Honda Cars Philippines is back on the right track, launching the 2012 City last night in Makati. The new City is a facelifted model of the car that was launched in 2009.
The expected cosmetic upgrades are present: chromed grille and new bumpers which are wider and “more masculine” according to Honda. The rear bumpers now have a aero-type diffuser, too. The taillights now feature white inserts which also liven up the rear. The City was a good-looking car to begin with, and the new details help sharpen up its looks.
Inside, the City gets new gauges, now lit in cool shades of blue and white. Apart from the instantaneous fuel economy reading, there’s an Eco indicator in the gauge cluster, similar to the Honda Accord’s and that on some Hyundais. The Eco indicator is meant to alert drivers and motivate them to drive more fuel efficiently. There’s some chrome trim on the center console as well. Also new are steering-wheel mounted audio controls. USB and auxiliary jacks are available for the audio system.
Starting with generation two, the City has always been the roomiest in its class. The trunk is still the enormous luggage-swallowing cavern.
Under the hood are the trusty, buttery, super-compact iVTEC engines. The 1.3 liter puts out an estimated 100 hp and 127 Nm. The 1.5 dishes as estimated 119 hp and 145 Nm. The 1.3 comes with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic, while the 1.5 is mated to the automatic. The 1.5 comes with paddle shifters as well. If the previous City is anything to go by (and why shouldn’t it), fuel economy should be near double-digits in km/liter, and at the top of the B-segment.
City still rides on a McPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear. The previous car had a good mix of ride comfort and responsive handling, and so should this car. The 1.5 variant gets new five-spoke split-spoke alloy wheels. ABS and EBD are standard on all models. Dual airbags are also standard across the model range.
The City remains proudly Philippine-assembled, at Honda’s world-class Sta. Rosa, Laguna, factory. After short supply of units due to the Thailand floods which disrupted parts availability, Honda is set to bounce back on the heels of the City launch.
The new City retails for Php 746,000 for the 1.3 S MT; Php 786,000 for the 1.3 S AT; and Php 836,000 for the 1.5 E AT.
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