Some of you may have heard about the unfortunate “Almost Tubbataha” ordeal which I went through together with several other diver friends last month. I came home with a broken vacation, low spirits, and the nervousness of not having our money reimbursed. This all pulled through of course, but that’s not the point of this post.
I came home very frustrated so I called Honda and pushed them to try their very best to deliver a 2010 Honda City which I had been processing since about two months ago, with the help of Hotwire guru Mitch Genato. They pulled through. I would have expected the car when I had gotten back from my dive trip, but I thank Honda for lifting my spirits, even for a bit, with an early delivery.
Initially I was thinking of getting a Toyota Vios, but the timing of the recalls, reinforced by Mitch’s advice convinced me to get a Honda. My first Honda (my first car, really, with my own hard earned money). In our family, we have a history of Toyota loyalty and a Mazda MPV somewhere there. If I had waited longer, the Ford Fiesta would have been a good choice as well. Had I the money, the up and coming Mazda 6 would also have been a great choice (geeky remote door locks without having to push a button and headlights that turn to follow the curve). I’m not really a car guy — but the geeky appeal of the Mazda 6 is too hard to resist.
Alas, I had neither leisure time nor money to spend so I “settled” (settled is a bad choice of word) for the 2010 Honda City.
It’s beautiful. It’s autobot front grill synchronizes macho and sexy into one menacing front. The trunk space is huge (it frikken’ fits this monster Core i7 rig that Intel lent me) and for the most affordable series (I got the cheapest version of the City, the “A” series with manual gear shift), it looks like Honda gave me more than what I was asking for. After my first drive, I had no regrets to foregoing the Vios. The 2010 City is elegant and edgy.
Compared to the new Civic that seems rather sporty, the City seems to have taken the place of the Civic’s reputation in form and shape from 3-4 years ago. Which is why Civic owners have complained about the “low end” City being the new flagship as there isn’t anything low end about it. Overall, the car drives smoothly, and unlike the Jazz or the Mazda 2, it presents a commanding view of the road with the driver’s seat elevated a bit higher than the passenger seats. I had thought this was the only thing that provided the illusion of being high, but after checking out other cars, the City really is taller. The commanding cockpit view, the smooth drive, the silent hum of the engine … all excellent.
Perhaps the most exciting thing it came with was an AUX port for any 3.5mm compatible player so this is where the iPod fits snuggly. And the potential for 5 cup holders. Hee.
I need to stress the trunk space. I can fit over 3 crates full of dive gear into this thing. I love the trunk. It’s like a small portable apartment without the mini bar.
I decided to write this “hands on” after reaching my first 1,000km mark (whoops I’m at 1,400 already!) Honda seems to be a very efficient and friendly customer service program. After having the car delivered, I received a call from Honda Cars Quezon City confirming if everything was OK. The car was delivered in great condition but there was an extra piece of spark plug on the left door handle. Well, no biggie. After my 1,000km check up, I also got a call from Honda asking how the service went. In between these, I got SMS surveys from them asking about the quality of the service. Neat. I feel loved.
2010 Honda City – PHP 680,000.00
I got mine on a 20% downpayment with 60 months to pay. Not really into the reselling of cars after 3 years. According to Honda Cars Quezon City I am eligible for a media discount and this can be processed as a refund even after my purchase. Cool.
The City is an ubiquitous car. With other such vehicles claiming edgy rides, luxury, or sporty feel, Honda released a car that can be a little bit of something for everybody. And that’s not to drown out what it is — an economical car that packs a punch and looks good on the road.
Any 2010 City owners here? I’d appreciate to hear more about the local auto industry … as it comes to no surprise to people that I’m not very adept with car reviews.