Honda City
| Honda City (Fit Sedan) | |
|---|---|
 (2005 Face-lifted version) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Honda |
| Production | 1981-1994, 1996-present[clarification needed] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Subcompact |
| Body style | 2-door convertible 3-door hatchback 4-door sedan |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive |
| Related | Honda Fit/Jazz |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.3L - 1.5 L L15A VTEC/i-DSI N/A I4 |
| Transmission | CVT, 5-speed Automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | Template:Auto mm |
| Length | Template:Auto mm |
| Width | Template:Auto mm |
| Height | Template:Auto mm |
| Curb weight | Template:Auto kg |
The Honda City is a subcompact car manufactured by the Japanese manufacturer Honda since 1981 for the Asian market.
Since 2002, the City is also known as the Honda Fit Aria. It is a subcompact sedan that uses Honda's Global Small Car platform, which is also used by the Fit/Jazz (a five-door hatchback), the Airwave (a wagon version of the Fit Aria/City), the Mobilio, and the Mobilio Spike. One of the characteristics shared by the Fit/Jazz, City/Fit Aria, and Airwave, is the location of the fuel tank. Rather than placing it under the rear seats, it is located under the front seats, thereby freeing up valuable room in the back.
First generation (1981-1986)
The first Honda City was made in 1981. It was innovative due to its tall seating arrangement, creating comparible legroom to a car many times its size. Produced as a 3-door hatchback and 2-door cabriolet in many trim levels, it proved a popular car on the Japanese market. Options for the City included a turbocharged engine (one of the few Honda models to be turbocharged), and - unique to the City - a 50cc 'foldaway' scooter, designed to fit in the City's small luggage area.
Exports of the City were primarily to Europe (where it was renamed Honda Jazz, due to Opel using the City name on the Kadett hatchback), Australia (in two seater 'van' form, to circumvent Australian import restrictions on passenger vehicles at the time) and New Zealand (where it was locally assembled).
Second generation (1986-1994)
Honda replaced the original City in 1986 (designated GA1), with an update in 1989 (GA2). This model was produced until 1994. The Fit name also first appeared as a trim variant of the City. There was no convertible model. In most European and Australasian markets, the City's market position was filled by the Honda Logo in 1999.
Third generation (1996-2002)
The third-generation Honda City, codenamed SX8, was based on the EF Civic platform. It was designed for and sold in the South East Asian market only.
This City is still a subcompact slotting beneath the Honda Civic, but a four-door sedan model instead for developing markets in Asia, and was built in Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and India. A revised, face-lifted third-generation City was released in 2000, and included a model powered by Honda's 1.5 L VTEC engines.
The third generation city had the D-series engines, namely variations of the D13B and D15B. The d15B was reduced in power for the Asian markets where the car was marketed, but had a excellent power to weight ratio. The kerb weight of the car was 985 kg, and the output of the D15B was 115 hp (86 kW). The car had an impressive 0-100kph time of under 11 seconds.
The car had a sporty suspension set-up. It was one or the rare sub-compacts with fully independent rear suspension (dropped in the later models due to its high cost) which allowed for greater feedback and enhanced handling.
Fourth generation (2002-2008)
In November 2002, the fourth generation City was released and included a four-wheel drive version. Like the contemporary Honda Jazz, the City is actually a rebadged Honda Fit, in the City's case a rebadged Fit Aria.
In September 2005, a face-lifted version of the City was launched in Thailand, Malaysia in October 2005, and Indonesia in November 2005; it is known as the City ZX in Thailand, India, the New City in Indonesia and Malaysia, and City in Singapore and Pakistan. The most significant changes are a new exterior (new front grille, new headlamps, new fog lights, new taillights and bumpers). The front end has been extended forward by Template:Auto mm while the rear has been extended by Template:Auto mm. The side mirror is electronically foldable. Both the i-DSI and VTEC trim levels have 14-inch (360 mm) alloy wheels as standard equipment. Interior changes are minor but it does include an armrest for the driver and additional map lights.
The engine remains the same but the intake manifold has been modified, resulting a 10% temperature drop in the intake air temperature (IAT)[1], the suspension has been upgraded as well.
Honda City in Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore and Malaysia are using CVT gearbox for both i-DSI and VTEC variants. The CVT gearbox simulates a 7-Speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic style override using paddle shift buttons. This is very rare for a subcompact of its class.
Fifth generation (2008–present)
| Fifth generation | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | Honda Fit Aria |
| Production | 2008–present |
| Assembly | Ayutthaya, Thailand Greater Noida, India Lahore, Pakistan, Pagoh, Malaysia |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Related | Honda Fit/Jazz Honda Airwave Honda Freed |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Template:Auto L I4 i-VTEC Template:Auto L I4 i-VTEC |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 5-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,550 mm (100 in) |
| Length | 4,395 mm (173.0 in) |
| Width | 1,695 mm (66.7 in) |
| Height | 1,470 mm (58 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,150 kg (2,540 lb) |
The newest Honda City was unveiled in Thailand on the 10th of September 2008[2] followed by India on 25 September 2008[3]. and January 2009 in Pakistan and Indonesia. Honda also announced that the City will be offered in selected European countries with a 1.4 liter i-VTEC engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed i-SHIFT automated manual transmission.[4]
Guangzhou Honda will be developing a Honda Civic-sized sedan based on the Honda City chassis for the Chinese market. It will have a new name and a new shape but will use the City's underpinings and a 1.8 liter engine. This new car will compete against Dongfeng Honda's Civic and FAW Toyota's Corolla.[5]
The Thai market Honda City comes in three variants - S model, V Model and SV model. The Indonesian market was offered with two trims, the lower-spec S and the higher-spec E with reclining seats. Both are powered by a 1.5 engine putting out 120 bhp, and both are available in manual and automatic transmissions. Honda had launched the new City in the Philippines on the 7th of January 2009 with three variants - an A and S model which comes in 1.3 liter i-VTEC engines and an E model with five speed automatic transmission and paddle shifters[6]. It will be launched in Malaysia on the 18th of December 2008.[7] It is scheduled to arrive in Singapore by the end of September. For the first time, the car will be built and sold outside Asia, being assembled in Argentina from 2009 on. Honda launched the new city in Pakistan on 31 January 2009. It being produced at Honda plant at Lahore and is available in two variants, 5 speed automatic transmission and 5 speed manual transmission. Both models have a 1.3 liter i-VTEC engine.
Guangzhou Honda will be selling the Honda City in China from the 12th of December 2008 onwards. Unlike other markets where the largest engine option is a 1.5 liter, the Chinese market Honda City will have an R18A 1.8 liter engine option.[8]
In February 2009, Honda Australia have released the Thai made City into the Australian market in two 1.5 litre variants (VTi and VTi-L). According to Honda Australia boss, Yasuhide Mizuno, the City will compete with other light sedans such as the Japanese made Toyota Yaris sedan, Korean made Holden Barina and the Japanese made Nissan Tiida.[9] This will be the first City released in Australia since the 1980s. It will replace the market position used to be occupied by a former generation smaller-sized Civic.
This Honda City is also present in India with the engine of the 1.5 i-VTEC. This car is in three variants : namely E MT which is manual, S MT which is also manual gear and the last but not the least, the S AT which is the automatic version.
Fuel consumption
The 2005 face-lifted Honda City i-DSI achieved an impressive 3.82 L/100 km (73.9 mpg‑imp; 61.6 mpg‑US) of fuel consumption during a challenge in Malaysia on June 2007. [citation needed] The challenge requires the vehicle to be occupied by 4 persons (including the driver), air conditioning being switched on and a load of luggage. The whole route stretched more than 660 km (410 mi) that consists of not only highway driving but also hill climbing to Cameron Highlands.
Advertising
The music group Madness appeared in a Japanese TV ad campaign for the Honda City. The jingle was written by the entire band, which also appeared in the TV ad, doing its famous "nutty walk". The band apparently liked the jingle so much that they expanded it into a three minute pop song and released it as a b-side (B/W "Cardiac Arrest") that reached #14 in the UK charts. It was also included on Complete Madness, the band's best-selling greatest hits compilation from 1982. The track version of "In The City" replaced the repeated brand name "Honda Honda Honda..." with the more generic "doomba doomba doomba". The TV advertisements were included (though not listed) on the Divine Madness VHS video in 1992.
Popular culture
The Honda City appears in the popular Transformers toy line as the Autobot Skids
The arcade game City Connection features a first generation Honda City.
A Honda City features prominently in the book The White Tiger.
First generation Honda City appears in ep. 13 of Initial D: First Stage on gas station.
Also it appears appears in first episode of Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel.
References
- ^ "Honda City MMC - Mid-Term Face-Lift". TOVA. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
- ^ "2009 Honda City officially unveiled in Thailand". PaulTan.org. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
- ^ "New Honda City Is Here". http://www.vicky.in/straightfrmtheheart/. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "2009 Honda City set to hit the European market". PaulTan.org. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- ^ "Guangzhou Honda to develop Honda City-based C-segment sedan". PaulTan.org. Retrieved 2008-09-22.
- ^ "Comprehensive Look at the 2009 Honda City". autopartsplace.com. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "2009 Honda City to hit Malaysia in mid-December". PaulTan.org. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
- ^ "2009 Honda City launched in China with 1.8L engine". PaulTan.org. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
- ^ "Honda City sedan confirmed for Oz". carsales.com.au. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
External links
- Malaysia 5th Generation Honda City group
- SX8 Piranhas (Philippines)
- Japanese Honda City site
- New Honda City 2008
- City Turbo site
- German site with a lot of Honda City details
- Used Car Safety Ratings - Honda City
- [1] - Malaysian version of Honda City
- [2] - TOVA's reviews on City 2003, 2004, and 2005 models in Malaysia
- [3] - Honda Thailand Homepage Countdown Beins For The Launch Of New City
- [4] - Overdrive Confirms Feature List Of New City
- Honda City 2009, Pakistan
