2020 Honda City Review: Petrol ZX MT / CVT And Diesel ZX MT Driven [VIDEO]

The all-new fifth-generation Honda City saw its world premiere last year on the 25th of November and though we were all set to get our hands on it in March 2020, thanks to the on-going Corona pandemic, lockdown ensured our lives came to a halt. Since then, I have tried to understand the car better via pictures and videos but the latter being in a southeast Asian language, I could hardly gather what the new City was all about. Fast forward to June though and we finally got to pick up the vehicle (with all safety procedures in place of course) and thankfully, had all the three engine-gearbox combinations for the better part of the day. So, has our wait been worth it? You can either watch our 2020 Honda City Review by clicking the play button below or scroll down to a textual brief with photographs.

A quick history...

The Honda City came to India way back in 1998. Yes, the car is now into its 23rd year of production here in the country and the love for this C segment sedan has never diminished over the years. The last model or the fourth-generation City was introduced in the year 2014 and also saw the launch of the much-awaited diesel unit. It took the new model over six years to arrive on our shores but the segment is already on fire with updated models of the Skoda Rapid and the Hyundai Verna.

It looks even better!

Yes, there I said it. And no two ways about it. The Honda City always carried a premium appeal among the crowd of other C segment sedans and the new one takes the game up by another level. For starts, the 2020 Honda City is as much as 109mm longer and a good 53mm wider than the outgoing model. This makes it the largest car in the segment and face to face, it does look big. Infact, this is one of the highlights for me in this 2020 Honda City Review. Size does matter for most of us and the City delivers on that account. Agree with me? Share your opinions in our Whatsapp Group.

The new model also sits about 6mm lower which gives it a very sporty appeal. Look at the City from the side and you notice the athletic stance and also the prominent shoulder line which Honda refers to as the Katana Blade. The 16-inch alloy gel in well though I would have loved to see wider tyres on these ones. The current 185mm do not seem too well right? Before I moved over to the rear, the front part is what got me really interested from the day of its premiere.

The nose is wide and loaded with chrome. Infact, this strip runs across the width of the car and makes it look a smaller version of the Civic. The City is the first car in the segment to get a full LED set up for the headlights, DRLs and even the fog lamps. The 9 array LEDs look bling and the DRLs (daytime running lights) double up as indicators that add to the stylish appeal. The grille is slim and the fog lamp housing has C shaped inserts which are becoming more common in modern-day cars.

Move to the rear and the LED magic continues. The tail lamps have inbuilt DRLs that are long and being positioned at the ends, makes the City look wide and sporty. The rear bumper gets clever vertical deflectors and though no spoiler on the boot here, the shark fin antenna looks just fine. To summarize, the 2020 Honda City has grown up in size and easily looks the most appealing in the segment in terms of the ever-important premium factor.

The living space

Honda's 'Man Maximum, Machine Minimum' concept has worked well for all previous cars sold in India. The same philosophy is used here too. If you thought the previous City was spacious and offered high comfort levels, you need to visit a Honda showroom to experience this one too. Unlike most other reviews, I will start with the rear seat first. Yes, this is a low car but once seated, even the tallest of adults will find this place spacious. At the drive, I had the front seat positioned for my height (6 feet) and yet once seated at the back, I had about 6-7 inches of knee room left. This is incredible by any standards.

But not just the space, comfort levels at the back are the second highlight of this 2020 Honda City Review. The seat cushioning has improved for added comfort, the front seats are slimmer to add to the airy feel and practical touches like a rear manual sunblind and two 180W charging outlets will be appreciated by owners. Even the seat pockets at the back have proper pockets for your mobiles. These little elements go a long way in ensuring a better ownership experience. Honda has even ensured better throw of the air-con air for rear passengers. Brilliant.

Up front, the driver's throne continues to be the best place for enthusiasts. The 'slimmer' seats do not lack any support from the previous ones. That said, I will be vocal about a few missing features here. No powered seats, no seat ventilation function and no wireless charging either. These are not deal breakers but when Honda has worked so hard for an engaging customer experience, these features should have been added in the first place.

That said, there are add-ons which I love. The new speedometer console for example which has a customizable left part including a G meter! And then the way the climate control knobs work with precision or the blind spot mirror to keep an eye on traffic on your left. The new multi-functions on the steering are a delight to use and the vertical vents look great. What is even more impressive is the overall fit and finish of the panels - I spent a good amount of time inside the cabin when it poured hard outside but couldn't find a fault or two in terms of quality levels. This is good news for prospective customers.

Honda has worked hard on the visibility part by moving the outside mirrors slightly back. This removes a possible blind spot in traffic. Likewise, frontal visibility is better now and the sunroof adds to the airy feel on the inside. Before I move to the driving part, allow to me add that the Honda Connect app now has added functions which also include Alexa connectivity. Want to know the fuel level before you step out of the house? Ask Alexa and she will respond!

The drive experience

The diesel first. I am a big fan of oil burners and not really happy right now with the unjustified increase in prices here for the Delhi market. That said, anyone with a monthly driving pattern of over 2500km should still pick a diesel not only for the higher fuel economy but also for getting back some part of the initial premium when you sell the car a few years down the line. Honda understands this and the reason why we see a BS6 diesel now. Power and torque figures remain unchanged (100 PS and 200 Nm) and though these aren't very high numbers, the way this unit builds up torque is what keeps you happy. Low end punch remains incredible and current Honda diesel customers have only positive updates to share with us in terms of fuel economy and long term reliability. Honda has worked hard to get the noise levels low and was easily recognizable during the drive stint.

Honda also claims that the squeaking sound in the new model is down by approximately 3db and rattle noise down by approximately 5db compared to the 2014 model's engine. These are impressive figures and the lack of vibrations coming in from the floor or the gear level was also noticeable during the drive. The diesel continues to be offered with a 6 speed manual and claimed economy stands at 24.1 kmpl. Do note there is a small change in the shift pattern with the 'R' or reverse now being a sliding mesh type, being next to the 6th gear position.

Next, the 1.5 i-VTEC motor. We have all been a fan of this engine and the new one improves further. Numbers first, at 121PS, the 2020 Honda City is the most powerful offering in the segment and the new model sees a bump in economy as well. While the manual version offers a claimed economy of 17.8kmpl, the CVT is good for 18.4 kmpl. These numbers aside, let me share a quick experience of the manual version. This one now comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox and there has been a shift from SOHC to DOHC along with VTEC (Variable Timing and Electronic Lift Control) on the intake camshaft. This has led to improving the combustion efficiency and a significant reduction in friction. Most importantly, the low-end torque flow has improved and this is evident when you are chugging along in traffic. Yes, the Ciaz 1.5 petrol responds in a better way at lower revs but post 4000rpm, the City petrol is difficult to catch. It flies and how! This gain in momentum is accompanied by good acoustics and I am sure petrol heads will continue to enjoy grinning moments.

And though the overall NVH levels have gone up a lot, underbody protection could have been better. Small pebbles or little rocks kicking off from potholes can be heard easily and ditto for water splashes. That said, the new City makes use of new materials like spray polyethylene foam at places like front and central pillar filling areas along with full double sealing for all doors. These have contributed to the overall quietness factor.

The CVT petrol now - I drove the new 2020 Verna CVT a few days back and was impressed with the ease of driving factor. This is what makes a CVT gearbox so much better than the usual set of torque converters. Part throttle response is terrific and you also get paddle shifters with this one. Keeping up with the traffic flow and closing in on gaps is what the City CVT is best at. The CVT also consumes less fuel (figures above) and its only when you want to go pedal to the metal is where the infamous rubber band experience comes in. It isn't as bad as the previous version though and for most owners who commute to their corporate space every day, the City CVT will keep them very happy. As has been the case earlier, a sizeable chunk of new City buyers will be opting for this one.

The improved dynamics

The new City makes use of a new body frame which is lighter by 4.3kg and yet offers a 20.4% higher torsional rigidity improvement. This extra rigidity is helpful in the long run especially when you drive with a full load or want to enjoy the car through a set of bends. An underlying stiffness always aids driver confidence as well, while also aiding the safety part. Suspension at either end has also seen a major update. For instance, at the front, strut friction is reduced by 50% and the car now gets a high-performance resin mount. Honda has also increased the rigidity factor around the suspension installation points. This inturn leads to slightly sharper handling and while ensuring a ride experience.

How does all this lead to in terms of the actual drive behavior? For starters, I am a big fan of light steerings. Truth be told, most of us drive our cars sedately on a daily basis and want comfort over razor-sharp dynamics. This is where the City excels, being an easy-going car for daily runs. The light steering, comfortable suspension and excellent (improved) visibility make it so much better than most other rivals. That said, high speed dynamics remain good and during our performance runs, the City remained composed. The 25+km long Greater Noida expressway drive during our 2020 Honda City review turned out to be a good section for understanding high-speed manners and though some undulations resulted in vertical movements, overall, the City's stability factor remained high.

Braking needs another mention. The City can drop anchors from serious speeds and shed momentum within seconds. Aiding driver's confidence under such circumstances are features like vehicle stability assist and agile handling assist. ABS is standard and you also get hill-start assist. Talking of safety, Honda says the City will pass the ASEAN tests with a 5-star rating!

Verdict

I will start the verdict of my 2020 Honda City Review by saying that this car is what most other C segment sedans aspire to be someday. The package that customers look for is often compromised but Honda has done it right, again. The new City, for most buyers in the Rs 10-15 lakh bracket, does things right. It looks great no doubt, the interiors feel rich, the engine options remain great and the overall feel-good factor is unbeatable. I agree this one will be about 10-15% expensive than rivals but in the end, you get what you pay for. The only remaining piece of the entire puzzle is the pricing and that too shall be out in July itself.