Scenic drive with the City
FOLLOWING the successful launch of Honda’s best-selling compact car, the City, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc (HCPI), the automobile arm of the Japanese giant in the local market, organized a ride and drive with select members of the motoring media practicing safety protocols.
According to Louie Soriano, HCPI’s legal eagle and GM for Sales, stated that the aim is for the media to experience and feel the overall driving comfort and power of its latest variant. “The City’s advanced technologies will be highlighted as we go on a scenic drive East of Manila,” he said. From our jump-off point at the BGC, the Honda convoy snaked its way through early morning rush hour traffic, and drove towards the picturesque winding roads of Tanay, Rizal and historic Antipolo City. Passersby were craning their necks in obvious appreciation of the City’s sleek and cutting edge exterior design such as the stylish chrome grille, LED Daytime running lights and the LED tail lights.
This writer was accorded the privilege of driving the black 1500cc RS CVT which had a sporty look which enabling it to stand out from your garden variety City. What appealed to me was the glossy front bumper and grille design emblazoned with a RS logo; and the 16-inch RS wheels that complimented the stance of the car. A black trunk spoiler rounded off the sporty design of the City RS variant.
As we reached Marilague’s twisty roads up in the mountains of Antipolo, the freshly paved asphalt proved to be a blessing as we stretched the legs of the City, carved some racing lines and heard the authoritative growl of the 1500 cc DOHC engine. Controlling the car under heavy braking during high speed corners proved to be a cinch thanks to the City’s Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) was able to boost the car’s capabilities in handling uphill climbs and fast downhill corners, while providing a smooth ride with uncompromised fuel efficiency. No wonder this car is flying off showroom stores around the country.
From Marilague, the convoy’s lunch stop was at the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, where participants visually soaked their senses with some impressive art pieces of local artists. After having our fill of Italian-American cuisine, we proceeded with our tour of the Museum. I particularly like the artwork of Nilo Ilarde that had a whole floor of 20,000 Tomica diecast cars which was inspired by the space and the traffic and terrain of the art world.
The media test drive featured the entire lineup of the All-New City. Through the 1.5 V CVT and 1.5 S CVT variants. The route also allowed the All-New City to showcase its Five Star ASEAN NCAP safety rating thanks to the vehicle’s handling capabilities supported by its active and passive safety features. “We are pinning our hopes that this year will be a recovery year for the domestic auto industry. This new variant of the City is perfect in an urban setting and ideal for young families who wish to own a reliable, dependable and affordable car with a heritage in motorsports,” said Masahiko Nakamura, President of HCPI.
New City is now available in all 37 Honda Car dealerships nationwide and is available in six dazzling colors: Ignite Red Metallic (New Color) (RS, V & S CVT only); Platinum White Pearl (New Color) (RS & V only); Crystal Black Pearl; Modern Steel Metallic; Lunar Silver Metallic (V & S CVT only) and Taffeta White (S CVT & S MT only). Prices start at Php 848,000 for the entry level 1.5 MT and up to the high end RS CVT priced at Php 1,058,000.