To some, a car with an internal combustion engine doesn’t make sense anymore. There are a lot of electrified offerings these days that are way more fuel-efficient. Yet there are cars that simply refuse to be sidelined.
One of them is the Honda City Hatchback. It’s been in the Philippines since 2021 and has received a few revisions, now packing Honda Sensing. More than that, it’s a statement that not everything boils down to the wallet.
I wanted to reject the Honda City HB prior to its official launch in the country. I just love the Jazz so much. Things changed when I saw it in person. It looks sporty from the front, and has a thick rear. It’s not like the Japanese hatchbacks which are kei-inspired leading to a flat or cut-off rear. No, the City hatch sides with Europeans in its protruding and curvy rear-end. Combine that with its taillight shape that’s Audi-esque and the City hatch is more like a mini estate than a Japanese 5-door.
Unfortunately, that appealing rear comes with a trade-off. You can’t have tall items at the cargo area because of the angle of the glass. This also gives the City HB much less cargo space than the Jazz it replaced. It’s a bit of a hassle, but one I’d accept for aesthetics to be honest.
Things are hit or miss inside, depending on where you’re coming from. Things are fine if this is your first car. The seats feel like home, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have a solid connection, things are cool with the aircon that also has rear air vents, and you get paddle shifters for extra spice on your drives.
But if you compare it with others in its price point, especially the hybrid ones, the City HB comes up short. It still has a manual handbrake and therefore no Auto Brake Hold. No powered seat even for the driver, and there’s no wireless charger. However, there’s a high chance you will forget about those shortcomings when you hit the road.
The City Hatchback is a pleasure to drive. I’ll even go as far as saying this is the best drive you can have at this price point. It can be fast without you noticing it, or be a steady cruiser on the highway. The cabin is quiet, the ride is supple, and the car can be nimble when needed.
I think it’s even better than the Civic RS e:HEV. Yes, I went there. See, the Civic has relegated its paddle shifters to controlling the level of regenerative braking. Here in the City HB, it’s still tied to the transmission and so the engagement is just pure bliss. You can have full control of the 1.5 VTEC’s 121 ps and 145 Nm of torque and it will feel like you have a lot more.
Honda has seemingly maxed out the efficiency of the 1.5-liter engine here. In the city it was able to get 8.7 km/l in justifiable traffic while on the highway it returned 26.5 km/l – that is me not being eager to overtake and just cruising on 80-85 kph.
The City HB now also comes with Honda Sensing. It includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Lead Car Departure Notification, Auto High Beam, and Road Departure Notification. A lot of things to keep you safe in your daily drive. However, there’s no Tire Pressure Monitoring, no Low Speed Cruise Control that other Hondas with Honda Sensing have, no Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and no Blind Spot Monitoring.
Then again, you press on the throttle, blip the paddle shifters, and all is right again in the world. The Honda City HB is defiant on who it is, while being open on who it’s for. It’s not packed to the brim but will certainly make core memories out of your drives with friends. You don’t need a lot of car experience in order to enjoy and appreciate what it has to offer. That’s the charm of the City hatchback—everyone will like it once they drive it. The spec sheet might raise an eyebrow, but an actual driving will push all your doubts away. It won’t appeal towards the wallet but to your driving soul—one you’ll definitely discover with it.
