As one of the stellar variants in terms of popularity and sales of Honda Cars Philippines, Honda City in its refreshed glory has just been unveiled. Held at the City of Dreams luxury hotel, the launching event doubled as a coming out party for HCPI’s new president and general manager Noriyuki Takakura.
“It is with great pride that we present to you this 2017 version of the City, a car that exhibits a high-tech and sporty design, class-leading fuel efficiency and comfort, and above class safety that provide customers with the smartest ownership experience,” explains Takakura. Prior to his posting in the Philippines, Takakura was the CEO and Managing Director of Honda Australia. He brings to the table his wealth of experience in industrialized markets such as New Zealand and Australia.
Visible changes of the 2017 City is visible on its exterior, specifically its front fascia. It sports a low and wide stance, and stately presence that seamlessly complements a new front and rear design that gives the New City a sharper and more aggressive look. The New City is also now equipped with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), while the top variant VX+ comes with LED headlights and LED fog lights. Adding to the sporty look of the New City is a new intricate-looking front grille, and exquisite diamond cut aluminium alloy wheels (16-inch for the VX and VX+ variants and 15-inch for the E CVT variant). The VX and VX+ variant also get power folding side mirrors for added convenience.
Inside, design engineers gave the interior a rich and sophisticated cabin that flaunts a high-tech design, decorative panel, and plush leather seats (for the VX+) that truly highlight the New City’s sporty feel. Metallic trims around the air-conditioning vents and gearshift, and heightens the visual appeal of the cockpit. The New City’s gauges and Push Start Button have also been redesigned for a more premium and elegant touch. For added convenience, the VX and VX+ variants are now equipped with Cruise Control that maintains a steady driving speed set by the driver.
The New City is powered by the same 1.5-liter i-VTEC SOHC 4-cylinder engine that produces 120PS at 6,600rpm and 14.8kg-m of torque at 4,800rpm. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed Manual Transmission (for the base E variant) or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) developed under Earth Dreams Technology that delivers a dynamic and fuel efficient driving performance. The New City also features Honda’s Eco Assist System which consists of the ECON button and eco-coaching ambient meter to promote smart and fuel efficient driving habit. The New City VX and VX+ variants are also equipped with paddle shifters for a sportier driving experience.
Takakura also revealed significant numbers that boosted the performance of Honda during the first quarter of this year. Honda sold a total of 8,813 units or an increase of 18 percent during the first four months of this year. Vehicle sales were up by 31 percent and Honda recorded their highest monthly sales in its corporate history by selling 3,479 vehicles for the month of March alone. According to Takakura, the sales charge was credited to the strong showing of the Honda Mobilio and the BR-V, which has sold 3,100 units since its launching.