City S/MT CNG user review

Exterior

The styling is sleek, the overall stance of the car is very macho. Looks better than any other sedan of its class. Honda (showroom) offers upgrades for the front grille (modified grille for about 11k) and headlamps (HID projectors, for about 28k), both of which make the car look even more awesome. If you are on a budget and want an awesome car then get a lower end variant (which still has all the basic features like ABS/EBD, airbags, G-CON, etc) and spend the money saved on these upgrades - you will not be disappointed!

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

There must be a reason why Honda is offering even the lowest end variant with all the essential features like ABD/EBD, airbags, G-CON (vehicle stability control), ECO indicator which shows when you are getting the best mileage, plus a real-time mileage indicator and so on (I guess its the diesel version planned for 2014...). In all very value for money stuff. The S variant has everything one would want - music system (sans CD, of course!), all 4 speakers, electrically adjustable ORVMs, adjustable steering, height adjustable driver seat, arm-rest, cup holders and so on and so forth. Full marks to Honda on that.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

Engine is powerful, overtaking is a breeze. Mated with the 5-speed gear box that is precise and slick makes it very easy to drive. Vehicle has in-built stability control - though I haven't had a chance to see it in action yet as I mostly drive below 70 kmph. Fuel economy is one area which I found scary and one literally has to drive it very carefully to get any mileage from it. It really is better for sports where mileage and or money are no object. Still I managed to squeeze out 12-12.5 kmpl within city with 90% AC usage. In CNG mode too the sense of power loss is minimal, and till date I have managed to get about 20-24 km/kg of mileage out of it by careful driving. In all mileage is not bad if you are a sedate driver. Any aggression and its bye-bye to mileage.

Ride Quality & Handling

Again, nothing bad in particular, though the CNG version does have some problems with the suspension bottoming out. This is most evident prior to CNG fitment due to the raised suspension and the rear wheels make a HUGE thud whenever going over potholes even at crawling speeds. One has to be very careful about this till the kit is fitted. After the fitting things are almost back to normal, but I guess there is still some care to be taken in terms of speed while going over potholes.

Final Words

A very value for money car - at least as far as being feature-rich goes. Yes, with the petrol cost of today, the City might seem expensive to own, but the CNG version will start saving money after about 2-2.5 years of ownership. The City CNG is the best option for those who have more than 800 kms monthly driving which is mostly within city limits. I am already feeling happy these days while driving out of the pump!

Areas of improvement  

Well, not much here. Mileage was 10-12 kmpl when new. Now it has improved to between 15-19 kmpl within city, but that is mostly because I drive in off-peak hours.

 

Good style, excellent driving experience, plus Honda brand namePetrol engine, though refined and powerful, also has good mileage if driven properly