Honda City VX i-DTEC: Long Term Review


Thread Starter #1
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Thiruvananthapuram
Dear folks,
I bought my Honda City in 2015. And through this review I will try to portray the good and bad aspects and my experience with the car. Apart from a machine, the car is really something which completes me and i feel very confident and connected with the car every time.

The new gen city was launched in the year 2014. and I was in hunt for a new car around 2015 february.


Requirments
  • Must be a proper sedan with good road presence
  • Good Road manners
  • Diesel (in 2015, diesel was sold at Rs. 54 per litre)
  • Reliable and fuel efficient
  • Comfortable for 4 people
  • Feature Rich and Value for Money

Options considered

1. Hyundai Verna

The Verna (fluidic) was a fresh-looking car at that time before city . The feature list was enormous. Took a test-drive and the power and refinement from the 1.6 engine felt very addictive. But the rear seat comfort was not up to the mark. The occupants are seated very low in the car and somewhat I felt it as a dealbreaker. The steering is too light for my liking. Even though I didn’t get chance to understand the dynamics of the car but through various online reviews it was just ok.

2. VW Vento / Skoda Rapid

Somehow I felt the car offers very basic features for the price. I have to admit that they Drives well, handles well and built quality is way better than any car in the segment. Also, I has a polo 1.5 in my circle and upon close inspections I find that the reliability is not so great. I wish to keep my car for approx. 7-8 Years and Germans in most cases cannot be trusted beyond 5 years.

3. Honda City

My Friend from Kayamkulam brought the city recently, and I got the chance to experience it in depth. It was like Love at First Sight. The beauty, Tech, Drive everything felt special. The Petrol i-Vtec is a gem of an engine and the diesel isn’t bad either. The handling and steering are spot on. The rear seat is the best seats in business. Lots of storage space and was feature loaded. service history from few friends felt very promising. The diesel engine was new in city, But had launched in Amaze before and there are a lots of Amaze which clocked above 80k KMS without any issues. And thus, I was confident about the reliability of an already reliable car. And the car offered the most features and tech.

4. Maruti Ciaz

Ciaz is big, comfortable and fuel efficient. The Maruti service and reliability is also cheap. But comparing the city, Ciaz felt ordinary and there are a lot of shared parts. City’s interior is definitely futuristic and everything felt well designed. And in comparison, I like the edgy and sharp design of city than Ciaz. Especially at the sides and rear.


5. Toyota Etios Platinum / Ford Classic / Linea Classic

There is no fancy. They appears more like a work horse than a pricy procession. The Ford classic and Linea were in the market for quite a long and was due for a facelift


So I narrowed down to HONDA CITY
20150615_104214.jpg

The Car: Honda City VX i-Dtec
Date of Purchase: 15 June 2015
Purchased at: Perfect Honda, Thiruvananthapuram


Initial Impressions

What i Like
  • The car was relatively fresh, and is beautiful
  • The Features it offered
  • The drivability of i-Dtec. No turbolag at all
  • 100 PS of power, 200 NM torque
  • Fuel Effiency above 20 KMPL every time
  • Space Management and Comfortable Seating for everyone
  • Sunroof
  • Smart Key with true keyless
  • Cruise control and 6th gear for effortless highway cruising
  • Relatively easy to maintain and cheap service cost
  • Reliable
  • its a HONDA

What Could have been Better

  • NVH is high. not a dealbreaker, but there is engine noise inside cabin
  • Paint quality. feels very thin layer of paint is applied
  • Build quality could have been better, but is better than maruti and on par with Toyota - IMHO
  • Not revv friendly. Best driven below 3500 RPM
  • Above 140 KMPH, car feels light
  • The steering wheel leather is damaged (white spots)

The car is now nearing 5 years and 65,000KMS

Mods and Accessories

1. LED DRL installed at time of delivery (as seen in above picture)
2. Roots windtone Horns (stock horn dosent suit the character of the car)
3. Rear Spoiler from Honda (Genuine Accessory at time of delivery)
4. Illuminated Sill Plates
5. 195/60 R15 Yokohama Rubber (the car came with 175/65/15 , which is not the ideal set of shoes)
6. Even Tried Angel Eyes with HID Projector setup and reversed back since it was not perfect :stupid:
IMG_20181011_173334.jpg



Fuel Efficeiency

Let the pics explain

IMG_20191218_113122.jpg

Trivandrum - Ernakulam - Trivandrum and some local running
450 KMS hoghway, rest in city



IMG_20180828_214652.jpg

TVM - Tirunelveli - Madurai - Velankanni - TVM
4 onboard with their baggages

IMG_20190713_102148.jpg

Filled full tank from Managalapuram (TVM) BP COCO , reset the trip and reached Ernakulam. 217 KM done and 821 to go

REVIEW after 4.5 years:

The car is giving amazing mileage
The drive is very comfortable
No issues till date, and no issues at all
Overall, the car remains very reliable and easy to maintain

Service details

10,000 km or 6 months, scheduled service

Brake pads - replaced at 32000km
Tyres - Replaced at 36000kms
Rotors skimmed at 25000 km and replaced at 32000kms
Clutch is untouched, but release bearing making light noise due to water entry ( once driven in flood at Pathanamthitta [cry], SA confirmed it will last another 30,000 KMS without any fuss)

approximate service cost :
Minor service - service, inspection, oil, filter, air filter, cabin filter, tyre rotation - 4500-5000 Rs.
Major service - minor service + fuel filter + fluids topup - 6500-7000 Rs.



Major Update

Facelifted to current model :smile:

Yes !!
I recently changed the front of my car to look like 2017 model.
Changes includes new bumper, new set of grill, a pair of headlamps, painting Bonnet and all other screws and accessories

Few Pics :
20190926_171233.jpg

at Chakka byepass, Trivandrum

IMG_20191215_152925.jpg

at Container Terminal Road - EKM


Improvements Noted

  • Looks improved. Now she looks more beautiful
  • The headlights are better - they illuminate the road much better now
  • Everything is stock. no wire cut, no weld, nothing was done in the face change

Updates Pending

Alloys - Looking for aftermarket alloys. in my bucket list
Rear bumper - I dint find it necessity. but to match the overall design, ill definitly upgrade it
Metre console - the New one comes with white theme insted of blue.


Some more pictures of my beauty
IMG-20190811-WA0075.jpg

shines at the night

IMG_20190508_154306.jpg

on the background, The richest temple in the world, Sree Padmanabha, Trivandrum

FB_IMG_1577020861566.jpg

From the Annual Meet of HCCK ( Honda City Club Kerala)
this team is really amazing guys [cheers]



Thank you.

Yours truly
Midhun
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter #3
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Thiruvananthapuram
Great mods (Facelifted from 2014 - 2017 ). What was the cost of headlamps ?
Keep driving safe bro.
Thanks Brother [:)]
Happy to see more Trivians around here

The headlights were the most expensive part of the package. The cost was around Rs. 24,000 for a pair.
Luckily I got an unused item from OLX for just Rs. 9500 [clap]
Didn't miss the chance and acquired them immediately. It took me almost 2 months to source all parts economically.
 
Thread Starter #5
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Headlight LED ones or halogen?
Regular Halogen units.
The LED headlights are not direct fit. It requires changing the whole wiring harness. Have used several sets of LED bulbs in headlights and not satisfied with the performance in rain and fog. So was more than happy with the halogen units. Moreover, I got them for a cheap price.
 

deville_56

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Regular Halogen units.
The LED headlights are not direct fit. It requires changing the whole wiring harness. Have used several sets of LED bulbs in headlights and not satisfied with the performance in rain and fog. So was more than happy with the halogen units. Moreover, I got them for a cheap price.
12k for halogen means LED units are gonna cross 20k. Stock LED low beam is too good, but high beam is not satisfactory like most LEDs. Yeah, they deem useless in rain, one of the reasons why I still stick with warm white lights.
 
Thread Starter #7
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12k for halogen means LED units are gonna cross 20k. Stock LED low beam is too good, but high beam is not satisfactory like most LEDs. Yeah, they deem useless in rain, one of the reasons why I still stick with warm white lights.
It actually costs nearly 25,000 for a single LED headlight. That means 50,000 for a pair. While the halogen is priced at 25000 a pair.
Too expensive comparing that the 2014 headlights were Rs. 5500 per light (12000/ pair), and around 3500 for the tail lights (7000/pair)

Also the new tail lights in VX and ZX are priced north 35000 / pair. , If I remember correctly.

I installed LED bulbs everywhere before a 1500 km road trip. The roads were mostly express Highway in TN.
The power of light was great , 4000Lm per bulb in turns 16000Lm on road
But the throw of high beam was pathetic. The light were spread out and the visibility in long Highway was difficult and thus I changed to stock immediately after coming back..
As u mentioned, The stock LEDs are well projected. But will be difficult in rain and fog. Even the fog lamps are LED in new models. !
 

deville_56

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It actually costs nearly 25,000 for a single LED headlight. That means 50,000 for a pair. While the halogen is priced at 25000 a pair.
Too expensive comparing that the 2014 headlights were Rs. 5500 per light (12000/ pair), and around 3500 for the tail lights (7000/pair)

Also the new tail lights in VX and ZX are priced north 35000 / pair. , If I remember correctly.

I installed LED bulbs everywhere before a 1500 km road trip. The roads were mostly express Highway in TN.
The power of light was great , 4000Lm per bulb in turns 16000Lm on road
But the throw of high beam was pathetic. The light were spread out and the visibility in long Highway was difficult and thus I changed to stock immediately after coming back..
As u mentioned, The stock LEDs are well projected. But will be difficult in rain and fog. Even the fog lamps are LED in new models. !
Prices are absolutely insane. Even 12k for halogen without projectors in unjustified. Must warn my acquaintances [lol]

Cousin got a 2018 i-VTEC V variant.

2018-04-21 13-15-36.jpg


and friend got a 2018 i-DTEC ZX variant.

IMG-20190903-WA0000.jpg
 
Joined
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Dear folks,
I bought my Honda City in 2015. And through this review I will try to portray the good and bad aspects and my experience with the car. Apart from a machine, the car is really something which completes me and i feel very confident and connected with the car every time.

The new gen city was launched in the year 2014. and I was in hunt for a new car around 2015 february.


Requirments
  • Must be a proper sedan with good road presence
  • Good Road manners
  • Diesel (in 2015, diesel was sold at Rs. 54 per litre)
  • Reliable and fuel efficient
  • Comfortable for 4 people
  • Feature Rich and Value for Money

Options considered

1. Hyundai Verna

The Verna (fluidic) was a fresh-looking car at that time before city . The feature list was enormous. Took a test-drive and the power and refinement from the 1.6 engine felt very addictive. But the rear seat comfort was not up to the mark. The occupants are seated very low in the car and somewhat I felt it as a dealbreaker. The steering is too light for my liking. Even though I didn’t get chance to understand the dynamics of the car but through various online reviews it was just ok.

2. VW Vento / Skoda Rapid

Somehow I felt the car offers very basic features for the price. I have to admit that they Drives well, handles well and built quality is way better than any car in the segment. Also, I has a polo 1.5 in my circle and upon close inspections I find that the reliability is not so great. I wish to keep my car for approx. 7-8 Years and Germans in most cases cannot be trusted beyond 5 years.

3. Honda City

My Friend from Kayamkulam brought the city recently, and I got the chance to experience it in depth. It was like Love at First Sight. The beauty, Tech, Drive everything felt special. The Petrol i-Vtec is a gem of an engine and the diesel isn’t bad either. The handling and steering are spot on. The rear seat is the best seats in business. Lots of storage space and was feature loaded. service history from few friends felt very promising. The diesel engine was new in city, But had launched in Amaze before and there are a lots of Amaze which clocked above 80k KMS without any issues. And thus, I was confident about the reliability of an already reliable car. And the car offered the most features and tech.

4. Maruti Ciaz

Ciaz is big, comfortable and fuel efficient. The Maruti service and reliability is also cheap. But comparing the city, Ciaz felt ordinary and there are a lot of shared parts. City’s interior is definitely futuristic and everything felt well designed. And in comparison, I like the edgy and sharp design of city than Ciaz. Especially at the sides and rear.


5. Toyota Etios Platinum / Ford Classic / Linea Classic

There is no fancy. They appears more like a work horse than a pricy procession. The Ford classic and Linea were in the market for quite a long and was due for a facelift


So I narrowed down to HONDA CITY
View attachment 274756
The Car: Honda City VX i-Dtec
Date of Purchase: 15 June 2015
Purchased at: Perfect Honda, Thiruvananthapuram


Initial Impressions

What i Like
  • The car was relatively fresh, and is beautiful
  • The Features it offered
  • The drivability of i-Dtec. No turbolag at all
  • 100 PS of power, 200 NM torque
  • Fuel Effiency above 20 KMPL every time
  • Space Management and Comfortable Seating for everyone
  • Sunroof
  • Smart Key with true keyless
  • Cruise control and 6th gear for effortless highway cruising
  • Relatively easy to maintain and cheap service cost
  • Reliable
  • its a HONDA

What Could have been Better

  • NVH is high. not a dealbreaker, but there is engine noise inside cabin
  • Paint quality. feels very thin layer of paint is applied
  • Build quality could have been better, but is better than maruti and on par with Toyota - IMHO
  • Not revv friendly. Best driven below 3500 RPM
  • Above 140 KMPH, car feels light
  • The steering wheel leather is damaged (white spots)

The car is now nearing 5 years and 65,000KMS

Mods and Accessories

1. LED DRL installed at time of delivery (as seen in above picture)
2. Roots windtone Horns (stock horn dosent suit the character of the car)
3. Rear Spoiler from Honda (Genuine Accessory at time of delivery)
4. Illuminated Sill Plates
5. 195/60 R15 Yokohama Rubber (the car came with 175/65/15 , which is not the ideal set of shoes)
6. Even Tried Angel Eyes with HID Projector setup and reversed back since it was not perfect :stupid:
View attachment 274757


Fuel Efficeiency

Let the pics explain

View attachment 274758
Trivandrum - Ernakulam - Trivandrum and some local running
450 KMS hoghway, rest in city



View attachment 274759
TVM - Tirunelveli - Madurai - Velankanni - TVM
4 onboard with their baggages

View attachment 274760
Filled full tank from Managalapuram (TVM) BP COCO , reset the trip and reached Ernakulam. 217 KM done and 821 to go

REVIEW after 4.5 years:

The car is giving amazing mileage
The drive is very comfortable
No issues till date, and no issues at all
Overall, the car remains very reliable and easy to maintain

Service details

10,000 km or 6 months, scheduled service

Brake pads - replaced at 32000km
Tyres - Replaced at 36000kms
Rotors skimmed at 25000 km and replaced at 32000kms
Clutch is untouched, but release bearing making light noise due to water entry ( once driven in flood at Pathanamthitta [cry], SA confirmed it will last another 30,000 KMS without any fuss)

approximate service cost :
Minor service - service, inspection, oil, filter, air filter, cabin filter, tyre rotation - 4500-5000 Rs.
Major service - minor service + fuel filter + fluids topup - 6500-7000 Rs.



Major Update

Facelifted to current model :smile:

Yes !!
I recently changed the front of my car to look like 2017 model.
Changes includes new bumper, new set of grill, a pair of headlamps, painting Bonnet and all other screws and accessories

Few Pics :
View attachment 274761
at Chakka byepass, Trivandrum

View attachment 274762
at Container Terminal Road - EKM


Improvements Noted

  • Looks improved. Now she looks more beautiful
  • The headlights are better - they illuminate the road much better now
  • Everything is stock. no wire cut, no weld, nothing was done in the face change

Updates Pending

Alloys - Looking for aftermarket alloys. in my bucket list
Rear bumper - I dint find it necessity. but to match the overall design, ill definitly upgrade it
Metre console - the New one comes with white theme insted of blue.


Some more pictures of my beauty
View attachment 274763

shines at the night

View attachment 274764
on the background, The richest temple in the world, Sree Padmanabha, Trivandrum

View attachment 274767
From the Annual Meet of HCCK ( Honda City Club Kerala)
this team is really amazing guys



Thank you.

Yours truly
Midhun
Excellent write up Midhun, needless to say chucking out your old projectors and face lifting was the best decision! [cheers]
 
Thread Starter #11
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Just a question out of the topic - Led Projector setup , what's the opinion ?
Better in rains ?
Or is LED the deciding factor ?
LED is the deciding factor. LED wont suit to most projectors like HID Bulbs. stick to the warm light. Before Projectors, I have installed 6000k LED's in my reflector. The Brightness was insane. But the throw was not that great. it blinds the oncoming traffic. LED in reflector is the worst nightmare for drivers at night. Low beam was okay while the high beam was scatterd and not focused.
On the other hand the projector setup is great to have, if done properly. The problem comes with the selection of color temperature. IMHO, 4700K is the best setup. ( I had 5000k as Xenon HID inside projector)
Issues I faced : difficult to maintain. - The Bulbs, Ballast, wire, Relay etc,.. are prone to failure. (imagine if one fine night when you take the car out for a spin and only one headlight is working !! I faced this issue as the ballast failed ), Difficult to adjust beam, 5000K is not suited for the rain, insted of penetrating through the rain/fog and focusing the road, the rain drops can be seen clearly.
And the road markings will not be reflected as you would expect. I still dont know how the high-end vehicles deal with 6000K and 6500K bulbs. !! The tech and quality matters ?

Excellent write up Midhun, needless to say chucking out your old projectors and face lifting was the best decision! [cheers]
Thank you bro.
Your review about the amaze was exceptional. [thumbswink]

BTW, i have few questions for you regarding the sound dampening in Amaze.
How was the result? is it worth
How to source good quality damping sheets?
and could you suggest any trusted shops around Trivandrum for the process. [:D]
 
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Excellent writeup Midhun.

I am keen to have a sneak peak of the spoiler that you added. Do you have any pics of it? We added Honda City (P) to our garage in Feb and would love to add to our car later this year!
 
Thread Starter #13
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Excellent writeup Midhun.

I am keen to have a sneak peak of the spoiler that you added. Do you have any pics of it? We added Honda City (P) to our garage in Feb and would love to add to our car later this year!
Congratulations for the new City. [drive]

I'm attaching few pics of the rear with spoiler.
This add-on definitely improve the stance of the beauty.
I got them installed during delivery. And they charged 9k for the same. Similar ones are available for 3500₹ in aftermarket. Pls be sure about the width before purchasing. Few I've seen doesn't have the width of original accessory and looks cheap.
Also have a look at the rear reflector LED lights I've installed. It was a simple DIY.
 

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I had driven Ecosport with LED in headlamps , normal nights the output was insane as I can really see oncoming traffic abusing me[frustration], and one night there was a rain too , then it was like candle light in front of the car , had to manage with the Fog lights and I reduced the speed to 40kmph in that heavy rain as it was raining cats and dogs and vision was poor .
Thanks for clarfication.
 
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Thank you bro.
Your review about the amaze was exceptional. [thumbswink]

BTW, i have few questions for you regarding the sound dampening in Amaze.
How was the result? is it worth
How to source good quality damping sheets?
and could you suggest any trusted shops around Trivandrum for the process. [:D]
Thank you [:)]

The result was exceptional considering this was so noisy. We bought ourselves some random damping material from Amazon back then since of the lack of availability of the good/reputed ones. But I recently checked and there's plenty of options out there right now. Or almost all car accessories shop who does audio does a completed dampening, covering most areas since they have proper tools unlike me. But it will cost you a bomb for sure [shock]
 

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