I can’t comment on how the VW Virtus and 2023 Hyundai Verna drive, but for the price, I still feel that the City V model that I bought is the perfect package.
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Update: 1 year and 10,000 km completed
Writing this post on the 1st of April 2023, exactly 1 year after I got the delivery of my ‘Greyhound’. 10,000 kms were completed in 11 months and that’s when I got the 1 yr/10k service done. So far, I have not faced any mechanical or cabin noise-related issues in my City.
I did scrap its belly once on a notoriously high-speed breaker with 4 passengers aboard even after slowing down as much as I could. Crossing over such speed bumps and damaged roads does cause some anxiety when I have fellow passengers sitting with me. However, I can surely live with 1 scraping a year.
The ride quality of the City is indeed for the City where the steering feels light and the suspension is tuned to perfection to deal with minor bumps. It’s only when you are out on the highway at speeds close to 100 kmph that it bounces a bit on the undulated tarmac.
What continues to impress me is its fuel economy. My 2017 BS3 Honda Jazz barely matches up with the City which I believe is fantastic! I tracked the long-term mileage from 3k to 10k kms and the odometer shows 15.2 kmpl which in real life translates to ~14.5 kmpl based on my experience. 80% of these miles were in city traffic with AC on the majority of the time.
To sum it up for Highway and City
- Highway: ~16 kmpl
- City: ~14 kmpl
The steering feels a lot better after leather wrapping which I got done from a nearby car accessory shop for INR 500. It feels smooth to the touch and also has some grip on the sides which I felt was slightly missing without any wrapping.
Greyhound on one of its monthly car wash sessions
Specially stopped the car to capture the big moment, 10,000.
10k km service experience
I booked the service from the Honda connect app and got the call a day before the schedule for the pickup option which I always go for. The only major payables in this service were the Engine Oil and Oil filter. The technician offered me 3 options for the Engine oil, priced at INR 1500 (Mineral based), 1900, and 2400 (both synthetic). I wasn’t sure if the expensive one was worth it so opted for the 1900 one. I did not opt for Wheel alignment and balancing for which they were charging a total of INR 1600. Thankfully I had read enough TeamBHP ownership reviews to know this. I went to my nearest Ceat Tyre shop and got it done for just INR 650.
First big scratch
Thanks to poor parking instruction from a 5-star hotel valet, I scraped the lower right front bumper against a very low, black side wall which I missed, right outside the hotel lobby. It hurt me all day although the damage is minor since it was not a concrete wall but a fancier glossy one. I shall be keeping it as is since it was only a matter of time before I got one of these in Delhi NCR.
Conclusion
The 2 major (only?) mid-size sedans which got launched/updated after I bought the City are VW Virtus and Hyundai Verna, apart from the facelifted City. And personally, going by plain looks, I kinda like them all a bit more than my City, especially the new Verna (sorry Greyhound). I cannot really comment on the driving experience of both Virtus and Verna since I have not driven them personally but for the price, I still feel the City V model I got was the perfect package so no regrets.
I do like how they have improved the front grill (the right amount of chrome) in the facelifted City (similar to what they did in the previous gen as well). I feel tempted to get that new grill installed in my City in the future. But alas, 2 more years of EMIs!
If you are okay with its slightly ‘floating’ highway ride at higher speeds, I still think Honda City is still the best overall package across all midsize sedans on offer today.
Keyword: Honda Jazz owner talks about his 1-year ownership of 5th-gen Honda City