Ford Fiesta 1.6 vs Honda City ZX VTEC

Look at me

When the new Honda City was launched, back in 2003, the styling did not win immediate acceptance. Honda were criticised, in some quarters, of building a car that looked like it was inspired by the Tata Indigo. Words like ungainly and bulbous were bandied about in the press. And yet, it my opinion, the new Honda City immediately made everything else on the street, look dated. It may be that you'd take some time to get used to the way it looked, but it was almost as if Honda had taken one of their show cars from the Tokyo Motor Show and put it on the streets. The City looked radical, refreshing and ultra-chic back in 2003 and despite being three years old now, the design still looks very up-to-date, very contemporary. With mildly re-worked front and rear bumpers, new front grille and snazzier tail lamps, the new City VTEC is the automotive equivalent of an Ermenegildo Zegna suit - cutting edge, non-conformist, very here and now. But like with the Fiesta, the City's relatively small looking 14-inch wheels let it down - 15-inch wheels would look so much better, and 16-inchers on the options list would be even better. On really bad roads, ride comfort might suffer with the bigger wheels (and the accompanying lower profile rubber which you would have to fit...), but if you're spending so much money on a car, you'd want it to look good, right?

'THE NEW CITY VTEC IS THE AUTOMOTIVE EQUIVALENT OF AN ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA SUIT - CUTTING EDGE, NON-CONFORMIST, VERY HERE AND NOW'

Coming to the Fiesta, it's a brand-new car that doesn't really look like one. Since there is no other way to put this, I'll say it right up front - the Fiesta's styling is a bit of a disappointment. There's no flair here, no interesting little bits that'll make you sit up and take notice. It's not like the Fiesta is a bad looking car - it's just that it's not remarkable enough. If only Ford had transplanted some of the Iosis' design flair onto the Fiesta, things would have been much better in the looks department. That said, the Fiesta won't offend any sensibilities. If a clean, uncluttered and sanitised family sedan - one that conforms to everybody's idea of what a three-box family sedan should be - is what you're looking at, you can't go wrong with the Fiesta. If the City VTEC shouts Ermenegildo Zegna couture, the more subdued Fiesta is J. Press tailoring - it won't make you stand out for either the right or the wrong reasons. Cuts both ways, you see.

The inside story

The City's cabin has been designed to maximize space and there really is oodles of it inside. Though I don't often take the back seat, it really is a remarkable place to be in the City VTEC - plush and comfortable, loads of legroom and headroom. It isn't perfect though. On the highway, at medium to high speeds, there is a slight amount of wind noise inside the City's cabin - and that can intrude on your peace and quiet. Apart from that, there is nothing to not like it. Simple, ergonomic controls, uncluttered dashboard layout, an adjustable steering wheel, easy to read instruments - nothing extraordinarily outstanding, but everything that's needed to make everyday life with this car as hassle-free as possible. The beige/grey colour scheme looks okay (though I would personally prefer a more understated grey/black job...) and the twin glove boxes are a nice touch.

In the interiors department, the Fiesta is noticeably better than, say, an Ikon or an old Honda City. It's a no-frills, workmanlike, beige/black interior - one that should work quite well for most people. Front seats are comfortable (though could do with a bit more side support) and have a range of possible adjustments and the steering wheel can be adjusted - which should let most people find a driving position that they are happy with. Rear seat legroom is not in the City's league. In fact, the Fiesta's cabin feels nowhere as spacious as the City's, which is a bit of a surprise given that both cars have somewhat similar dimensions. Four can travel in reasonable comfort, but adding a fifth passenger in the Fiesta's back seat makes for a tight squeeze - if you absolutely have to carry five people in your car, the City VTEC is a (slightly) better bet.

Source: Car India March 2006.