Recommended for you

Honda City 1.5 i-VTEC (A) Review

Should you pump higher RON petrol for better performance? Not so fast...

» Go to articles

This is an old car model that is no longer for sale by the local distributor since Jul 2020.
Click here for the new model Honda City that is currently for sale.
Editor Review
spacer
spacer spacer
spacer
Honda City 1.5 i-VTEC (A) Review
14 Jul 2014  |  Honda Reviews
Honda's latest mass market sedan leads the chase for better efficiency and creature comforts - in a small package.
spacer
spacer spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
   Consumer Reviews of Honda City
spacer
4.0
 
23 Consumer Reviews
spacer
Comfort
4.0 Reliability
4.5
spacer
Handling
4.0 Features
3.5
spacer
Exterior Styling
4.0 Interior Design
3.5
spacer
Value for money
4.0 Engine Performance
4.0

  •   Sort By
  •  « Back ( 1 2 ) Next »  
  •  results/page
Gabdat
4th Gear
23 reviews
555 points
253 forum posts Joined on 15-Mar-2009
Bought a 3 year old City  Posted on 18 Nov 2020
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 2.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 3.0 Features 1.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 2.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 2.0
spacer

Review
Been driving a 2017 City for the past 2 months. Mileage was 40k when I got it. Changed to 16" To make the ride better as the car is light .

What I like
-fuel efficient.getting around 14km/litre
-spacious and practical interior
-freezing cold air con
-simple and easy to maintain
-reliable
-sporty design
-impressive around corners
-good pick up from standstill
-sports mode comes in handy

What I do not like
-CVT whinny as hell
-road noise can be intrusive
-silly 15" skinny wheels


Nauticalstar
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 22-Nov-2018
FIRST CAR - AWESOME  Posted on 22 Mar 2020
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
spacer

Review
Thank you Nelson! No regret buying this car from him!
He well explain on our enquiries and doubt.
Yes we did test drive and really AMAZED us! I fall in love with HONDA CITY 2017!!
Oh he has a name, IRON MAN!

What I like
HANDLING. FUEL. COMFORT. EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR.

What I do not like
Road noise but who cares as long u enjoy the comfort of the car!


AlexOng_202776
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 21-Dec-2018
A good all rounder car  Posted on 16 Oct 2019
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 4.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 5.0
spacer

Review
I was looking for a new car at Honda to replace my 9 year old Jazz. Went to the showroom and decided to test drive the new Jazz, City and HR-V. During the test-drive of City, I realise how quiet the City SV was as compared to both the Jazz and the HR-V. The seats for both the front and back passengers were very comfortable and suitable for long range driving. Exterior wise, this is a very handsome looking car as compared to its peers like Vios. Interior wise, the cabin is very spacious with adequate features. However, there is no apple carplay and sat nav in the infotainment system. Just the usual radio, Bluetooth connectivity for music and phone calls. Overall, this is a good all rounder A-B car.

So without a doubt, I booked the City and gotten it in mid September after 3 COE tries. Till now the ride is smooth and comfortable. The only thing I wish Honda can do better is to enlarge the width of the car and enhance the infotainment system.

What I like
Spacious cabin
Comfortable seats
Quiet and smooth ride
Reliable car
Eco mode
Higher bhp than its peers
Shark fin antenna
Reverse camera

What I do not like
No apple carplay
No sat nav
Looks small on the outside as the width is the same as Jazz


Milo-Peng
Neutral Newbie
2 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 29-May-2019
Good car for City Driving  Posted on 08 Jun 2019
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 3.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
spacer

Review
Looking for an affordable car to replace my dad's 10 year vios which is due to be scrape soon.

The acceleration of the car is pretty good coming from a 1.5L engine and the car is just a pleasure to drive daily on the road.

Passenger at the back also have good legroom and headroom

What I like
Honda Engine and the resale value down the road
Nice dashboard

What I do not like
Too much chrome the front of the car


Chianglai
Neutral Newbie
3 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 28-Sep-2011
A Nimble Car  Posted on 20 Nov 2018
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 3.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 4.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 3.0
Value for money 2.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Owned a 2014 SV model closes to 2 years. The car is very easy to drive and park due to small tyre and narrow body. The engine is powerful, quiet and pick up from station is good.

CTV not so bad when get used to that, only need some practices on dropping gear with paddle shifter when over taking or need some push to fast speed.

Average FC is 13km/l on 50/50 urban and highway based on average footer. Slowly drive below 2k rpm can see more that 14km/l, but need to mix with highway. 100% Urban is 8 to 9km/l.

Suspension is hard and sturdy. Can feel holes on road and need to be very slow when crossing small humps especially those small humps at Custom.

For the built quality, hear vibration from the plastic panel and dashboard intermittently.

What I like
- Brand
- Spacious boot and rear leg room

What I do not like
- Look too narrow when comparing to other cars
- Vibration noise from plastic panel
- Need to be very slow when crossing humps
- Bumpy ride on uneven surface
- Used by driving test centre
- Old SOHC engine


Philipkee
Twincharged
7 reviews
23,242 points
5641 forum posts Joined on 25-Oct-2009
Quiet car  Posted on 16 Aug 2018
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
I test drove the car. It is quite quiet. There are a lot of buttons on the steering wheel so it takes some getting used to. But overall it's OK.

There is rear air con as well which means to me, this car might not be for the person who does not ferry any passenger. Good for the family man, unsure if it's good for the single man who drives alone.

What I like
Quiet and nice handling

What I do not like
Too many buttons on steering wheel
Default leather steering wheel as I prefer my mesh steering wheel cover but apparently there is no option as the steering wheel is default leather.


KiaraSanger
Neutral Newbie
2 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 31-Oct-2017
The perfect Sedan  Posted on 09 Nov 2017
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Pros:
Best-in-class mileage
Spacious cabin
Fun to drive on city roads as well as highways

Cons:
Front fascia looks quite identical to the old version
Diesel engine could have been more refined
Ride quality could be improved

For more visit: https://autoportal.Com/newcars/honda/city/

What I like
Fun to drive on city roads as well as highways

What I do not like
Front fascia looks quite identical to the old version


shield_racer
Clutched
1 reviews
6 points
1 forum posts Joined on 25-Feb-2017
Value for money and sporty look!  Posted on 24 Mar 2017
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Just gotten my key and am proud and happy to be a Honda City 1.5SV owner!

Following is my humble opinion:
Drive and handling pretty comfortable. Good at turning. Good fuel consumption too.
City is light. Hence pick up is fast and sprints easily.

I would like to compliment one of your SE, Glady Teo, from Alexandra showroom. Excellent customer service, prompt and patient. She is someone who is willing to goes extra miles to ensure we are happy! THUMBS UP for her great service!

Definitely value for money given the price tag at SGD$92,999 and fuel economical. No regrets!

What I like
- Excellent FC
- Cold Aircon
- good rear legroom and boot size
- remote keyless entry and boot entry
- knocked down rear seats
- cruise control and paddle shift
- Bluetooth, HDMI and USB connections all available.
- reverse camera.

What I do not like
- Side view mirrors are not auto folding
- no auto climate
- no day light
- no electric brake.


TEELEAVES
1st Gear
1 reviews
97 points
44 forum posts Joined on 14-Nov-2009
Bang for buck, VFM buy with honda reliability  Posted on 21 Mar 2017
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 3.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Been a proud and happy Honda City 1.5SV owner since late January 2017. Since I have been driving it for the past 2 months and over 4,000 km clocked, I thought I would be able to provide an humble opinion on it.

Drive/ Handling
Drive and handling is pretty average (about 7/10). Coming from a previous 205/55 R16 ride to the city's current 185/55 R16, City's handling feels adequate, but cornering is rather compromised. Spiral turns (some exits from expressways) with my previous ride could handle at 60km/h, the City only track at 50km/h at best. City at 1,096kg, is one of the lightest in its class, and it sprints forward readily and easily at will.

Road comfort
Becos of the rear Axel Torsion Beam suspension, City feels every bump and crack on the road. The minimal insulation material (lack of), also translated to every audible sound noise thru the cabin. I would rate it (6/10).

Fuel consumption
For a NA (Naturally Aspirated) engine, the City returns 16km/l, on 80% Highway 20% Urban driving. I rate its fuel consumption as excellent (9/10). Easily one of the most economical and fuel efficient NA engines out in the market. Also able to run on RON 92 petrol, since it is Thai-assembled and that Thai and Malaysian mid tiered RON petrol is rated 91.

Value for Money (VFM)
At prevailing market px SGD$92,999 (as of Mar 17), the City SV is easily one of the most economical and VFM car out there. Honda frequently tops the engine reliability charts (1 failure out of 344 engines) - shows the odds are in your favour to own a Honda. I have no regrets in owning the City and look to many more good years of service from the Honda badge :)

What I like
- excellent FC, frugally driven, it can deliver 17-20km/l on local roads.
- Honda reliability, peace of mind on the roads.
- Cold Aircon
- Zero problems with the SOHC engines, wats wrong with saving fuel?
- 16inch sized rubber, save money during tyre changes!
- awesome sized rear legroom and boot.
- remote keyless entry and boot entry..
- knocked down rear seats.. Awesome.
- spare tyre available, versus inflatable kit, which is useless if tyre sidewall is damaged.

What I do not like
- road bumps, noise and poor insulation is evident.
- side view mirrors are not auto folding and requires you to press a button each time when u park, before u disable the engine. The 2017 City will come with autofold sideview mirrors as standard.


Mervynwm
1st Gear
142 reviews
76 points
65 forum posts Joined on 15-Mar-2009
A TOO Simple City.  Posted on 05 Mar 2017
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 3.0 Reliability 3.0
Handling 3.0 Features 2.0
Exterior Styling 2.0 Interior Design 2.0
Value for money 2.0 Engine Performance 2.0
spacer

Review
Went to try out this sedan.

First looks, the styling has changed from a box liked car to a more curving one and comes only 1 variant the SV which has many cosmetic and a 16 inches rims from factory while headlamps are still halogen than option or standard as LED.

Boot space is bigger than before and can hold many bags as shown by sales.

Inside, the leather is from factory too and comes with a 7 inches screen display but still with no climate aircon where keyless and paddle shifters are given now as standard.

The drive off was kinda jerky as its comes with SOHC engine to pair with 7-speed gearbox. Gear changes are smooth but seems too much to pair with this engine, perhaps 5 speed is more than enough.

Tried using paddle shifts, jerking effect when change gears and gets noisy seems like overclocking the engine at times where its not meant to "Cheong" Or dash off where it kinds of forcing the engine which eventually the paddle shifts might be just a display or white elephant.

Parking comes with reverse camera as standard and IPAS which is good to have.

Overall, if this is a DOHC engine with the 7 speed CVT, it will be a worth getting one but seems some impairment of the SOHC and 7-speed is there that might hinder buyers to consider it and look at Jazz (a hatchback) which is a DOHC instead or even other makes that are of similar budget concerns.

What I like
Paddle shift
More spacious than before
16 inches rims
Reverse camera comes with IPAS

What I do not like
SOHC engine
Halogen lights
No dual zone auto aircon


185150_1566627396
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 05-Feb-2017
Value for $ option  Posted on 05 Feb 2017
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Summary: This car may lose out to Korean counterparts in terms of features, but if you are looking for a long term value for $ (i.E. Low maintenance & petrol cost) & decent performance (i.E. Drive & pick-up) sedan, do consider the Honda City SV.

Compared and test drove the Honda Civic 1.6L, 1.5T and this car (SV version).

Initially never considered this car at all due to the perception that it is a very basic no-frills and "Uncle" Car.

After taking a closer look at it at the showroom plus test drive, felt that it is a better deal to me than the Honda Civic even though the Civic looks better and sportier to me.

Main advantages over the Civic 1.6L:
- At least $1k less depreciation a year (I got a good deal, depreciation only $8.6k a year compared to Civic's $10.1k when I bought)
- Better pick-up
- Lighter by around 150kg

Main advantage over Civic 1.5T:
- Much much cheaper, price difference is about $30k aka more than 30% Pricier.

(Side note: If I got alot of extra cash to spare, i will go for Civic 1.5T but bear in the mind its depreciation is ard $11k a year which is $2.5k more than this car each year)

Bought this car in Dec 16 and was delivered in abt 1 month's time. So far so good very happy with the buy :) Look for Darren Too for a friendly and experienced SE to serve you!

What I like
Good FC (around 15km/L, 80% highway & 20% city)
Electronic touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity & many charging ports
Good pick-up, better than current Honda Civic 1.6L (bearing in mind this is a 1.5L N.A. engine mated to CVT)
Big boot space
Good legroom
Cruise control + paddle shifters
Quiet drive
Keyless entry & drive (just touch door handle can open door with key in pocket)
Option for brown leather seats (which i got)

What I do not like
Quite a fair bit of hard plastics in the interior
No ventilated seats (unlike Korean competitors in the same segment)
SOHC engine when other models already using DOHC engines (more powerful)


Buadongdong
Twincharged
1 reviews
27,504 points
3020 forum posts Joined on 23-Nov-2013
Great Smooth reliable car for everyday drive with occasional thrills.  Posted on 23 Aug 2016
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
spacer

Review
Have been driving it for almost a month now and it still surprises me on my everyday driving and I look forward to driving it everyday. This latest City has got far better looks than its older siblings and styled nicely for a compact sedan. The interior is super spacious and my wife have been loving it since she sits at the back taking car of our child. There are also plenty of charging points in the car for gadgets intensive society nowadays. The AD support has been great so far with good follow ups.

The pick-up is good and can feel the pull at only 2000rpm even with a full load in the car. Its also a very reactive car and accelerates fast (with minimal lag) when traffic light turns yellow. My former suzuki would not have been able to do that. CVT is dull when accelerating from rest but its fine thereafter.

What I like
Default Reverse camera
Fog lights
Cruise control
Paddle shifter
8-speaker sound system
Push start button + keyless access
Spacious interior and big boot
Sporty exterior look (after bodykit)
Good acceleration for chionging traffic light
A lot of charging ports

What I do not like
Drum brakes (dislike only the aesthetics, not the function)
Not able to achieve the stated FC. Can only manage 13km/L
Car chassis a bit too high leaving a big lobang underneath
No rear Aircon
No built in GPS
CVT slightly dull
Fuel tank too small. Need to top up often for those who travels a lot.


r1der
4th Gear
1 reviews
903 points
204 forum posts Joined on 09-May-2016
My first Honda car  Posted on 17 Jun 2016
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Previously my ride was Nissan Latio. I've been driving this Honda City for a week, and here's my review:

Exterior:
Two words; Modern and stylish. I like the sporty look of the front bumper which reminds me of the Type-R look. Side of the car could have looked dull due to short length and tall height (it's a compact car after all) but this has been compensated with nice curve line across the side of the car, making it looks lower and unique. Rear of the car looks great. I like the so called BMW rear light which is a good copycat. However, the rear looks like a 'duck rear' when view at certain angle.

Interior:
Also two words; Spacious and comfortable. Rear boot and leg room at rear passenger seat are humongous. But the headroom is a bit low especially if you are > 1.8m tall. In terms of width, this car somehow feels wider than Latio although the spec is the about the same which is 1695mm. 3 adults can sit at the rear seat comfortably without any issue. Next, the seat feels plush with enough back support which is suitable for long journey. There are also plenty of storage compartments such as at front dashboard, side doors albeit at smaller capacity compared to my previous Latio.

Driving Experience:
The steering wheel feels light which is alright as it's useful when driving around the city. In terms on handling, the car feels stable when cornering at sharp corner at 60 - 70km/hr speed which is great compared to other similar compact car category. CVT gearbox is a bit dull, but this can be compensated by utilising the paddle shift function. Overall, I think the driving experience is the best among its competitor. Although it's still a bread and butter car, at least it has the comfort and sportiness level that my family and myself can appreciate.

Conclusion:
Before buying this car, I have considered other models such as Vezel, Civic, Altis, Sylphy, Axio, Mazda 3. In the end, I decided to buy City as it's from AD (safer buy), lower depreciation (~ 8.8k per year), better options (such as traction control, entertainment system) and last but not least, it's a Honda!

What I like
Traction Control
Fog lights
Paddle shifter
8-speaker sound system
7" responsive touch screen display
Push start button + keyless access from both side front passenger doors
Spacious cabin and boot
Sporty exterior look
Sporty handling but at the same time comfortable ride

What I do not like
No HID or LED headlights or rear lights
Should be 6 airbags instead of 2 airbags only
No auto climate control
No rear aircon ventilation
No auto retractable side mirrors when locking/ unlocking the car
No built in GPS
Non adjustable timer wiper (Even my old Latio has it!)


chiefdale
1st Gear
1 reviews
19 points
49 forum posts Joined on 06-May-2016
Compact Sedan - Family Car  Posted on 05 May 2016
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
spacer

Review
Gd handling especially at bends, car still feel stable at moderate speeds.
Normal mode used mainly during hotter days as aircon cools down the car at a faster rate then econ mode. Acceleration feels the same with both modes. Mainly driving a mix of city and highway, fuel consumption stands at about 13.4km/l for econ driving with a heavy foot, hits 14.6km/l with lighter foot at econ mode. Roomy back seat area ensures your family members feel comfortable as you cruise your vehicle.

What I like
Aircon that can make me shiver during a sunny day.
Easy bluetooth connectivity for mobile to engage.
Roomy backseats even with both front seats leaning back.
Multi function steering wheel.
Reverse camera.

What I do not like
Lack climate control.
Lack GPS system.
Not able to achieve the high fuel consumption as stated.


2021honeybee
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
-30 points
1 forum posts Joined on 08-Jan-2016
This is a car with excellent manoeuvring capability  Posted on 08 Jan 2016
spacer
 
spacer
spacer
Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
spacer

Review
The feel of the steering is extremely stable at swerving, it does not have the kind of very light feeling of other cars. At normal mode, response of engine is fast at both low torque and high speed. At Econ mode, drag is expected but peddle shift comes into handy. Manually shifting up the gear eliminates the draggy feeling and accelerates faster, it is useful for overtaking.

I use cruise control as frequent as I hit highway, it helps to achieve fuel efficiency as high as 23km/l on a smooth traffic for 20km of distance travelled. However, it only manages 12.4km/l on average for a mix of high way and city roads. I'm not satisfied with this result as I expect it to achieve at least 14km/l as the spec mentions 17.5km/l (or 5.7L/100km) (12.4km/l seems to be only 71% Of the advertised spec...).

Hill Start Assist supposed to help in fuel economy as I no need to keep pressing accelerator at the slope of car park entry :) . Even though I'm not sure how much it contributes to fuel saving, it is a convenient feature at the very least.

As it names suggests (Honda City), it is a comfortable car for smooth city ride as its torque and power curves are flatter compared to other sporty model such as Civic. Honda packs many features focuses on performance and manoeuvring, I guess that is the main reason why it lacks GPS, maps and climatic control taking the price into consideration.

What I like
1) Steady steering control and fast engine response
2) Peddle shift
3) Cruise control
4) Fuel economy
5) Hill Start Assist

What I do not like
1) Lack of GPS and map
2) No automatic climate control
3) Restriction to project phone screen to in-car LCD

Honda City
4 stars - based on 23 reviews