Aug 18, 2012 04:34 PM
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After a lot of thought & research, we finally purchased the 2012 All New Honda City (ANHC) V MT. We did contemplate a lot between Nissan Sunny Diesel & ANHC 2012 Petrol. My running is around 800 kms to 1, 000 kms per month. At the start, I had made up my mind to go in for a diesel car, but ended up getting a petrol car – only because it was the ANHC 2012 which has a very matured and time tested i-VTEC petrol engine with good FE (Fuel Economy). The Honda City is so silent in running that during regular traffic light stops, one needs to check the tachometer to see if the engine is running before putting in 1st gear and lifting the leg off the clutch.
I really liked the space in the Sunny diesel. Whether it was the ANHC or Sunny Diesel, we wanted to go for the top end version. The Sunny XV Diesel (top end Nissan Sunny) was quoted around 10.95L with no freebies and only 2 years warranty. Because of the ongoing Honda festival (free insurance + free 2 additional years warranty + free 4 years road side assistance [RSA]), the Honda City V MT looked attractive. After all the discounts it came to around 9.95L approximately. The interior quality of the ANHC 2012 is way plushier than that of the Sunny Diesel. The beige interiors give it a rich look and feel. The beige interiors also make the car look brighter from the inside. The steering wheel is also that of a Honda Civic and the 10 spoke alloy wheels look like the ones that are used on the Honda Accord. The blue back-light for the speedometer & controls gives it a very pleasant and a high end car look.
We took several test drives of the Sunny Diesel & the ANHC 2012 V MT before finally deciding. Each time I drove the Sunny, it appeared to be nice and with a diesel option, it was very tempting. But, with 10.95L on the table, the Sunny's (XV, top end) interiors and quality of material inside was somewhat 'lower' than the ANHC V MT. The plastics used for knobs and the automatic mirror buttons could have been better for an almost 11L Sunny sedan. The audio system provided in the Sunny was also average I thought, with only 4 speakers. The Honda City V MT on the other hand has a superb music system with 6 speakers which include 2 tweeters also. The stock sound system provided is very nice in the 2012 Honda City.
One other factor that went against the Nissan Sunny was that the service center for Nissan Sunny was a long drive from where I stay and in a very crowded area. The drive to the service center was a task in itself and would take a very long time through’ slow crawling heavy traffic. On the other hand the Honda service center was a lot more accessible.
The plushness and rich feel that the 2012 Honda City V MT gave was somehow missing in the Sunny Diesel XV. Since I would be driving myself (and not a driver), the fun factor was more in the Honda City V MT, I thought. Also, I heard that diesel cars in the long run have a higher maintenance and spares are slightly higher as compared to a petrol car. So if the running per month is not very high, what we save on diesel at the petrol pump is spent on higher maintenance & spares (if ever required) costs. I also found some Sunnys’ emitting black smoke from their exhaust pipe. Perhaps this is normal on diesel cars. With around 800 kms to 1000 kms running per month, spending 1+L extra on Sunny diesel was really a question I was asking myself. There drive factor in the 2012 ANHC is what I really liked coupled with the fact that the Honda i-VETC engines are time tested and proven all over the world. They say Honda & Toyota engines last forever and are almost no maintenance.
With a reasonable price point (less than 10L) for a C+ segment sedan, HONDA brand, super smooth & efficient i-VETC engine, decent FE (though I have to check the exact FE still on my car by doing a tank full to tank full calculation) and 4 year warranty + 4 year free RSA + free insurance along with some freebies from the Honda dealer on accessories and with all the safety features (dual airbags, ABS with EBD, Alloy Wheels etc.) added with all the creature comforts (cruise control, high end stock audio, power windows, pinch protect windows, steering mounted audio controls, central locking etc.), the ANHC was my strong choice. The only thing missing was a Bluetooth and reverse camera which I got fitted extra.
The Reverse Camera kit I purchased has an inbuilt Bluetooth, plays movies on the LED screen and has a USB & SD card connection. It is touch control LED screen, and looks very sleek & cool. The AC is an absolute chiller and cools the car very fast. The rear seating is very comfortable with a center arm rest and the ride is smooth. I have driven the Honda City over sizable speed bumps and it does not touch the bottom. Perhaps the slightly increased ground clearance and stiffer suspension are helping, I suppose.
I have had the ANHC V MT only for a week, hence cannot comment a whole lot presently. However, so far the driving experience of the ANHC 2012 has been a sheer pleasure. The engine is super silent and the car just glides. It definitely is a head turner whenever I take it out for a drive. All in all, I am very happy with the ANHC 2012 V MT.
I will write a further detailed review soon.
