The Next Big Thing: onda City RS CVT

THE NEXT BIG THING

HONDA CITY RS CVT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEITH MARK DADOR

The Philippine subcompact sedan market is somehow losing steam in recent years. Many car buyers nowadays, even first-time buyers, often look at crossovers and SUVs as their initial pick. Despite that, the car market still maintains quite a following that many manufacturers should still keep an eye on.

Inside the cockpit of the All-New Honda City is greeted with luxurious comfort and advanced controls within your reach.

Such is the case for Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), the local distributor of the Japanese automotive manufacturer. Last year, Honda brought to local shores the fifth generation of the well-loved nameplate that has preserved quite a following in the country.

Its fan base still holds a solid foundation in the market as of today, retaining its position as one of the brand’s best-selling badges.

Now on its fifth generation, the Honda City has shown much progress—from the economic daily-driven vehicle that it was initially known for, to being one of the highly-regarded models in the category that exudes elegance. And the 2021 Honda City RS CVT is ready to prove its worth.

Despite its 4,553mm long, 1,748mm wide and 1,467mm tall stature, the 2021 Honda City RS CVT still provides a comfortable leg- and headroom, most especially to passengers at the back. The 2,600mm wheelbase gives everyone sufficient wiggling space even at full capacity of five passengers, four adults with a tiny tot squeezed in the middle of the rear passenger seat.

Suspension is soft, ensuring comfort to passengers though some may find it too soft that you need to slow down to almost a halt when getting on to speed bumps (especially those huge ones).

ECON Button

Now on its fifth generation, the Honda City has shown much progress—from the economic daily-driven vehicle that it was initially known for, to being one of the highly-regarded models in the category that exudes elegance. ❞

In terms of looks, the 2021 Honda City RS CVT does not fall far from the tree. It has a strong resemblance to the outgoing version yet the modifications perfectly complemented the overall design.

The black strips along the front grille wear the RS logo, screaming the exclusivity of the variant. The fog lamp housings come as a nice touch to the overall sporty look. At the side is a running horizontal dagger line that gives the impression of connecting the head and tail lights, which also has been updated for a more premium look as compared to its predecessor. The additional rear diffuser and the ducktail spoiler and another RS logo round up the view of the rear.

But don’t let the looks (or the comfortable setting) fool you. The 2021 Honda City RS CVT can still function as a workhorse for everyday use. This car provides up to 519 liters of trunk space, so you can haul in groceries for the family.

The 2021 Honda City RS CVT shares the same engine as with the rest of its three other variants: an inline four-cylinder DOHC i-VTEC engine that can dish out a maximum output of 119 horses and 145Nm of torque. The fun-to-drive factor in the 2021 Honda City RS CVT is the paddle shifters to better control the delivery of performance. These numbers are more than enough considering it is intended for daily use making fuel economy ratings so much better.

Rear A/C Ventilation

Driven on a normal setting, experiencing heavy traffic for long periods of time and pushing it a bit on the expressway afterwards, it still delivered some 14-16 kilometers-per-liter (kpl) reading. Well, that was a bit low as the driver was a bit lead-footed. But on the test conducted with the Automobile Association of the Philippines, the Honda City showed that it can go as high as 25.17 kilometer per liter (kpl) after being driven 73.5 kilometers.

Inside, the 2021 Honda City RS CVT welcomes occupants with an overall black design that exudes a sophisticated look. The interior has just the right amount of black leather and fabric with red stitching that it perfectly matches the sporty look of the exterior. The piano black trim garnish and the chrome handles on the inside gives the 2021 Honda City RS CV a dash of intricacy that befits the palate of the chic.

One of the main features of the 2021 Honda City RS CVT is the eight-inch touchscreen audio that can be connected via Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Weblink as well as two USB ports to charge or link your mobile devices while on the go.

The 2021 Honda City RS CVT can still function as a workhorse for everyday use. This car provides up to 519 liters of trunk space, so you can haul in groceries for the family. ❞

Assuming that the two ports are not enough, a pair of 12V sockets are added in the rear, below the air-conditioning vents to make sure all devices are juiced up after every road trip.

The 2021 Honda City RS CVT has dual-zone airconditioning system that can be adjusted by rotary knobs with digital display and fitted on the lower middle part of the dashboard to make sure passengers are cool and comfortable even during the most humid days.

To keep everyone hydrated (especially during long drives, the 2021 Honda City RS CVT houses eight drink holders (four cup holders and four bottle holders).

Drivers are given control of the infotainment system with the buttons found on the steering wheel to help you focus more on the road. Your jam can be heard via six speakers around the car.

As expected, the 2021 Honda City RS CVT does not fall short when it comes to prioritizing passenger safety. It has a total of six airbags (dual front, side and curtain type) plus the standard anti-brake lock system, electronic brakeforce distribution to jibe with the vehicle stability assist and agile handling assist, hill start assist, emergency stop signal.

The P1.058 million pricing for the 2021 Honda City RS CVT may leave a sting on the buyer’s budget (although it is comparatively within the range in the competition) but with the heavy barrage of tech that goes along with it, this nameplate is still among the most-reasonably priced subcompact sedans out there. AUTOCARPH TEAM

HONDA CITY RS CVT

Price PHP 1,058,000 Colors Ignite Red Mettalic, Modern Steel Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Taffeta White Engine In-line 4 Cylinder DOHC i-VTEC Power 121 ps @ 6,600 rpm Torque 145 Nm @ 4,300 rpm Transmission Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Emmision Rating EURO 4 Front Independent MacPherson Suspension MacPherson Strut Rear Torsion Beam Suspension Front Brakes Ventilated Disk Rear Brakes Drum Tire Size 185 / 55 R16 Steering Electronic Power Steering Steering Wheel Audio & Hands-Free Controls Telephone (HFT) with Voice Recognition Button Length 4,553 mm Width 1,748 mm Height 1,467 mm Wheelbase 2,600 mm Curb Weight 1,120 kg Trunk Capacity 519 Liters Turning Radius 5.0 m at wheel center Fuel Capacity 40 liters Seating Capacity 5 Website https://www.hondaphil.com/model/city

provides generous space for people on the move up