The Honda City has also been the definitive benchmark of the Indian mid-size sedan segment characterized by its quality, reliability and performance. Now with the unveiling of the new fourth generation model, the City has given all its competitors even more to worry about. And this is even before the production version of the car is ready for testing!
The new 2014 Honda City is 25mm longer and 25mm taller than the third generation model while the wheelbase has been stretched by 50mm. And while the width of the car remains the same as the earlier model it has to be said that thanks to clever engineering, the cabin sure does feel wider. The increase in the wheelbase has translated directly into a significant increase in rear legroom and knee room. The increase in the height of the car has given the new City ample headroom despite the sloping rear roofline and there is plenty of shoulder space for three passengers in the rear bench.
Quality of materials used in the cabin are good and the interiors feel well built. The new Honda City also packs in new equipment such as a new infotainment system featuring AUX, USB and Bluetooth connectivity and is hooked to eight speakers, steering mounted audio and cruise control buttons, segment first touch sensitive air conditioning controls, rear air vents and push button start stood out on the cars that were showcased.
When it goes on sale in January 2014, the new Honda City will be offered with a choice of the famed 1.5 litre i-VTEC petrol engine and the award winning 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel engine. The diesel engine will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the combination should give the new diesel City outstanding fuel efficiency. Without further ado lets take a look at how various contenders in the mid-size sedan segment stack up against the fourth generation Honda City.
New Honda City v/s Hyundai Verna
The Hyundai Verna is the current undisputed king of the mid-size sedan segment thanks to its fluidic exterior design theme that find favour with Indian buyers and quality interiors. The Verna’s lengthy equipment list that includes projector headlamps, automatic climate control, 2-din audio system with USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted audio controls, driver information system, sliding front arm rest, height adjustable seat belts, cooled glovebox, auto dimming interior rear view mirror, electric ORVMs, engine start/stop button, rear view camera and rear parking sensors definitely gives the car an edge over its rivals. Safety features aboard the Hyundai Verna include airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, impact beams and crumple zones.
Another ace up the Verna’s sleeve is that it is available in 10 variants with engine options ranging from 1.4 litre petrol and diesel engines to 1.6 litre petrol and diesel engines. The Verna also happens to be the only car in its segment to offer an automatic diesel variant while a petrol automatic model is also on offer. Manual gearboxes for the Verna include a five-speed box for the petrol model and a six-speed unit for the diesel models. The autoboxes are four-speed units with tiptronic function.
Prices for the Hyundai Verna range between Rs 7.38 lakh for the base 1.4 litre petrol variant to Rs 11.57 for the top-end 1.6 litre diesel automatic variant lakh ex-showroom Delhi.
New Honda City v/s Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid
The German Volkswagen Vento and rebaged Skoda Rapid are extremely well built and the Vento with its subtle and sleek sedan design cues is quite the eye catcher. The interiors are extremely well built and quality of materials are top notch. Over the years, Volkswagen has updated the interiors of the Vento and the current top-of-the-line Highline trim packs in a double-din stereo with USB, AUX, SD card and Bluetooth connectivity, climate control, steering mounted audio controls, adjustable arm rest, plenty of cubby holes, electric ORVMs, rear air vents, one touch front passenger seat stow function and anti pinch power windows all around. Safety features include airbags, anti-lock brakes, impact beams and crumple zones.
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