[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by adiiityaaa

As @fhdowntheline said, the Indian roads are not so up-to the mark. Potholes, rough patches, uneven roads, frequent diversions and even kaccha roads at some points- all these reasons are making the Indian Automotive Market more SUV-centric. Honda is to be blamed too here- they aren't showing much enthusiasm in the market. A few new products, adding more features in the car which every new buyer is hungry for, multiple engine options and thrilling TVCs and advertisement are some ways they can revive themselves with.

Sorry, my comment was actually meant to be sarcastic. Honda has already signaled its intentions by focusing on SUV designs in the near term, so the City will continue to be increasingly niche oriented (the entire sedan segment actually), sitting in a sweet spot of 12-18L with seasonal discounts. It is still a flagship product for Honda, who for some reason believe that powerplant capability is secondary to comfort and overall space. Unfortunately, even in that aspect, the Verna is more than equal.
Only those who like the smoothness of the manual gearbox and the rev-range of the iVTEC would (should?) be the real customers.

[Kevinrevvz]

As a multiple time Honda owner including the 1G City 1.3, 1G FL (Type 2/Z) City VTEC, 7G Accord V6, 7G FL Accord V6 and 8G Accord 2.4, I had lost hope in Honda ever since the Accord Hybrid which I believe was their last great product albeit with negligible sales.






However with the introduction of the City e:HEV I was blown away by the powertrain, tech and quality on offer.

I recently purchased a 5G FL City e:HEV and couldn't be happier. I checked out the Virtus GT and Verna Turbo and this seemed like the most balanced option.




Performance: The performance below 100 is identical to the 1.5 TSI DSG. I managed to get a 0-100 time of 9s on a Dragy with around half a battery as the electric motor makes the car leap forward from low speeds and the instant torque means you can leave behind a Virtus 1.5 TSI or Verna 1.5 TGDI from a standstill without having to deal with DCT or turbo lag. It's surprisingly sprightly and fun to drive on a daily basis. After the ton however the latter begin to pull forward.

Efficiency: The cherry on top is that no matter how hard you drive, the efficiency figure does not drop below 18kmpl whereas it's turbocharged mates drop well below 8Kmpl. On normal driving in the city or highway, 22Kmpl is a common figure and it could shoot upto 27Kmpl if you're being cautious.

Tech: With the addition of the Honda Sensing ADAS suite and the Hybrid exclusive Stop and Go feature, the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist makes it a breeze on long highway drives requiring minimal effort from the driver. It's also one of the few cars where you can leave the autonomous emergency braking always on on our roads where it's very well tuned and does not engage unless in an actual emergency. The LED lights, virtual cockpit and the audio system are quite good. The Stone Age looking infotainment is the only let down. While it does not quite match the Verna in terms of tech, it's definitely ahead of the VAG twins.

Comfort and Handling: It strikes a good balance between the stiff suspension setup on the Virtus and the super soft suspension setup on the Verna. It's soft enough to handle bad roads with ease and stiff enough to not move around too much on the highway. The steering is quite hefty and corners decently well which could be improved upon with wider tyres. It does not beat the VAG twins in the handling department but it's more confident than the Verna for sure.

Build and Material Quality: All the cars in this segment but the forgotten Ciaz have now scored 5 Stars in GNCAP and AseanNCAP which is commendable. The interior quality on the City is on par with the Verna with a ton of soft touch materials and premium feeling Ivory leather. The cabin feels much more premium than the VAG twins which are filled with hard, scratchy plastics and no soft touch materials in sight. The road noise and insulation could be improved though.

Thus I feel like this car provides the best of all worlds with great performance, efficiency, tech and quality and serves as a refreshingly competent product from Honda in years. This powertrain is much more refined and quick than the one in the Grand Vitara or Hyryder and would've done wonders in the Elevate. The reason Honda chose to omit that is beyond me but I hope they work on marketing this gem and bounce back by providing such a good package in their upcoming products.

[parrys]

We own the latest gen, Honda City Diesel Manual, the top trim.
In less than 2 years till date, it has clocked 42,000 kms.

Yes the BS6 diesel DPF issues required some attention, but apart from that, it has been a flawless experience.

It's a comfortable car for 4 adults.

Reliable.
Efficient.
Good looking.

[Night Raven]

I would say not only the city, the Honda brand as such has lost its charm. I used to be a Honda fan once, CRV was my dream SUV, Civic was the dream sedan. I eagerly waited for the Amaze when it was announced, subscribed and read almost every post in the Honda Elevate thread till I read the review and saw the car. The entire line up of their cars feels outdated and boring to me now. Not much to excite me in the design or styling and the same old engines. If any little bit of interest is still left, that is destroyed by the supremacy of pricing.

End of ranting.

[ike]

While the city continues to be a strong and reliable car with simple mechanicals, the competition has moved on and is miles ahead. If I were in the market for a sedan, I'd TD the city but expect it to be blown away by the verna & the VAG twins. City with CVT & NA petrol sounds bare naked in comparison to turbo petrols and dual clutch gearboxes/TC boxes.

[VwRabbit]

Voted no! After having owned the 2nd gen City in the family for more than 5 years about 12 years before I can vouch for its reliability and simple mechanicals but personally for me after the 3rd generation the car lost it’s appeal, it became a plain Jane with the majority audience who were opting for it only saw it as a reliable commuter from point A to B not to mention there were many more cars in the market which were leaps ahead in terms of tech offered and more fun to drive with turbos the only drawback being they may not be as reliable in the long run but then life’s too short to drive boring cars, granted the car still has its Jekyll and Hyde nature even though now in a more refined manner but it’s still the same old wine in a new bottle.
I wouldn’t even test drive the car if I was in the market for a C segment but then some people are loyal to the brand and are repeat customers of the City and will not even consider another option, guess that says a lot about the legacy and perception that the City has made in the minds of middle class Indian families.

[shancz]

Voted Yes.
Purely because of the 7000rpm capable 1.5 iVTEC and that its really hard to sway a petrolhead

Coming to practicality and competition I do admit that it's getting really hard to recommend the City including the Elevate standing next to it at the showroom.

Coming to numbers, the sales have to be viewed within the sedan space and Verna's numbers have to be considered 4-6 months down the line when the initial hype and bookings are cleared out. I suspect that it will not be more than 20% of City's sales.

Keeping the emotions aside, didn't someone from Honda India say that they'll be bringing only SUVs to India going forward?
So how does the future look for the City ? I am not sure and sadly not very hopeful but as I said its really hard to sway a petrolhead

[PrasannaDhana]

I voted that City has lost its charm purely on the basis of me as a driver.

But then, being chauffeur driven, there isn't a more sensible package than the City.

I just recommended City eHV to one of my uncles who wanted to replace his 2.5 lakh km run ciaz. He also has a crysta which he won't be replacing anytime soon. His choice was a hyryder hybrid. I suggested the city eHV instead.

Perfect car for the back seat driven.

[harikrishnansp]

Originally Posted by V0id2003

...

He then proceeded to list me the benefits of the Harrier like well built omega arc chassis , the well tested Muiltijet engine etc. At the time I had a petrol duster cvt and my diesel verna at , he was shocked that I bought a petrol suv and tried to convince me to buy a diesel suv for the good mileage and torque. It was really amusing to me that we spend 20-25 minutes discussing other cars rather than the city.

The guy might be in his notice period. No points for guessing which company he is joining next.

[VinsWagen]

Would you still consider buying the Honda City today? Yes.

Has the Honda City lost its charm? Absolutely yes.

Honda City used to be a rare car that could easily come first in both head and heart, being the most desirable, reliable, powerful, comfortable, free-revving, luxurious sedan. Today it has to be bought with just the head - it can still be the top option to transport us reliably and comfortably but the charm and halo are long gone.

[Apex1815]

Voted: Yes

This particular segment itself has lost its charm with Market shifting towards Compact SUVs.

Honda city was one of the earliest offering by Honda India and still in production as of 2023. In hard times, it has been the Bread & Butter model for Honda India. I feel that Honda City has completed its Life cycle in India. Over and above Honda does not seem to be very excited about their products and the whole limelight is taken by other Manufacturers.

A famous saying : "If you are not excited about the product which you are selling why the customer would be ?"

Personally I will consider Verna at any time over Honda City.

[thebonedoc]

Every product and its name has a lifespan.The city was once a status symbol and was considered a luxury.
With increasing buying capacity of Indians over the last two decades and more products and segments on offer, City cant enjoy the same status it once held.

[Mr.Wanderer]

Honda must definitely think about loosing the market leader position in the sedan segment. Below are reasons for Honda City's downfall from my point of view
1. Hefty Price tag
2. Outdated feature list
3. Pathetic ICE compared to its competitors
4. Dealership's negative attitude towards customers during the sales enquiry

[adiiityaaa]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

Sorry, my comment was actually meant to be sarcastic.

Sorry for the misunderstanding on my part. However,

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

Indian roads to reach western standards

I assumed this line from your first reply to be a general fact, and hence shared my opinion on why the Sedan market and our favorite, Honda City, is declining in India.

[vkarora]

As the owner of three Honda vehicles in my garage, I can't help but notice that Honda seems to have lost its allure, much like brands such as Blackberry and Nokia that faded into obscurity. We've had a Honda in our possession since 2008, and even now, we own a Jazz and a Honda City 2010 model, which is set to be replaced by the end of this month.

I vividly remember a time when Honda set the benchmark for other automotive companies, and Honda dealers were unwavering when it came to discounts. However, as time has passed, other brands have caught up, though Honda appears reluctant to acknowledge this shift. While I acknowledge that the Honda City and EHev are impressive vehicles, the question arises: are they value for money? The Indian consumer now has a plethora of options in terms of both form and brand compared to what it was in 2008.

Honda comes across as a firm brand that is resistant to accepting that consumers have evolved, and so have their needs. We've seen a similar narrative with Blackberry, which failed to recognize the trend towards touchscreen phones. The combination of inflexible pricing and the absence of certain features that have now become decisive factors is compelling consumers to consider other brands.