Season for ho.. ho.. ho.. Honda

Dec 22, 2011 - Murad ali baig |

Age Correspondent

After a reign of 14 years the fifth model of the Honda City is now here. The City had been one of India’s most popular small saloons despite the fact that it was without a diesel engine that has become so necessary in a country that has the widest difference between the price of petrol and diesel. The City had however been such a comfortable, spacious, fuel efficient and ‘fun to drive’ car that it had continued to attract over 2,000 prospective buyers every month. Now with several excellent competitive diesel saloons biting into its market Honda had needed to do something to continue to pull the buyers. The new model has the same platform and the excellent 1500 cc, 118 HP i-VTEC engine as its predecessor but is much more than a cosmetic job. Honda has firstly addressed the City’s only weak point of a low ground clearance by raising it 5 mm so that buyers can handle speed breakers with greater confidence. Though the wheelbase remains unchanged it is also 20mm longer and has a host of internal and external features.
Whether it is a pretty girl or a car, the looks is the first thing that catches the eye. The grille is now in a shiny chrome instead of a dull metallic gray above a redesigned bumper. It now also sports 10 spoke alloy wheels, wing mirror turn indicators and new combination tail lights. Anti-lock ABS brakes and air bags are available for all models and the top models offer a paddle shift automatic, an electric sun roof, cruise control and plush leather upholstery. On the insides are new speedo and other dials, a chrome garnished central console and a new audio console with an integrated advanced audio system as well.
To lure potential buyers to the Honda showrooms there is also a new entry level model dubbed ‘corporate’ with black upholstery that has been attractively priced at about `50,000 below the prices of the current range whose prices remain much the same. There are seven models till the top AT model with all the goodies priced at `10.22 lakhs. This new entry model at a low showroom price of `6.99 lakhs is however likely to pull even some of the larger hatchback customers to a more prestigious saloon.

The writer is an automotive expert and the former editor of a national magazine

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