cars and bikes

What you are looking at are the first official pictures of the stunning new Honda City. Autocar had carried an artist’s impression of the car in our July issue and we are happy to tell you that the car is just as attractive. Honda’s intention of appealing to a younger, more youthful car buyer is clear as the car is full of exciting and aggressive details. The profile of the car utilises the same sweeping lines as those used on the new Civic, but the interpretation of the front grille is very modern and aggressive. There is a strong V motif to the nose of the car, the grille and tapering headlights form a single unit and the beltline rises up towards the rear. The new City is 5mm longer than the current model at 4395mm (L), 1695mm (W), 1470mm(H). The car’s stance however is sportier than the current City as it is lower and slightly wider. You can also expect greater agility from the new chassis and this should come as a welcome change from the current car that doesn’t appeal to enthusiasts the way the original City did. The New City may be based on the Jazz supermini platform (code 2AP), but the car looks nothing like it. What will be similar is the running gear and the engines. A 1.3 and 1.5 motor are expected for India, with the motors slightly detuned. Still power is expected to be 100 and 118bhp. Both motors use Honda’s four valves per cylinder i-VTEC system, and they feature many hi-tech bits and new-age materials. The interiors are typically Honda in some ways, but not in others, the Civic-type steering wheel is an instant giveaway. The steering-mounted controls on this City however are not likely to be included on the car in India; the Civic and the Accord will have to be provided this feature first. There is however none of the visual drama of the Civic’s virtual Heads Up Display. The conventional but attractive orange-on- black dials look sporty though and the silver central console looks attractive. While the rear seats are placed higher than the ones at the front, it remains to be seen if Honda can maintain the comfortable rear seating position of the current City.