Honda is a Japanese car manufacturer that came up after the end of the
Second World War. Honda entered the Indian market about 15 years
back and from the word go; it certainly made a mark on the Indian
buyers. Their model the Honda City Zx was a runaway success and it
outscored over other cars of the same genre.
Come 2009 and Honda have launched a V tec model to replace the city
ZX. The car has a similar platform as the earlier car but there is a change
in its dynamics and engine performance. The car engine is more refined
and churns out 100hp which is slightly lower than the earlier model, but
in no way this detracts from its overall performance.
The model in terms of appearance is distinct from the earlier dolphin
shape.However the changes are only to the front grill and bonnet, but
these set the vehicle apart from the earlier model. Honda has not
changed the capacity of the engine which remains at 1497 cc. But it has
a SOHC (single overhead camshaft) configuration. This has its benefits
as the new Honda generates 100bhp at 5800rpm. With a maximum
torque of 13.5kgm at 4800rpm makes for a reasonable drive.
Airbags and EBD are standard. The car also has Electronic Power
Steering which makes the car easy to handle on the road. In addition it
has a Leather Gear Knob, parking brake handle and a new generation
CD player. The VTEC sports 15 inch alloy rim wheels. But the tires that
fit in may need to be wider especially in case you are driving in hills and
curves.
The gear ratios of the car are good and the engine gives a feel of power
coupled with economy. The efficiency of the car engine can be gauged
from the fact that the car can touch 100 km per hour just in the second
gear. This can give the driver a feel of optimum power and makes for
excellent drive on the road. With all four disc brakes as standard fitting
the car makes for a good road grip as well.
The car is costlier than the earlier model, but the Honda name carries it
through and the buyer gets the feel of purchasing a car that is worth its
value. However in 2021, the Honda is facing stiff competition with a bunch of cars launched that have taken the edge away from the Honda VTEC. It will be interesting to see how Honda faces to the new challenge.
