The 2009 Honda City will share the same power unit and transmission as the recently introduced 2nd generation Jazz. And, as with the Jazz, the City will only have the one engine. The previous generation was available with a 1.5 i-DSI or a 1.5 VTEC, producing 88hp and 110hp respectively. The iDSI models were more economical on fuel, and i-DSI models were also cheaper.
The new model will simplify things with just one engine on offer, the 1.5 litre i-VTEC. The 1497cc SOHC (single-over-head-cam), 4 cylinder, 16 valve engine uses Honda's i-VTEC technology to improve efficiency and power. The unit can now deliver 120 hp at 6600 rpm. The engine is E20 capable.
According to Honda the new engine is more economical than before, despite the 10 hp power increase, a claim that owners should be able to test thanks to a real-time fuel usage meter being standard equipment on the City.
Perhaps the i-DSI was no longer going to offer a significant improvement in fuel economy compared to the new i-VTEC unit. Another possibility is that the i-DSI could not have been easily adapted for E20.
The base S MT model will have a 5-speed-manual gearbox, while all other models will share the smooth-shifting 5-speed automatic from the Jazz.
Employing "Grade Logic Control" which will hold the gear during climbs and decent, and the "Shift Hold System" to remain in a lower gear for improved control during cornering, the 5-speed box is very driver friendly.
The top model will include a paddle-shift operated manual mode. Obviously this will appeal to those who enjoy a more involving drive. I've tested this out on the Jazz, and it works very nicely, but I could easily live without it.
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