Design
Based on the Jazz hatchback platform, it was known from the very beginning at Honda that the success of the new City depended to a large extent on its looks. Dubbed the 'arrowshot' design because of the manner in which the nose, waistline, pillars and the taillights together resemble an arrow, the new City's very contemporary looks are an aesthetic success and has been very well received, much to the relief of everyone at Honda.

By far one of the most attractive cars in the country today, all it takes is a swift glance to conclude that the slatted radiator grille, meshed with the tapering headlights, forms the focal point of the 2009 City. There is plenty of aggressive detailing to the design as well, like the bonnet ridges and the prominent depression on the bumper, which flows unperturbed through the flanks all the way to rear passenger door. Unlike, in the previous City, the boot of the new model does not look disjointed from the rest of the car. The impressive posterior with its modern taillights, finely contoured boot and bumper is perfectly harmonious with the over-all design of the car and makes for quite a pleasant sight. At 505 litres, the boot of the City is huge to say the least and can accommodate quite a lot of luggage. The loading bay however is a tad on the narrow side.

The new Honda City is sans the front-quarter glass that featured in the previous model, thus considerably improving visibility. Slightly on the disappointing side is the surprising absence of alloy wheels as standard equipment or for that matter even as an option! Moreover, one feels that meatier tyres rather than the 175-section R15 tyres would have served the new Honda City better.

Although not a particularly large car, the new City on the inside possesses ample space, be it in terms of width, headroom or legroom. The extended wheelbase of 100mm surely makes the passenger cabin spacious and comfortable. With the capacity to accommodate five adults, the new City is the perfect sedan for the average Indian family one might say. The heavily bolstered seats have softer cushions and provide superb thigh support and hence are much better than that of the previous model. However, the seating position is a bit on the low side and therefore one tends to miss the upright seating position of the previous model.

When it comes to aesthetics, the City's interior is rather impressive. The well laid out dashboard and its dual-tone texture is appealing. The black on silver arrangement of the centre console is eye-catching and sure lends a bit of panache to the interior. Even more appealing is the sporty three-spoke steering wheel, which is reminiscent of that of the Civics'. The orange information display screen and the 'Distance to empty' meter are also a pleasant sight and are sure to add a bit of colour to the interior, especially at night.

The new Honda City's cabin is immensely practical, with plenty of cubbyholes, cup holders and generous door pockets that can hold a lot. However, the quality of plastic and fabric is a letdown and seems more at par with that of a lower-segment sedan. As a result, the expensive feel is sadly missing in the City on the inside.

Comfort
One of the major flaws of the old Honda City was its rough ride. Honda Motors has looked into this matter and worked hard to make the new City pleasant from the ride quality point of view. The City features a new chassis, which is much more firm and the suspension towers have been beefed up considerably  The suspension system comprises of McPherson strut with stabilizer and coil spring at the front, while at the rear is a coil spring and torsion beam axle with stabilizer. There is suppleness to the suspension system, thus making the ride quality almost pristine, and much better than that of the previous model.

Handling has also been considerably improved. The electrically assisted steering although not as communicative as the Fiesta's, is responsive and allows for better feedback.

A car of the City's class calls for a 4 star comfort & convenience equipment level. But sadly, the level of features actually present in the car is slightly below par. Features like, automatic climate control and air quality control, which even the likes of the cheaper Maruti Dzire and SX4 posses are missing from the new City. Also missing are leather seats and adjustable lumbar support, which nowadays are standard features for a car in City's price range. What it does have are steering-mounted audio controls and an advanced audio system that is compatible with an iPod or a pendrive. CD player is not standard and is available as an option, but will set one back by Rs. 10,000.

Engine, Transmission & Performance
Complimenting the new City's aggressive stance and looks is the updated 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine. The 4-cylinder engine has an electronic fuel injection system and the same block as that of the engine that powered the previous model, but now gets a full-fledged VTEC system. The VTEC system instead of deactivating the intake valve lift, now simply controls it unlike earlier. Peak power as a result has also increased considerably. At a maximum power of 116PS, delivered at 6,600rpm the new City is a powerhouse of a mid-size sedan! Peak torque at 146Nm is equally impressive and considerably aids the car in accelerating from stand still to a 100kmph in 10.2 seconds, which is half a second faster than the previous model! Considering the power to weight ratio, the new City should have been much quicker than the old model, but the widely spaced ratios takes a toll on performance a bit. 183kmph is the maximum speed, more than most of its competition.

Initial acceleration of the City is decent, but it is in the high-speeds that the new City comes into its prime. In excess of 4,000rpms, the City is an extremely responsive machine and responds instantaneously to throttle pressure. Had it not been for the tall third gear, high-speed acceleration would have been even better. In the mid-ranges however, the new City is a tad on the slow side, thus calling for extra gearshifts when overtaking slow moving traffic. The base 1.5E and the middle 1.5S variants feature a 5-speed manual transmission. There is a 5-speed automatic transmission available on the top 1.5S variant.

The i-VTEC engine besides being competent and refined is also fuel-efficient. In fact, it is more fuel-efficient than the previous model in spite of being heavier! That ought to say something about Honda's engineering prowess. In the city the new City stands in the region of 10-11kmpl, while out on the expressway the mileage shoots up to a commendable 16-17kmpl!

Safety
The City's unique G- Force Control (G-CON) technology controls the energy of an impact, thus limiting injuries to the passengers. It has always been a philosophy of Honda to up the safety quotient of its car with each new model. The new City has been put through numerous safety tests including car-to-car crash testing at the world's first indoor Omni directional crash test safety facility. Honda has also worked to ensure that minimum damage is caused to the other vehicle involved in the unfortunate accident. Besides, the City's body structure has been constructed to ensure maximum safety to pedestrians.

The City boasts of generous levels of safety features. ABS, dual front airbags, Brake Assist (BA), anti-theft alarm, child safety locks and central locking all comes as standard features!

The new Honda City is available in six tempting colours and in three trims - 1.5E, 15.S and 1.5S Automatic. With a starting price of Rs. 7,51,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), the new City is more expensive than its rivals like the Ford Fiesta and the Maruti SX4, but then again the City is a car that is altogether in a different level than its competition!