Ever since its launch in Pakistan, the City has established its place as a budget-friendly sedan for individuals. Embracing the practicality of everyday living with the fashionable aesthetics of new-age styling, the City has become a popular choice for people who want good value for money without compromising on the premium driving experience.
Among all contenders in the current compact sedan segment of Pakistan, City remains a popular choice among the buyers owing to its tried and tested formula of simplicity and reliability and the fact that it has the build quality and reliability that the other cars in the segment do not offer.
The Honda City is one of the most economical entry-level sedan with a starting price of PKR 2,449,000. The City comes in three variants, 1.3L, 1.5L and the premium 1.5L Aspire model. It is available in both manual and automatic transmissions.
The practicality of the City starts with its 1.3L engine which packs 73 kW of power and delivers 128 N.m of torque, making it surprisingly nimble on a city road, highway, and even while driving uphill. What’s more noteworthy is the fact that it does this while delivering excellent fuel efficiency ranging from 14km/l to 18km/l, due to Honda’s proprietary i-VTEC engine technology.
The i-VTEC engine in the Honda City is designed to maintain the ideal balance between power and fuel efficiency. When you push it, it delivers steady power and when you take it easy, it rewards you by going easy on the fuel.
Although it’s called the Honda City, the car ensures a comfortable drive in all kinds of road conditions across the country. The ground clearance is good at 160 mm as it can easily clear high road bumps and handle rough road conditions with ease. It’s also a great car for long family road trips.
It has ample cabin space with comfortable legroom that can easily seat five individuals. In the sedan category, Honda City seems to gain a competitive edge with its spacious cabin as compared to its rivals in the compact sedan segment. With 506 L trunk capacity, it also has space for lots of luggage.
Not only does it get you to your destination and back, but it also does so with as few refueling stops as possible and its suspension ensures a comfortable ride for all passengers.
Another thing that is notable about the City is its reliable build quality. It’s rare to come across one that needs mechanical upkeep and most owners only need regular maintenance consisting of oil changes, tuning, and brake service. It has the lowest maintenance cost among other sedans in this category (approximately 20% lower).
This low periodic maintenance gives the City a unique edge, moreover, Honda’s comprehensive 3-year warranty also makes it a tension-free vehicle for everyday driving. All these factors combined make it one of the most reliable sedans in the market.
Its reliability is also something that keeps it in demand in the used car market because it promises great aftermarket value. For the first owner, this means having a car that retains its value much better than other vehicles. For the second owner, it means acquiring a family vehicle that he knows will run reliably for many years to come.
Because of its features, durability, and resale value, the City is a fairly good investment. In Pakistan, we are still seeing the 3rd generation, but globally, the 5th generation has launched and customers in Pakistan are also expecting a new generation of the City.
Honda has kept upgrading this car over the years and with each successive model, it has gotten better with the addition of a 1.5L engine, 5-speed auto transmission, ABS, Euro 4 emissions compliance, 3-year warranty, keyless entry, immobilizer, navigation, and multimedia.
It promises everything that one could want in a budget family sedan. But if the Honda City is to remain the popular choice of consumers, it needs to meet consumer expectations by launching a new model with the latest features. As per sources, the new generation launch is at least a year away.
Let’s hope it arrives sooner than later and helps reinforce Honda City’s standing as Pakistan’s favorite family sedan.
