After unveiling a futuristic-looking modified example at the Sydney Motor Show in October last year, Honda released its all-new Honda City small car into the Australian market this week.
The City badge first saw service in a number of Asian countries back in 1996, and over one million units have been sold since. Now, with the release of a new generation model and the trend towards smaller, lighter cars, Honda has seen fit to bring the City to our fair shores.
Two models will be offered: the VTi and the VTi-L.
Both models are powered by the same 1.5 litre SOHC i-VTEC engine found in the Jazz VTi and VTi-S, offering an identical 88kW (117hp) and 145Nm (106lb-ft) of torque. The city achieves a fuel economy of 6.3 l/100km on the combined cycle.
Both variants are available with either a five-speed manual, or Honda’s new five-speed automatic transmission.
Equipped with power windows and mirrors, central locking and an iPod-ready single in-dash CD stereo, the VTi sets a new standard for entry-level models. Also standard are ABS brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, dual front, side and curtain airbags and front seatbelt pre-tensioners.
The VTi-L gains tilt and telescopic steering, 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles, fog lights, premium trim, and a leather steering wheel.
The City shares much of its components with the Jazz - being essentially a sedan version of the popular hatch – and has employed the same MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension layout as that found in the Jazz.
Honda says this setup offers maximum packaging efficiency, providing high overall ride-quality, sure-footed handling and agility. This layout offers a five metre turning circle, and electric power steering is standard on both models.
Young tuning enthusiasts will likely find the City as appealing as the Jazz has proven to be.
The Honda City can comfortably accommodate five adults in comfort, and offers a larger boot capacity (506 litres) than the Accord (450 litres) and Accord Euro (467 litres).
The Honda City is available now.
Recommended Retail Pricing:
| City VTi Manual | $20,490 |
| City VTi Auto | $22,790 |
| City VTi-L Manual | $22,990 |
| City VTi-L Auto | $25,290 |
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Is the city replacing the Civic?
I remember on a trip to Dubai in 2007, the Honda City (then) looked identical to our recent Civic models..
Nice car though!
Not at all! The City is more or less the same size as the Jazz, so it’s actually quite small. If anything, I guess you could say the Jazz and the City are now the hatch and sedan equivalents of the EG and EK Civic hatch and sedan, haha. The current Civic is quite a bit larger and is here to stay.
Really the only reason the Jazz and City exist at all in our market is because the Civic outgrew its small car heritage, and something needed to be introduced to fill the new gap.
Not a bad looking little car.
Wasn’t there a Honda City in the 80’s/90’s? City PRO T I seem to remember or was it a grey import?
Vehicle Stability Control?????
Don’t be silly!!! This is Honda we’re talking about! They are so lacking in bringing in VSC/ESP/ASC etc it’s ludicrous!
You only need ESP on a car if the mechanical engineers are so bad at setting up a chassis that they need the electronics whizzes to make up for their shortfalls.
Hondas always default to the safe-as-houses understeer, so there’s no need for it.
Yep, the City badge sure was seen way before 1996
This car is 7 shades of boredom. But people will still flock and buy them for the badge.
^^ typical response from a Honda driver.
If I recall correctly, Charlie rolls in a highly-tuned 350Z.
Do you know if i could get the customized lights as shown in the Motor show?
YOU’LL BE MINE ! BABY!
Its a very nice car! Bet that you’ll see more of this car everywhere when it comes out. Good pricing too, reckon they should have type r too that’d be awesome