![]() |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| Elasti-city | ||
| Review all Models of Honda city | ||
|
Yeehah!
There’s a new VTEC in town. But hang on: can the City’s Mr
Clean image stretch to include a rev-hungry engine? Vardhan Kondvikar
takes it for a spin. Instead, they looked uncomfortable. In a press trip that favoured engineering talk over PR-babble, the only moment of doublespeak was when I asked them what the point of the VTEC was. “Customers… er… best balance… er… dynamic something…” Not good. There was no such thing with the old VTEC: it was a hooligan, pure and simple, with no pretence of satisfying the widest range of customers. It wasn’t very driveable and had a distinct step in performance, but at least when the performance arrived it did so with a very exciting bang, with lots of screaming and popping – and the rest of the car was geared up for that assault. It made sense. This, however, is a strictly urban car – so why does it need Expressway performance? It’s not particularly good at high speeds. Sure I did 190, but that was at least 70kph too fast in this car, which shudders and jiggles even in mild crosswinds, and has neither the chassis nor the tyres for that. It positively hates bends, the steering still has no feel, and though disc brakes front and rear may be a class first, they’re still awful, with a smidge more feel than the old setup, but dismal stopping power and a tendency to lock up. And here’s the bad bit about the VTEC: driveability may have improved over the last one, but that wasn’t of a particularly high standard either. Pull out from behind a truck on the highway and zoom, the car behind you has passed you again, leaving you stranded in the path of that monster. It’s not funny. And it’s frustrating in town too, and you have to drop down at least a gear, sometimes two, to remind the engine it’s supposed to propel you forward. A big, smooth engine is fine in a long- distance car like an Accord, but what’s the point of it on your office commute? The i-DSI fits in far better with the City’s philosophy. Driveability
(never a problem anyway) is even better now, and though it remains somewhat
over-eager, it makes for a very effective urban commuter, very easy to
plough through stop-go traffic. There’s also a much-improved ride
now, less noisy and less prone to harsh secondary vibrations, which is
great in town. Add that soulless but light steering, a well-sorted CVT
and a comfy cabin, and it works. Clinically, but it works. The VTEC doesn’t, not as well. Perhaps, to be honest, we hacks are to blame: we threw such a tantrum over the old car’s demise that Honda said “Oh, all right” and gave us one, even though it’s patently unsuited to the new car. Honda believes it’ll sell extremely well as an upmarket mid-sizer, better than the niche-market old VTEC, and who are we to argue if they’re right? For our part though, we’ll stick to the humbler car, gives it to a wife or girlfriend who hates the business of driving, and quite possibly live happily ever after. With a second-hand old VTEC in our half of the garage… |
||
| VTECH We say: Vtech engine is powerfuland sound nice but doesn't suit the urban-dweller nature of the city. Price: Rs 840,058 lakh Performance: 0-100kph na, max speed na Tech: 1497cc VTECH, 4cyl, 16-valve, FWD, 100bhp, 132, 1065kg |
||
Source
January 2006 |
| Our Sister Sites: http://www.khichdee.com | http://lo.karloba.at | http://www.indiabike.com | http://www.cuttingchaai.com | http://www.indiacar.net | |
|
Home |
Buy New Car |
Buy Used Car |
Sell Your Car |
Car Research |
Detailed Car Reviews |
Road Tests |
Technical Specs. Standard Equipments | Owner's Feedback | Photo Gallery | Surround Videos | Insurance | Finance | Car Maintenance | Indiacar Mall Dealer Locator | Infobank | Ask An Expert | Messageboard |Two Wheelers | RTO | Cybersteering | News Archives | Site Map | Contact Us | Terms & Conditions | Bookmark this Site | Copyright © 1999-2008 Indiacar Pvt. Ltd. |