2014 Honda City - My 2 kupang worth of test drive review

Exterior - Previous gen looks more hensem, nuff said. As if the designer can't decide whether to go with the chiseled sharp edges of it's predecessor, or the soft curvy lines of the dugong, so he decides to do both. But then aesthetics are subjective.

Interior - not almera-awful, but quite bad. From the design to the choice of materials, I can't say it inspires me to wanna stroke it. So instead I repeatedly rap it with my knuckles in front of the SA. If you are not getting the V-spec, everyday you will be greeted with a fugly HU. S-spec? forget about it. Nonetheless, it is more utilitarian and practical, with plenty of cupholders, rear armrest, rear air con and a continent-size rear foot space.

Performance - The CVT suffers from the rubberband effect moving from standstill; it revs but hardly moves. This is unlike the one I have tested on the CRZ. But once up to speed, the throttle becomes slightly more responsive. Being a CVT means it is very comfortable to drive, The fact that I didn't pay much attention to any gear changes means it feels natural and less frustrating. For easy daily driveability, torque converters are still the best, even if it can't match the efficiency of clutch-based drivetrains.

Ride & Handling - the ride is compliant, actually quite comfortable. Steering is dull and not as accurate as the Fiesta, bodyroll is noticable even in moderate speed corners. That said I never felt worried when weaving in and out of traffic on a short stretch curvies. This is clearly a family car and won't be winning any autocrosses soon, but you still can have a wee bit of fun.

My verdict - If you want a Jap car, The City V-spec should definitely be on the top of your list. Being a relatively reliable and practical car means you can drive the wheels off of it before you need to replace it with another car. Good value for money compared to it's competitors. Just don't expect any inspiring performance or driving dynamics.

Sekian.