2024 Honda City S Modulo: Fully loaded where it really counts
You might think that I’m talking about some bizarre weather phenomenon or some aspect of traveling to outer space. Oh, if only it were really that exciting.
Simply put, stratification is just the arrangement of something into different groups. This phenomenon is highly prevalent in the automotive industry, largely as a reflection of how we car buyers are stratified into different income groups.
That’s why you can buy a particular car at a bargain-basement price or spend an additional 80 to 150 percent for the same model with all the “bells and whistles.” This goes for everything from the humble Toyota Wigo to the entire Porsche 911 range (some animals are more equal than others, as George Orwell once wrote).
I still remember the days when airbags and anti-lock brakes (and even electronic fuel injection) were exclusively for top-of-the-line models. Happily, global automotive legislation means the aforementioned features, along with things like stability control and child-restraint anchors, are standard across all variants of today’s cars.
And one company that has surged ahead of the local car industry in making sure that all its cars are as safe as can be is Honda Cars Philippines. Case in point is the latest Honda City, which was updated last year to include the simply impeccable Honda SENSING active-safety suite, no matter which variant you choose.
Convenience that saves lives
Unlike most modern tech that befuddles the driver, Honda Cars’ system is truly helpful and effective, wherever you drive.
Handy features like the Lead Car Departure Notification tell you when the car in front of you has moved, but you’re still in Neutral. And then there’s the superb Adaptive Cruise Control where you can set the distance to the car in front of you, then the City will handle the accelerator and brakes – long drives have never been easier or smoother.
Meanwhile, the Lane Keeping Assist System with Lane Departure Warning will not only notify you if your car is leaving its lane without proper turn signals, but it will also nudge the electric power steering to maintain your lane.
And most crucially, the Collision-Mitigation Braking System will automatically engage the brakes to lessen the impact of a road crash or, at low speeds, avoid one completely. It’s a huge leap forward from the days when we used to consider power steering a “luxury.”
Sporty looks
My test unit was the midgrade City S with an interesting set of accessories, courtesy of Modulo.
The subcompact’s handsome styling was given some attitude with a full body kit that included front and rear chins, as well as side skirts. A large rear wing and Modulo-exclusive 16-inch alloy wheels give the City a racier silhouette, while the window deflectors mean you can have fresh air even in the pouring rain.
Even though I am a racing driver (and have some understanding of what wings and skirts are for), I have no particular affinity for body kits – I would instead spend the money on the higher-grade City V or City RS. Also, the wheels have improper offset, so they don’t quite match the wider stance that the kit is going after.
And the lights really reminded me about stratification – the S variant gets projector halogen headlights and no foglights. Given that rivals like the MG GT have the full LED lightshow for superior nighttime visibility, this is something that the City should also have across all models (not just the RS).
Refined, spacious cabin
Inside, the City S has excellent room for five occupants and is trimmed in durable black cloth, but lacks the pizazz of the swoopy MG.
The plasticky dashboard and door cards don’t do the City any favors, but at least you get an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The sheer ease of using this and the separate air-conditioning controls is something that every single Chinese carmaker should emulate.
Other nice things about the City S include the supportive seats, voluminous trunk, strong air-con, four airbags (front and side) and a ride quality that rivals larger compact sedans like the Toyota Corolla Altis.
Supremely economical
It’s behind the wheel where the City demonstrates why it is leaps and bounds better than every other subcompact on sale today.
If you drive gently in the city – feathering the throttle up to 1,500 rpm – you can get a whopping 10 to 13 kilometers per liter in the city and a mind-blowing 22 to 25 kilometers per liter on the expressway. The City’s 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine and continuously variable transmission are a match made in heaven.
And if you’re in the mood for more spirited driving, you can really maximize the 119 horsepower and 145 Newton-meters of torque. The powerband is smooth and broad, unlike the turbocharged wallop you would get from the entertaining and equally capable Nissan Almera.
In addition, the fairly firm dampers, powerful brakes, and quick steering mean you won’t scrape that body kit at speed through tight bends. However, the City falls short of the supreme driving dynamics of the Mazda2, which rewards keen drivers with a tauter chassis, a firm brake pedal and better steering feel.
Best in class, no matter the price
At P998,000, the City S (even without the Modulo kit) is leaps and bounds better than the pricier and antiquated Toyota Vios G.
A closer rival would perhaps be the Nissan Almera VL, which has a far more exciting interior and comes standard with Nissan Intelligent Mobility – similar in vein to Honda SENSING. However, this costs P157,000 more than the Honda, with cheaper Almeras not having active-safety features at all.
And that’s really the whole point of this review – Honda Cars is bucking the old stratification trend by making safety available for every car buyer, as exemplified by the City. It’s not only worth praising, but also worth following to make our roads safer.
