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| Photos courtesy of Honda Press |
With over 24,000 units sold, Honda's direction for the 2012 City is: "why fix if it isn't broke?". And true to form, the City continues on with the same powertrain/suspension configuration as before (a choice of 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter i-VTEC engines and 5-speed manual or automatic 'boxes). Safety features (dual SRS airbags, anti-lock brakes with EBD) is now standard across the line. It continues to ride on 15-inch alloys albeit with new, snazzier designs.
The biggest change with the City is the schnoz which now features three thick horizontal chrome strips replacing the shiny gunmetal gray finish of the pre-facelift City. The new grille puts the Honda design lingo into the City (something shared with the CR-V and to some extent, the Accord). Along with the new grille, the City gets new front and rear bumpers (with sporty diffusers) as well as a new pattern for the tail lamp. A new color dubbed Sparkling Brown has been added for the 1.5-liter variant as well.
Inside, the City swaps the gunmetal accents for higher sheen metallic accents. This change is further differentiated with new interior fabrics, new instrument gauges as well as a leather steering wheel (with audio controls) for the top-of-the-line 1.5 E. The 1.5 E also gets a new 'Eco' light.
Prices for the 2012 Honda City are as follows: 1.3 S M/T - P 746,000; 1.3 S A/T - P 786,000; 1.5 E A/T - P 836,000. The 2012 Honda City is now available for viewing at all Honda showrooms nationwide. Deliveries start in February.
Press Release
"Honda is Back" with the Launch of the New City
Overcoming supply disruption that was caused by the Thailand flood, Honda Cars Philippines is now set to recover with the launch of the New Honda City.
Now on its third generation issue in the Philippines, the newly enhanced Honda City sports a bolder, yet more elegant look. Adorning the front fascia is a freshly-designed grille, now chromed for that sharp, distinct appearance. A new bumper, wider and with a more masculine shape, lends an overall aggressiveness to the new model. At the rear, the famed taillights that extend to the edge of the body are redesigned, now looking more sophisticated and stylish. A more dynamic rear bumper, now with diffuser completes the bold looks. Meanwhile a 5 split-spoke 15” alloy wheels enhance the side profile of the 1.5 variant.
The interior gets a fresh makeover, too, with new features that are designed to enhance the driving experience. Audio controls are now attached to the steering wheel, allowing the drivers’ hands to remain safely on the steering wheel even if the need to adjust the music arises.
The instrument cluster is freshened with a blue and white color ambience, lending a more relaxed and serene feel inside the cabin. The center console is made to look more luxurious with chrome accents. A clever addition to the instrument cluster is the Eco Drive Indicator Lamp -– a device that lights up whenever the driver is driving efficiently – which will serve as a reminder and a motivation for fuel efficient driving.
With passenger safety paramount in Honda’s mind, all variants of the Honda City is now equipped with Dual (driver and passenger) SRS airbags, as well as Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD). The ABS and EBD system prevents the wheels from locking during sudden braking, allowing the driver to control the car in dire situations.
All Honda City variants are equipped with class-leading features such as powerful i-VTEC engines in 1.5L and 1.3L displacements, 5-speed Automatic Transmission, Integrated Audio with USB and Auxiliary Jack, Fuel Economy Meter (average and instantaneous readout) and the Paddle Shifters (1.5 E AT only). And for the discerning customers, a new color – Sparkling Brown – has been added to the line-up.
First launched in the Philippines in 1996, the Honda City originated the Sub-compact sedan or B-category in the country, and still remains at the forefront of the category until now. When the third generation Honda City was launched, it further reinvented the sub-compact segment with rule-changing looks and features, not ordinarily found in other sub-compacts. Its slogan “Change the Rules” perfectly captured the essence of the City – continuously challenging the norms and expectations of what a sub-compact sedan should be.
To date the Honda City has remained the best-selling model in the Honda line-up. It has sold approximately 68,000 units in the Philippines, attesting to the reliability and quality of the car. It has garnered numerous awards including the Auto Focus People’s Choice Sub-Compact Car of the Year and Sub-Compact Sedan of the Year from Car Awards Group Inc.
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