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2017 Honda City Review – First Drive Report

2017 Honda City Review

We tested the 2017 Honda City facelift to find out what it has to offer, here is our review.

Honda City is one of the oldest nameplates in India that helped Honda make inroads into the Indian market. With a life cycle spanning over 18 years, the sedan is undoubtedly one of the best in the segment and continues to enjoy enormous popularity even today.

The constant demand for the sedan is largely because of frequent updates to keep it abreast of rivals. In line with its strategy to keep the product fresh, Honda recently rolled-out 2017 facelift version of City sedan and we tested the model to find out what it has to offer, here is our review.

2017 Honda City Review – Video

Design Review

The current model is akin to its pre-facelift version in terms of proportions and layout. Honda has added new design elements inspired from global Civic model that gives City a new front look. Aggressive bumper, honeycomb grille, sleeker chrome bar, in-line LED headlamps, LED fog lamps and LED DRLs altogether bring about a change to the front profile. Rear too gets LED elements in tail-lamps and trunk lid spoiler. View from the side is largely unchanged save for the new diamond cut alloy wheels. Picture Gallery – New Honda City Facelift Explained In 6 Quick Points

Interior Review

As you step inside the cabin, the first thing you notice is the new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit which Honda refers as Digipad. Relatively larger from the previous 5-inch screen, the Digipad is easy to read and operate. Additionally, it supports WiFi, Mirror Link and Navigation system, though the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are missing.

2017 Honda City Interior Review

Insides are more upmarket thanks to the soft touch material used on the front passenger dashboard (segment first) and other bits. Most of the elements such as dual tone dashboard, tilt/telescopic steering wheel and leather seats have been retained from the predecessor. Safety features such as the dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX Child seats are standard across carline. Comparison – New 2017 Honda City Vs Old Honda City – Key Differences

Performance Review

Mechanically, the Honda City retains the same 1.5-litre i-VETC petrol engine with five-speed manual and CVT options. Similarly, the 1.5-litre i-DTEC oil burner with five-speed manual gearbox continues to power the diesel version. This implicates superficial change in the performance, albeit Honda claims to have reworked the NVH levels. As we drove the car we could feel the change, but there is still some room for improvement. The road grip is better, accredit the new 16-inch tyres and the cabin insulation has also improved, albeit it could be better.

2017 Honda City Performance Review

Low end power delivery on the diesel version is one of the finest in the segment that makes it suitable for city conditions. The peak torque for the diesel engine is recorded around 1800rpm, but it still does not offer any turbo lag, which prevents from shifting gear abruptly amid heavy traffic or in city driving. The mid-range is impressive, but high speeds could still be better. On highways, it could be out-driven by other models in the segment. Braking performance is progressive even when you apply brakes abruptly.

2017 Honda City Design Review

Verdict

On the whole the new design elements on the Honda City facelift make it sportier in visual terms and the addition of new tech inside the cabin ups the premium quotient. These changes make the sedan more desirable than the preceding model. While Honda claims to have reworked the NVH levels we still feel there is a room for improvement there. Overall, the new facelift version is sportier, more upmarket and well-equipped with standard dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seats.

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