride comfort than the City, but only just.
Read the text properly, nowhere did Hafriz mention Vios has better handling.
Great neutral write-up. I found it easy to understand. If you think Hafriz’ writing is difficult to understand, you should try to read Mr. Clarkson’s reviews. Now that is mind bending, but very funny to read if you understand his love of exaggerated comparisons and by talking about non related topic in the first half of the article.
Anyways, back to the car. It looks like a winner (even if its not perfect to drive), and thats what matters to Malaysians. Dont think people will buy the City for good handling (which is actually still better than the Vios), rather the space, the reliability, the engine (the VTEC roar is still a nice noise to hear). The Jazz should be the one to get for good handling, but not sure when that is coming. As to who wins in the Vios vs City battle? To me its the consumers who wins regardless of the car. The carmakers are listening to what consumers want, and delivering it. Can you imagine a B segment this size, or with many airbags 10 years ago?
thank you mr hafriz. as a driver, i am not attached to one brand of car manufacturer. if it good, its good. if it not good, its no good..appreciate your view on that.
After seeing this, i definitely i’m going to CITY cause VIOS exterior really mades me =.=”
Do we get a choice of a manual gearbox to go with the sweet engine of this City? I suppose not since you didn’t mention it. But you did say that they are going to match down to the lowest specs of Almera/Vios, so would that include a MT as well?
I am curious , do the CVT come with manual mode like the CRZ ?
im selling my civic fb for this city..i love gadget, but not korean pliss
One more week to go,and we will officially know Malaysia specs and price,and of cause,have a chance to test drive this great effort putting car!
honda city is a nice car, good engine , low maintain fees car.
use campro engine is better
Hi Hafriz! I wanted to ask whether the engine of the new city is a carry-over frommthe previous one or it is a new engine?
I agreed with AVH, the SOHC engine is rough, which I also felt it on my 2014 accord 2.0 if I compared to my previous FD2 DOHC engine. I guess I am lucky to get the 5 speed instead of CVT, it might be even sluggish compare to 5 speed on low speed.
woah looking kool, but wait, is using torsion beam? or multilink? the spec is on-par with my 3 years old 2.0 forte, especially have extra like rear air-cond n econ mode as well! wondering if auto-wiper& headlamp, electric seat,hill-start assist,leather seat available for the highest spec! if YES! toyota no need sell car dy, go pasar malam sell badge la!
was about to book this car until I noticed no rear disc brake for this car.
Plain stingy honda!
Therefore plan canceled.
Hafriz koya! sama dengan abang dia Faisal! konon power english
Sorry, but we’re not related, buddy :)
Vios J still is the best!
Nasib tak angkat Vios hujung tahun lepas, kena pakai topeng kalau keluar rumah.
Tak nak P1 lagi, dah hampir 11 tahun ku kena seksa pandu besi buruk tu (Wira LE aeroback).. Ini kalilah saya memiliki Honda pertama ku…
Janji jgn lebih RM100K, V spec tetap pilihan ku…
YEah
Hopefully honda will update their service menu as nissan do. this is the link of nissan almera sevice menu :
http://www.tceas.com/almera.html
this is current honda city service menu. for 10k interval service (after warranty), the cost of engine oil only around rm273. http://honda.com.my/service_maintenance/maintenance/31
I am sorry but based on my expereince, all city service are at least rm120 … the table is not accurate.
Just to share this with you …
A)my 2006 city vtec was serviced by honda SC only followed by the schedule but last year the SC reported to me CVT gearbox is in bad condition and replacement cost RM27,000.
B) My sister-in-law’s 2007 idsi city replaced cvt gearbox in 2010. Luckily it is still under warranty.
c) I am not vios/almera salesman.
Do u intervally change the CVT gear oil with CVTF in 20KM?
Can rebadge the previous version as Proton ar? Please~
Looks are much better than toyota but fuel efficiency i still think toyota has the slight edge
so it’s gonna be a big versus again. like the ps4 vs xbox one. s4 n ip5s, n so many other things too. the vios and the city have their own advantages. vios is much more to the comfort of driving i guess, n city is more to have safer ride and more gadgets. am i right? both car have good fc, based on their performance before this. just go where u guys think it’s worth your money to spend on. for me, i’ll choose the honda city, coz i wish to have my family in a safer ride. it’s your own to decide what’s best for u.
With the launch of new City, Vios and Corolla, my yard is packed till 8pm every night.
KIA owners are still turned away.
Only Hyundai owners are allowed in.
I am working on VW now, coz many are selling because of the nightmare on DSG
You turned away KIA customers? Wow.. what an Excellent customer service.
Dont u guys read to understand??….The ending..”In short, the 2014 Honda City is nowhere near as wieldy as the Ford Fiesta, but it’s marginally more capable through the twisty stuff than the Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera and the locally-assembled Volkswagen Polo. On the flipside, those three have slightly better ride comfort than the City, but only just”.
So…. the reliability of the new Honda City has yet to be proven. How now? Vios or City?
IMHO two things let me down from this new city
(1) CVT gear box
(2) Servicing Schedule every 5000 km or every 3 months
maybe honda should learn from proton that got iafm for saga sv cvt and supercharger/turbo for preve, suprima s and exora for their cvt engine.
berapa duit sih nih harganya honda siti? :D
Hafriz Shah, I remember the first gen of Vios is very much of on the comfort side in terms of ride and handling. How does this new city suspension and body roll compared to that Vios? The cerato was also very much on the comfort side in my opinion. but it wins your heart over the civic and focus right. ;)
Hi Hafriz,
Could you tell me what is the advantages and disadvantages of the SOHC and the DOHC engines?Even both of them have equal horse power and torque, such like the engines of Civic FB and this new CT. Thanks n cheer.
I saw the car today and also the new Altis & Vios yesterday, Comments 1 to 5 stars:
New City
1) Front: 3 stars(alike previous model)
2) Rear: 4 stars
3) Dashboard design: 5 stars(I like it, above B-segment design)
4) Interior quality: 4 stars(above B-segment quality)
New Vios
1) Front: 4 stars(sporty)
2) Rear: 3 stars
3) Dashboard design: 4 stars (nicer than previous model)
4) Interior quality: 3 stars (so so)
Altis
1) Front: 4 stars
2) Rear: 3 stars
3) Dashboard design: 3 stars(i prefer previous design)
4) Interior quality: 2.5 stars(quality like B-segment car)
Looks like the new City launch has been delayed from the initial date of 13th March. No news on when is the new expected launch date
Yup its been confirmed by Honda SA. Booked a test drive on the 13th March but its been officially delayed. Not sure when is the official launch now.
i’ve been informed my 1 of the manager the delay was cause by the Custom Department. they rejected Honda application because Honda declared this model using 1496cc engine but the real cc was 1502. huge different with the custom tax. estimated launching by end of this month & 1st batch delivery to buyers by mid April.
but nothing can beat campro cfe.
Campro CFE is not the strongest in the 1.4~1.6l turbo range.
Lowest range VW 1.4l TSI matches CFE in hp but beats it with much higher torque (250nm vs 205nm)
The rest like peugeot 408 1.6l turbo easily beats it with higher hp (163hp vs 140hp) and torque (240nm vs 205nm)
still waiting 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC (132PS/155Nm) just like the Fit in Japan.
Resale Value = before i want to buy it think if i want to sell it already……..:)
great, this car is exciting in looks plus more equipped. honda well balance machine theories were applied. wonder ancap rating for this asean build city? 5. this car will receive huge buyers.
Toyota is now entirely trading on resale value. The Vios has the same powertrain it did when it was launched. Their interior quality is quite awful, the Altis still has the incredibly cheap digital clock from 1994. The Camry is just embarrassing.
Honda has also really lost the plot, especially on interiors. They look and feel cheap.
I was however pleasantly surprised at the build quality of the lowly Polo which put the C-segmenters to shame. Now only if they would un**ck their servicing…..
pity honda for its continuous conventional style-both interior and exterior. Honda freed too is a jerk. the front interior is pale and unmatched, what is good having VSC without rear discs! that is a very basic guys-wayang kulit to those tipah tertipu..and yet pity the alloy which i call ‘air cap badak logo’..very2 ancient design.
70% of braking is done by the front brakes alone so a rear disc brake might account for a slight difference in performance compared to drum brakes for that remaining 30% of brake power. Having drums or disc brakes does not affect the VSC system. Almera and Vios J, E spec also use rear drums why you no complain??
People keep saying RV and RV over over again. Are you saying you want to sell the car every year? today got loan financing for 9 years and next year selling it?. I wanna see if every people buying Toyota would change their vios every year because OF THE RV.
I saw it on the road. It looks narrow and high!
The Vios is ugly but this is uglier!
Are designers sleeping on the job?
Externally hideous than the previous ones. Honda sure is experiencing the dark hour in design tho, just like nissan and toyota.