The Styling

Styling is definitely one of the City’s strong suits. It might look a bit out of proportion with its short snout and truncated tail, but it certainly possesses that trademark Honda flair. The lines are sharp, the wheel arches strong and that shield-like grille a bold accent on what is otherwise a conventionally handsome car.

The VTi-L we tested came with a set of attractive sixteen-inch alloys (the VTi gets 15-inch steelies), a chrome exhaust tip, chrome door handles and a pair of foglights in the front bumper, but for the most part there’s little else to differentiate the base model from the range-topper.

In profile, the City looks pretty similar to its bigger brother, the Civic – and that’s no bad thing. It does, however, stand taller than the Civic at 1470mm, while it’s 14cm shorter at 4410mm.

The interior is head and shoulders above much of the competition, with the sharp lines and well-defined forms of the exterior reflected in the cabin styling. The VTi-L gets alloy-look trim too, and the whole lot feels solid as a rock.

But with all that black cloth and black plastic, it’s a little dark in there. You’d better get used to it though, for black is the only colour choice for interior trim.

The Drive

Hop behind the tiller, and first impressions are positive. The leather-wrapped steering wheel of our VTi-L tester felt great, and its oval cross-section made it a pleasure to hold.

The driving position, on the other hand, felt a little too high. The seat squab doesn’t seem to lower very far before it hits the stops, and with the City already being relatively tall you do tend to feel perched atop the seat. Some may view that as a positive attribute however, for it does afford a good view of the surrounding traffic.

Start the engine, slide the selector into ‘D’ and pull away and the City feels good. It’s not the most refined ride out there – you can thank the rather agricultural torsion beam rear suspension for that – but it is perfectly adequate for the average A-to-B motorist. Suspension movements are well damped and the cabin is well insulated from clunks and thunks, while at speed wind noise isn’t noticeably intrusive.

The gearbox does feature a very defined transition between ratios, but aside from not sounding like your typical slushbox it functions perfectly.

It steers well, is a competent handler and doesn’t bite you in the arse when you’re giving it more stick than you should, but for the most part the City offers a rather benign driving experience. That’s not a bad thing, mind you, for this car will be bought by people who will view the City as being nothing more than solid, reliable transport.

Try to do your best Mark Skaife impression, however, and the standard ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and braking assist is your only electronic line of defence. Stability control and traction control are conspicuously absent from the City’s spec sheet, which is puzzling considering its relatively high price point.

Fuel economy is good, which is unsurprising for a 1.5-litre engine pulling a 1145kg body. Honda says it’ll return 6.6l/100km on the combined cycle but our tester recorded 7.8. However, given I live in a fairly hilly part of town that was to be expected.

At highway speeds consumption drops to a miserly 5.3l/100km, although if you find yourself needing to overtake the occasional road train that’ll jump markedly. That little engine needs to be revved hard to make any real progress, and it sounds strained when doing so.

“With a pair of perfectly adequate Korean rivals costing less and the excellent Mitsubishi Lancer just a few green notes pricier, how can the City justify its existence?”

The Lowdown

It’s expensive, yes. It’s got a small engine, yes. Is it worth a look-in? Yes. New car buyers seeking to downsize from something larger would be well advised to give the Honda City a looksee. It may be small, but it makes incredibly efficient use of its footprint. The boot is huge, the cabin more than adequate for carting around four – or even five – adults, and it’s comfortable to drive.

It looks nice, boasts that typical Honda quality and it feels robust, plus there’s a good amount of standard kit on offer.

The lack of stability control and traction control may be a deal breaker for some, but there is some comfort in the knowledge that the City boasts front passenger, driver and side airbags as well as curtain airbags as standard, plus a tungsten-tough passenger safety cell.

It’s good, honest motoring, but with a premium edge and a pricetag to match. It might seem a little on the expensive side compared with its competition, but the old adage rings true: you certainly get what you pay for with the City.

Tony’s big statement

“Looking for a small new car but prefer something a little more ‘premium’ than the usual offerings? The 2009 Honda City VTi-L could very well be what you’re looking for.

It’s smooth, feels solid and is a properly practical small sedan – perhaps even more so than the Civic. Its electronic safety suite may be lacking a few acronyms, but the City offers up such a predictable drive you’re unlikely to ever need them.”

Tony Likes

Enormous boot, snazzy styling, smooth engine, good gearbox, high-quality interior.

Tony Dislikes

Lack of stability control and traction control, engine needs to be revved hard to make real progress, seating position too high.

GALLERY » 2009 Honda City Review

Specifications

Engine	SOHC i-VTEC inline 4-cylinder
Displacement	1.5 litre – 1497 cc
Maximum Power	88kW @ 6600 rpm
Maximum Torque	145Nm @ 4800 rpm
Compression ratio	10.4
Bore x stroke (mm)	73 x 89.4
Emission standard	Euro 4
CO2 emissions (g/km)	Manual – 148g/km Automatic (tested) – 156g/km
Transmission	Manual – 5-speed Automatic - 5-speed with Grade Logic Control
Fuel Capacity	42 litres
Fuel system	Honda Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)
Fuel Economy (l/100km)	Combined – Manual 6.3, Auto – 6.6
Wheels & tyres	15×5.5 / 175/65 R15
Brakes	Front: ventilated disc Rear: solid disc
Suspension	Front: MacPherson strut Rear: Torsion beam
Kerb weight	Manual – 1110kg Automatic – 1145kg
Boot capacity	506 litres