Road Test and Review: Honda Amaze In the past couple of years, the Indian car industry introduced us to a series of new segments. Ne...
Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Road Test and Review: The All-New Honda City
Road Test and Review: The All-New Honda City Just when we thought 2013 was full to the brim with fabulous new models, in drives th...
Honda City – new, improved and affordable
Honda makes its flagship sedan temptingly affordable at under Rs 7 lakh Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., leading manufacturer of premium c...
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Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City. Show all posts
Monday, 11 August 2014
Road Test and Review: Honda Amaze
Road Test and Review: Honda Amaze
In the past couple of years, the Indian car industry introduced us to a series of new segments. Needless to say, the sub-4 metre segment emerged the most popular, thanks to the tax benefit it enjoys. But the carmakers’ desperate attempt to cash in on the lower tax rate left us with a handful of mediocre designs that were merely squeezed up variants of existing models. Finally, we have in the market a well-thought-out, a well-sculpted sub-4 metre sedan -- the Honda Amaze.
Amaze comes to the market with a tough assignment -- to regain Honda’s lost sheen. It’s not going to be an easy fight with the Maruti Dzire, a car that’s already a household name. But the Amaze has advantage in terms of space, mileage, appearance and above all, it has reliability of a Honda car. Now, Honda has priced the Amaze on par with the Dzire too. Hmm...looks like the Amaze is going to give Dzire a run for its money.
And that’s not all. With a 1.5L i-DTEC engine that’s exclusively developed for India, the Amaze marks Honda’s entry into the diesel segment. That fact itself makes the Amaze recognisable in the already crowded diesel segment, but has the Japanese carmaker got everything right with the Amaze to win the lost market share back? Let’s drive the Amaze to find out.
Design
If you thought the Amaze is just the Brio with a boot slapped onto it, hey, you were wrong. Although the front half of the car is identical to the hatchback, designers have burnt the midnight oil to immaculately integrate the additional 380mm beyond the B-pillar. From the front, the Amaze can be distinguished by the twin-bar grille and a new bumper with subtle changes. The best design element of all is the two aggressive character lines in profile, which disguise the car’s compact dimensions and give it a full-grown sedan’s stance. The rear design of the Amaze is certainly the best in its class, owing to the seamless integration of the boot, stylish rear combination lamps and generous use of chrome.
Inside, there's virtually nothing to separate the Amaze and the Brio. The dashboard layout is the same and the same hard plastics feature throughout. However, the high-quality bright fabric creates a cheerful aura and a premium feel in the cabin.
Space, Comfort and Convenience
Ask me one thing I liked most about the Amaze and I’ll tell you -- space. No matter where you’re sitting, there’s lots of space. The front seats offer plenty of kneeroom, while six-footers will have no trouble getting comfortable in the rear. The Amaze’s roomy feel extends to the boot as well, which has a class-leading capacity of 400 litres.
The easy-to-live-with cabin offers a great driving position and logical dashboard. Driver seat is height adjustable and steering column collapsible. The interior is suitable for a long road trip with bolstered seats, lots of storage zones, two cup holders and four bottle holders.
Engine
In India, Honda and diesel were two words that never belonged in the same sentence, but not anymore. Even though it took three years for Honda to develop a diesel engine for India, they’ve got exactly what we wanted. First things first -- the 1.5 litre i-DTEC engine returns the highest fuel economy in the Indian passenger car segment of 25.8 km/l, as per test data. What’s more interesting is that the impressive mileage is achieved without any compromise on performance. It offers a maximum power output of 100PS@3600rpm and 200 Nm of torque @1750 rpm. The diesel engine is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Amaze will also be available with the Brio’s peppy 1.2-litre, 88bhp petrol engine, linked to either a five speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.
Performance, Ride and Handling
The 1.5 litre i-DTEC engine pulls smoothly from as low as 1200-1500 rpm with no bogs or hesitation. Power builds up in a very linear fashion that you wouldn’t notice the turbo kick in at 3000 rpm. It delivers plenty of mid and high end torque to keep you moving swiftly along the streets. However, compared to the popular 1.3 litre DDiS engine, the 1.5 litre i-DTEC is not as much fun to drive but certainly more practical and more efficient.
Since we are not used to engine noise in a Honda car, the i-DTEC might unexpectedly be audible inside the cabin. Otherwise, the cabin remains well- insulated against wind/road noise. The petrol Amaze, on the other hand, is typical Honda – silent, peppy and fun to drive.
The heavier diesel engine required a stiffer front suspension than the Brio, but not taking a toll on the ride quality. The steering is slightly heavier, hence confidence-inspiring and the handling is worlds better than that of the others in the segment.
The Amaze has a ground clearance of 165 mm, good enough to clear most speedbreakers and potholes. Overall, the steering, brake and throttle all help make this an easy car to drive happily.
Safety
The Amaze features Honda’s active and passive safety technologies including dual SRS front airbags, ABS, EBD, 3-point ELR seat belts and impact-mitigating headrests. The front body structure is equipped with Pedestrian injury mitigation technology designed to absorb impact energy. The rear too has a shock absorbing structure which protects occupants in case of a rear crash.
Conclusion
Amaze comes to the market with a tough assignment -- to regain Honda’s lost sheen. It’s not going to be an easy fight with the Maruti Dzire, a car that’s already a household name. But the Amaze has advantage in terms of space, mileage, appearance and above all, it has reliability of a Honda car. Now, Honda has priced the Amaze on par with the Dzire too. Hmm...looks like the Amaze is going to give Dzire a run for its money.
Monday, 7 July 2014
Road Test and Review: The All-New Honda City
Road Test and Review: The All-New Honda City
Just when we thought 2013 was full to the brim with fabulous new models, in drives the all-new Honda City with the biggest surprise of all – a mileage of 26 kilometre per litre. Yes, you read that right; the Honda City finally has a diesel engine under the hood, and now, the iconic car is also the most fuel efficient car in India.
Well, if mileage is the need of the hour, City now offers the most of it. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Let’s discuss in detail.
Design
Although every body panel has gone under the knife, the fourth generation City looks very familiar. Perhaps, Honda didn’t want to tamper with an already perfect design. But a closer look at the car reveals some remarkable design choices. The three-slatted signature grille has given way to a larger, chrome-heavy grille linking sharper headlamps. Two bold creases run down the bonnet, seamlessly converging into the grille. Thanks to the sportier and forward-reaching bumper styling, the new City looks poised to devour the road ahead.
Contrary to the lackluster profile of the outgoing model, the new City gets a prominent character line that gracefully rises towards the rear to meet the elongated, wraparound taillights. The new taillight design works well with the overall styling and the shark fin antenna completes the picture.
Inside the cabin
Honda has always been stingy when it comes to City’s features. Even when the competition grew too intense, the City’s cabin remained very basic. The new model is a huge leap forward over its predecessor and offers a host of innovative and segment-first features. The centre console now boasts a 5 inch LCD display with audio, Bluetooth and rear camera settings. The rear camera offers three angles – normal, top down and 180 degree wide. The touchscreen climate control looks super cool but bright sun bleaches it out, making it difficult to read.
The CR-V inspired steering wheel is leather-wrapped and offers plenty of grip. It also houses Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls. Instrument panel gets a new theme, too. All these are well appointed on a flowing and cohesive dashboard.
No one ever cribbed about the City’s cabin space, yet Honda has increased the wheelbase by 50mm, shoulder room by 40mm and height by 10mm to make it as roomy as the D segmenters. The overall length and width, meanwhile, remain unchanged. Rear AC vents further enhance the rear seat comfort. The new City doesn’t fall short on other contemporary features such as push start button, keyless entry, four power outlets, 8 speakers, auto folding mirrors and sunroof on top trim levels.
Performance
The diesel City has borrowed the 1.5 L i-DTEC engine from the Amaze with the same tuning and the performance figures remain unchanged - 100ps@3600 rpm and 200 N-m@1750 rpm. Power is transferred through a newly developed 6-speed manual gearbox, which helps the City achieve better fuel economy than the Amaze.
The i-DTEC motor feels more refined under the City’s bonnet because Honda has further reduced friction of all moving components. Moreover, the car benefits from as many as 14 new noise insulation methods that make the cabin brilliantly quiet. Power delivery is very similar to the Amaze, however, top speed is not limited to 145 kmph on the City and it can travel up to 190kmph, the company says.
The 1.5 L i-VTEC petrol engine has been Honda City’s forte and it gets even better in the fourth generation. Twin needle spark plugs, enhanced cooling system and low friction technology help the engine achieve better fuel efficiency. The petrol variant is available either with a five-speed manual or an advanced CVT auto transmission. Traditionally, most auto boxes are thirstier than manuals but the City’s CVT achieves a commendable 18 kmpl as against the manual variant’s 17.8 kmpl.
The rev-happy and instantly responsive nature of the manual i-VTEC makes it the most fun to drive among the three. The car is lighter by 40 kg, so it feels even faster. The CVT automatic, on the other hand, is very practical and easy to live with. It offers paddle shifters for a bit of zest, too.
Similar to the Amaze, the diesel City offers smooth and effortless power delivery. Peak torque is delivered 1750rpm onwards, but there’s enough torque (up to 80%) available from a low 1200rpm. That means low-end response is impressive and there’s very little turbo lag. The engine pulls strongly till around 3500 rpm and is relaxed at highway speeds. If handled prudently, the diesel City is certain to return over 25kmpl.
Ride and Handling
Honda City had an Achilles’ heel – poor ground clearance. At 165mm, it remains unchanged in the new City as well. However, Honda has reworked the exhaust pipe layout to improve the ‘ground contact factor’ that avoids frequent underbody scrapes. Revised suspension geometry ensures a more comfortable ride and the aforementioned noise insulation keeps NVH levels well under tolerable limits. New suspension setup, increased wheelbase and kerb weight haven’t taken a toll on handling either.
Honda’s desperate attempt to achieve higher fuel efficiency sees the car still ride on 175mm tyres, especially when all other C segmenters use 185mm or above. If only Honda considered broader tyres, the handling and overall appearance of the car could be even better.
Well, if mileage is the need of the hour, City now offers the most of it. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye. Let’s discuss in detail.
Although every body panel has gone under the knife, the fourth generation City looks very familiar. Perhaps, Honda didn’t want to tamper with an already perfect design. But a closer look at the car reveals some remarkable design choices. The three-slatted signature grille has given way to a larger, chrome-heavy grille linking sharper headlamps. Two bold creases run down the bonnet, seamlessly converging into the grille. Thanks to the sportier and forward-reaching bumper styling, the new City looks poised to devour the road ahead.
Contrary to the lackluster profile of the outgoing model, the new City gets a prominent character line that gracefully rises towards the rear to meet the elongated, wraparound taillights. The new taillight design works well with the overall styling and the shark fin antenna completes the picture.
Honda has always been stingy when it comes to City’s features. Even when the competition grew too intense, the City’s cabin remained very basic. The new model is a huge leap forward over its predecessor and offers a host of innovative and segment-first features. The centre console now boasts a 5 inch LCD display with audio, Bluetooth and rear camera settings. The rear camera offers three angles – normal, top down and 180 degree wide. The touchscreen climate control looks super cool but bright sun bleaches it out, making it difficult to read.
The CR-V inspired steering wheel is leather-wrapped and offers plenty of grip. It also houses Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls. Instrument panel gets a new theme, too. All these are well appointed on a flowing and cohesive dashboard.
The diesel City has borrowed the 1.5 L i-DTEC engine from the Amaze with the same tuning and the performance figures remain unchanged - 100ps@3600 rpm and 200 N-m@1750 rpm. Power is transferred through a newly developed 6-speed manual gearbox, which helps the City achieve better fuel economy than the Amaze.
The i-DTEC motor feels more refined under the City’s bonnet because Honda has further reduced friction of all moving components. Moreover, the car benefits from as many as 14 new noise insulation methods that make the cabin brilliantly quiet. Power delivery is very similar to the Amaze, however, top speed is not limited to 145 kmph on the City and it can travel up to 190kmph, the company says.
The 1.5 L i-VTEC petrol engine has been Honda City’s forte and it gets even better in the fourth generation. Twin needle spark plugs, enhanced cooling system and low friction technology help the engine achieve better fuel efficiency. The petrol variant is available either with a five-speed manual or an advanced CVT auto transmission. Traditionally, most auto boxes are thirstier than manuals but the City’s CVT achieves a commendable 18 kmpl as against the manual variant’s 17.8 kmpl.
The rev-happy and instantly responsive nature of the manual i-VTEC makes it the most fun to drive among the three. The car is lighter by 40 kg, so it feels even faster. The CVT automatic, on the other hand, is very practical and easy to live with. It offers paddle shifters for a bit of zest, too.
Ride and Handling
Honda City had an Achilles’ heel – poor ground clearance. At 165mm, it remains unchanged in the new City as well. However, Honda has reworked the exhaust pipe layout to improve the ‘ground contact factor’ that avoids frequent underbody scrapes. Revised suspension geometry ensures a more comfortable ride and the aforementioned noise insulation keeps NVH levels well under tolerable limits. New suspension setup, increased wheelbase and kerb weight haven’t taken a toll on handling either.
Safety
Honda never compromises safety for anything. Like its predecessors, the new City gets dual front SRS airbags along with ABS with EBD across all the variants.
Conclusion
Diesel powered Honda City has always been on top of every car enthusiast’s wish list. Finally, when Honda introduced the diesel City, they nailed it in style. It’s undoubtedly a great, desirable package that gives you more bragging rights.
Honda never compromises safety for anything. Like its predecessors, the new City gets dual front SRS airbags along with ABS with EBD across all the variants.
Conclusion
Diesel powered Honda City has always been on top of every car enthusiast’s wish list. Finally, when Honda introduced the diesel City, they nailed it in style. It’s undoubtedly a great, desirable package that gives you more bragging rights.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Honda City – new, improved and affordable
Honda makes its flagship sedan temptingly affordable at under Rs 7 lakh
Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, launched the new Honda City with striking new looks and value added features.The New Honda City juxtaposes Honda’s superior design and enhanced premium styling. On the exterior, the new chrome front grille, restyled front and rear bumper and all new taillights accentuate the looks of the car. The newly designed and attractive 10 spoke Alloy Wheels (in select grades) add to its sporty look.
he New Honda City now comes with enhanced ground clearance of 165 mm, 5mm more than its predecessor giving it an extra bit of comfort on bumpy roads. The length of the new City is 4440 mm (20 mm longer than its predecessor).The complete range of the City has been expanded to give more options to the customers and will now be available in 5 variants – Corporate, E, S, V MT/AT and V (Sunroof) MT/AT.
The company has also added new colors in the line-up of the new City apart from existing offering. It will now be offered in Carnelian Red Pearl and Sparkling Brown Metallic which have been first time introduced in the Honda line-up. The existing colour range includes - Taffeta White, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Bold Beige Metallic and Urban Titanium Metallic
The interiors of the New City incorporate an elegant and attractive design. The plush Beige interiors with high quality seat fabric and improved modern Centre Control Panel with stylish Chrome fittings gives the car an upmarket feel. The New City sports a soft lit Blue Meter Graphic which lends even more premiumness to the car.
The Honda City comes equipped with a 1.5L, 4 cylinder new generation i-VTEC engine that delivers a good balance of 118PS power along with excellent fuel economy of 16.8 km/l (Test results as per Rule 115 of CMVR). In line with the Honda’s policy of reducing impact on the environment the engine is E10 compliant and has Euro IV emission levels.
The newly introduced V(Sunroof) grade of the New City now comes with a sunroof which has been introduced in this segment for the first time and adds to the premiumness of the car even more.The introduction of new features like Cruise Control System and Turn indicators on ORVM in New City 1.5V and V(Sunroof) complement the look of the car and make it plush with a luxurious feel.
The City 1.5E will now be offered with Beige interiors and addition of Integrated Advanced Audio System while City 1.5S will have added value in form of Alloy Wheels.The Corporate grade of the City comes with all new Black interiors and will appeal to customers who are looking for affordability in a premium sedan.
The Safety of passengers and pedestrians is a first priority for Honda. Honda City is fully loaded with various active and passive safety features as standard including ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with Brake Assist (BA), Dual SRS airbags, pre-tensioner seat belts and G-CON (G-Force Control Technology) body with a high integrity survival zone. The front body structure of the Honda City ensures advanced pedestrian safety features
The 3rd Generation Honda City has been the winner of numerous Auto Awards including the most prestigious ‘Indian Car of the Year 2009’ (ICOTY) Award. Its instant success is testified by the fact that it has sold nearly 1.36 lakh units since its launch in September 2008 and cumulatively 3.76 lakhs units since its first launch in India in 1998.
Bookings for the New City has already started at all Honda dealers nationwide and deliveries will begin only from January 2012.
Prices ex showroom Delhi:
1.5 Corporate (MT) : Rs. 6.99 Lacs
1.5 E (MT) : Rs. 7.70 Lacs
1.5 S (MT) : Rs. 8.20 Lacs
1.5 V (MT): Rs. 8.70 Lacs
1.5 V (AT) : Rs. 9.42 Lacs
1.5 V (MT) Sunroof: Rs. 9.50 lacs
1.5 V (AT) Sunroof : Rs. 10.22 Lacs
Prices ex showroom Delhi:
1.5 Corporate (MT) : Rs. 6.99 Lacs
1.5 E (MT) : Rs. 7.70 Lacs
1.5 S (MT) : Rs. 8.20 Lacs
1.5 V (MT): Rs. 8.70 Lacs
1.5 V (AT) : Rs. 9.42 Lacs
1.5 V (MT) Sunroof: Rs. 9.50 lacs
1.5 V (AT) Sunroof : Rs. 10.22 Lacs
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