Honda City 2009 Review.
I was having Maruti Esteem before I switched to Honda City. Esteem was loaded with almost all features, like power window, power steering, power brake etc. Another great advantage of Esteem was a powerful engine which gives superb response to acceleration. Since I have driven a sedan, I was in no mode to buy a hatchback or coupe. The boot space does matter the most when you take a long trip. This I have experienced on my drive from Bombay [Mumbai] to Bangaluru [Bangalore]. We were driving Maruti Zen.
The car that was been preferred was a Suzuki SX4 on top priority. Others in the list were Mitsubishi Lancer, Fiat Linea, and Ford Fiesta etc. Also we have got Mahindra Logan, Tata Indigo, Mahindra Xylo etc.
My hit list was SX4 , as I was in love with its design, ground clearance , extra large service line of Maruti. I was unaware that Fiat has introduced Linea , since I was out of base . Linea has impressed a lot of people & my parents . The main reason , the outstanding styling & features.I initially denied of going with FIAT because of the knowledge of FIATs degraded car sales & a pathetic service line. But Linea was a break through in FIATs line as it has sold 1000+ Lineas, which is the largest number in FIATs Indian Chapter. I hope some might have died of heart attack J .
But finally I give up to the pressure and got in love with its design . However I was not at all impressed with its back body styling. It resembled a much older design , used by Nissan Sunny. Second most problem was the 1.3Litre engine . The car had a considerable amount of weight compared to others in this segment. And a 1.3L engine gives a get lost [roar] in first and second gears. This cannot be an issue for people who want to go slow .Slow doesn’t means that you will be able to go in 40kmph. The main issue is in 1st & 2nd gears. Then you can roll it well. But that is also an issue. However no car can be perfect for a customer , he wants more J . So we went for it .
However after making the booking , unfortunately the AC factor started to bother us. So finally the tests were done at different showrooms to confirm. Because once you put the money, you cannot change it. The tests was pathetic . Even after switching on the AC [Full throttle] in showroom and keep it On for 10-15minutes , the AC was not able to cool the car . And you have to remember that Linea got a rear AC vent. We were surprised with the results. Finally we cancelled booking taking into consideration real factor AC + Powerless Enginee & thought of its service history.
Again we zeroed in on Suzuki SX4, an international design and the hatchback which is well appreciated. I was very happy as I again come back to SX4. But I was also sad about loosing Linea , because we have booked it. The only issue what mattered in SX4 was its sales number itself .And in Indian roads SX4s are very rare, even though they had an aggressive advertisement. And finally after hearing reviews we had to change mind. Even though AC was powerful one, the mileage and engine was bothering.
But then come the all new Honda city. Even though, we never thought of buying it, we finally bought it. There was no other option other than going for it ,with the experience and reviews. Honda will be such a vehicle where you cannot find a single review where there were major complaints. And the test drives , assessment were good. AC, a powerful engine , all new design, wider & lengthier, new back lights. Finally Honda City 2009 was given a thumbs up .
Specifications
Review
Engine : Engine being Honda legendary i-vtec technology is very fuel efficient as well as power generator. Now why is this so special. When the engine gets bigger the mileage gets decreasing. However Honda Engineers ensured that this proportion can be made wrong. This 1.5L engine gives a 16.1 KmpL in Highway and more. And while driving through city or climbing mountains , it gives a fascinating 12.0 KmpL .
BootSpace : Boot Space has got increased with Honda engineers ensuring that no corner / joints will be a hurdle. The most complex corners and edges were redesigned / altered to allow more space.
Lighting : Lighting got smarter with headlight adjustments and the all new backlight design. This is very much similar to BMW Styling and Lancer Styling done in Middle East.
Ground Clearance: Now here comes the alarming factor.
Body : The interiors got more & more refined. More than that the material used is of good quality. The spaces are utilized well to provide more sockets .
Mileage : The major edge factor. Mileage is above average you can expect from a bigger sedan like city. Its 14.6kmpl as per company records but you will get even more than that, with some touching 16-18kmpl.
Speed :Speed is fine at each gear . Refined at each gear . I have reached a maximum of 180kmph .
Accelaration : With Hondas engine , you can provide enough thrust in each gear , no matter first or fifth. A proven accelerator.
Turning Radius: The turning radius is good , but have to increase a bit
Comfort : Honda City is more than a drivers can , providing enough safety , comfort & control to driver. Seat adjustments, Lighting, wipers, the coin box, the hand holder, steering adjustments and abs all gives driver customize his driving..
Safety :The SRS airbag which is placed for the passengers in front coupled with the impact frame provides excellent safety features . More than that Hondas frame is designed to reduce the injuries to the pedestrian by absorbing the impact and crashing the hit side. This will act as a cushion effect. Hondas safety is intended for people inside the car as well as people outside.
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