I'm quite intrigued by posts that comment on the ANHC being overpriced. On the one hand, you have some members who feel that the City has an inflated price tag. On the other, it is outselling its direct competitors, including those that come with a diesel engine! Clearly, the Indian market sees tremendous value in the Honda City. Yes, I will agree that the Jazz is overpriced, terribly at that, but in my books, the City is still the definitive all-rounder C segment sedan. And one that offers value. Of course, I'll be the first to say that Honda MUST sell the city with alloy wheels, climate control and a better grade of interior plastics. But by no means is it a car that is "glaringly" overpriced.
Lets talk FACTS here and look at the ANHC objectively. Consider the pricing of the ANHC to its direct competition, the SX4 / Verna / Linea. Any informed car buyer, and ALL Team-BHPians, MUST always choose the variant with ABS & airbags. The safety benefits are invaluable, especially when driving in Indian road conditions.
Prices of first-available variant with ABS & airbags (ex-Delhi):
Honda City : 8,37,000
Maruti SX4 : 714,129
Hyundai Verna : 713,316
Fiat Linea : 723,991
Now, lets look at the equipment list. I've enlisted the typical features that matter:
ANHC : It is the "SMT" variant that comes standard with ABS, Airbags, drivers seat height & stereo.
SX4 : The variant with drivers seat height adjustment, airbags, ABS & stereo etc. is the ZXi.
Verna : The variant with keyless entry and ABS is the 1.6 SX VT. No airbags for the petrols at all! Does Hyundai think that petrol car owners don't value safety?
Linea : Variant with ABS & airbags & stereo is the Emotion PK. It must be added that Fiat rules the list with the goodies. You also have rear foot & knee aircon vents, rear curtain, blue&me etc.
Now, the most obvious equipment that the ANHC lacks are alloy wheels followed by climate control. To me, alloy wheels are more important than climate control. Cost = Rs. 18,000 for a set of 5.
On the other hand, what advantages does the ANHC offer, relative to its competition?
- The most powerful engine: A whopping 25% more power than the least powered competitor (The Linea) and about 15% more than the SX4 & the Verna. In addition, you get technology (iVtec), the BEST 0 - 100 times (10.xx seconds) and highest top speed. The Linea is the poorest performer here with a 0 - 100 time of 17.xx seconds.
- The best fuel efficiency: The ANHC is decided more fuel efficient than any of its 3 chief competitors, and nearly 15% more than the Verna. Of course, it is the lightest amongst competition too.
The lowest cost of ownership: The City's service costs vary between 600 - 1,500 bucks for most services, and go upto 5,000 only for the major services (4 - 5 times over 1 lakh kms). In an ownership of 1,00,000 kms, the City will be the cheapest to own by a mile. This is documented in several threads across the forum, Hondas have the cheapest upkeep.
The best reliability: Honda's reliability is way superior to any of its competitors, only the Verna comes close. The SX4 is built like the Swift (not a good thing) and while reliable overall, isn't quite in the league of a Honda or Toyota. Fiats come with their own share of niggles. My own OHC is now in its 7th year with 70,000 odd kms on the odo, yet visits the service station ONLY once each year for scheduled maintenance. Not a single major component has malfunctioned till date. Zero breakdowns too. Worldwide too, Honda's reliability is matched only by Toyota.
Excellent resale: Only the SX4 can match the Honda City in residual values. The Fiat Linea will tank in the after-market, ask me, I know a thing or two about European petrols which have fuel-efficient diesel siblings. The Verna petrol is a market flop.
It is safe to presume that if you own the car for 50,000 - 1,00,000 kms, the City's initial asking price premium of 1.2 lakh rupees is entirely negated by its reliability, cheap ownership costs, segment-best fuel efficiency and strong resale. Heck, bring the poor resale of some of its competition into the picture, and the ANHC may actually work out cheaper!! Remember, there is more to the cost of car ownership than just the asking price. A 1.2 Lakh premium, that is more than recovered (relative to the Verna & Linea), well worth it IMHO. And then, you have those additional horses to enjoy.
Lets look at the other factors that make a car:
- Performance : City > SX4 > Verna > Linea
- Fuel efficiency : City > SX4 > Linea > Verna
- Ride quality : Linea > City > Verna > SX4
- Handling : Linea > SX4 > City > Verna
- Interior space : City > Verna > SX4 > Linea
- Looks : Linea > City > SX4 > Verna (purely my opinion)
- Overall Fit / Finish : City > Verna > SX4 > Linea
- Features : Linea > SX4 > City > Verna
- Brand (for those whom it matters to) : City > SX4 > Verna > Linea
NOTE : The City comes with only a 175mm tyre size from the factory (thinner than SX4 & Linea). Upgrade the rubber to 195mm Michelins and it will take the 2nd spot in the handling stakes.
Interior part quality : Neither the City, nor the Linea or the SX4 have anything to write home about. Yet the Citys & Vernas are best screwed together of this bunch.
As you can see, the City excels in most areas, is mid-pack in some, but doesn't have any one serious deficiency. That's what makes it the most all-rounded C segment sedan (petrols) and the best seller from its direct competition.
P.S. Yes, I am a Honda
and Toyota fan. Not based on their image or promotions, but on first hand experience with their products. I respect Toyota even more than I do Mercedes Benz (something that changed as my automotive knowledge grew). The reason : organisational philosophy, engineering precision, unmatched reliability & durability, all rounded products and efficiency. To finish first, you have to first finish.