Honda introduces new Honda City variants equipped with class leading features

Following the success of the launch of the New Honda City in January last year, Honda Cars Philippines is set to raise the bar in the subcompact segment with new variants of the City. When the third generation Honda City was launched in 2009, it further reinvented the sub-compact segment with rule-changing looks and features, not ordinarily found in other sub-compacts.

In 2012, the City got its urban upgrades. With its new chromed grille, redesigned bumpers, and new taillights as the City went for more elegant yet sporty look. The City was made to look more luxurious with its refreshed interiors: the new blue and white illumination in the instrument cluster and chrome-accented center console. Furthermore, another clever addition to the instrument cluster is the Eco Drive Indicator Lamp (1.5 variant only) – a device that lights up whenever the driver is driving efficiently – which will serve as a reminder and a motivation for fuel efficient driving.

“We challenged ourselves once again to change the rules for the City in the Philippines by introducing 1.5 liter variants with first in class premium and safety features”, said Tatsuya Natsume, President and General Manager of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. The new variants of the City are the 1.5 EL and 1.5 ENC both offered in automatic transmission with paddle shifters. More than the usual subcompact sedan, both variants will be equipped with seven split-spoke 16” alloy wheels (new 8 spoke 15” alloy wheels for the 1.3 S) further enhancing the City’s sporty profile. Exclusive to the 1.5 EL variant is its new black leather interior.

Renowned for changing the rules in its class, the City has yet again created a new standard of safety with the 1.5 ENC variant. The City 1.5 ENC is equipped with features that were once only available in higher displacement models such as the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) which provides lateral skidding prevention and stabilized cornering, ISOFIX international standard for fastening child seats which can be found in the Honda Pilot and Odyssey, 60:40 split folding rear seats and seatbelt reminder for both driver and front passenger. “These features make the City 1.5 ENC, one of the pioneers to introduce a model (in the Philippines) that gets a 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating for adult occupant protection, the highest safety rating possible”, Natsume said. The ASEAN New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is a new addition to the NCAP entities around the world, which targets to enhance safety standards, raise consumer awareness and thus encourage a market for safer vehicles in the Southeast Asia region.

Furthermore, all variants of the Honda City are equipped with Dual (driver and passenger) SRS airbags, as well as Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD). The ABS and EBD system prevents the wheels from locking during sudden braking, allowing the driver to control the car in dire situations.

The Honda City is available in four variants with suggested retail price of:

• 1.3 S MT - Php 746,000
• 1.3 S AT - Php 786,000
• 1.5 EL AT - Php 861,000
• 1.5 ENC AT - Php 876,000

The City is available in five colors: the Sparkling Brown, Taffeta White, Urban Titanium, Crystal Black and the new color Carnelian Red, previously available only in Civic.