What’s this? We’re reviewing another Honda City? Well, the last time out, it was the entry-level model that we had for testing. This time around, it’s the top-spec RS CVT model we’re trying out. Of course, it’s more expensive than the 1.5 S CVT, so we’re here to answer one question: Is it worth the extra money?
But before we answer that, it’s worth talking about a few things about the City.
It could be said that the City is one of the pioneers of the subcompact sedan class in the country. Sure, there were some cars that went ahead of it, but when it was launched locally in 1996, it helped make the Honda brand even more accessible to the masses. Over a quarter century later, the car has moved upmarket to meet the demands of the modern subcompact four-door buyer.
The current generation City made its local debut in 2020 and received a minor model change in 2023. Having driven the base model, we’re genuinely curious how much better the range-topper is. With that, on with the review.
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Styling
This being an RS, it gets sportier bits here and there. Gloss black trims? Check. Honeycomb grille? Present. Fancy rear bumper and spoiler? You bet.
Mind you, it’s not overdone and we appreciate it for that. The City RS wears the (subtle) sporty overtones well enough to be called handsome. It also doesn’t take away from the present City’s mature look. Yes, it’s evolutionary in terms of design, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. More often than not, car buyers in the subcompact segment are conservative and veer away from anything that rocks the boat too much.
Speaking of subcompact, the new City isn’t exactly what we’d call small. At over 4.5 meters long, it’s even longer than a Honda Civic from the mid-’00s. The well-sculpted body lines hide its dimensions well, but park it next to old Citys and you might be in for a shock.
Interior
Truth be told, we can just copy-paste our interior impressions from the City S and call it a day, but that’s just being lazy. Either way, there are several differences between this and the last model we had. The RS gains dark red garnishes and high gloss black accents, along with sport pedals and rear air conditioning vents. Mind you, those rear AC vents are also available in the mid-spec 1.5 V.
But regardless of the variant, our rants and raves with the interior remain the same. Typical of Honda, it maximizes every bit of space inside and offeres fantastic room for both front and rear passengers. The ergonomics are great with every button, switch and dial exactly where you’d expect it. There’s no need to bring out to owner’s manual to figure out any functions. Again, typical Honda, and that’s a good thing.
That said, we do wish Honda added more soft touch materials for the RS variant. Yes, the cabin and dashboard are solid and well screwed together. But we can’t help but feel a little off with the textures used for the hard plastic. We were hoping for a more elevated experience with the RS’ cabin. Sure, the sporty bits help, but giving it more premium feeling materials would make it even better. The addition of an armrest at the front was nice though, and you can get that in the mid-grade 1.5 V, too.
On the flipside, the trunk is massive. It measures 519 liters, even more than bigger sedans out there. Heck, it’s even larger than a lot of subcompact crossovers that sit in the City’s price range.
Engine Performance
We’ll keep this one brief. The City RS uses the same 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine that powers just about every Honda these days. Power ratings are the same at 119hp and 145Nm of torque, and it’s the same figure you’ll get in cars like the BR-V and HR-V S. Like the City S, the City RS shifts with a continuously variable transmission.
By now, we’re familiar with the way it performs. That twin-cam engine is peppy off the line and pulls well for its segment. It’s far more responsive than the single-cam version of the same engine, so you have a little more confidence in overtaking.
Despite being (slightly) heavier than the S variant, the RS delivered near-identical fuel economy figures. Gridlock traffic yielded 8.3km/L, and it returned 9.3km/L in the usual heavy traffic around the Metro. It’s actually better than the City S we tested prior, but we wouldn’t call it a significant difference. It does prove that this 1.5-liter engine is efficient no matter where you put it.
Ride and handling
This is where we felt there were more differences between base and top spec. Perhaps the major contributor here is the larger wheel and tire combination. The result is a little more weight and feedback behind the steering wheel, something that’s much appreciated. The RS feels ever so slightly sharper around the bends too, again, thanks to the tires.
But strangely enough, we found the ride of the RS a little bit better compared to the base model. Normally, larger wheels and tires compromise comfort, but it’s not the case at all for the City RS. We were pleasantly surprised by that, and it highlights Honda’s engineering in chassis tuning.
Well done, we say.
Extra features
Truth be told, it’s nearly identical to the City S we had prior. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as walk-away door locks. Like the S, the RS comes standard with Honda Sensing that includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and lane keep assist, to name a few.
So, what does the RS add on top of those? Well, the top variant is the only one with paddle shifters, remote engine starter, full LED illumination (foglights included), and an eight-speaker audio system. Yes, Honda managed to cram that many speakers in this subcompact sedan.
Verdict
The Honda City RS CVT retails for P1,128,000, making it P130,000 more than the City S. The question now is, is it worth the extra? For those who want all bells and whistles in a car, there’s no doubt they’ll buy it in a heartbeat. But for those who are a little more budget conscious, it might require further thought.
If you’ve been contemplating this for quite some time already, try answering these questions. Do you need full LED lighting? Are paddle shifters a must? Do you want a lot of speakers in your car? Do you like the way it looks?
If you said yes to at least two of those questions, then it’s worth getting the RS. If not, perhaps we can suggest you check out the 1.5 V. It has most of the RS’ goodies and it’s not as basic inside as the S. The happy middle, so to speak.
But regardless of variant, the Honda City is a good car. Heck, we’ll even go as much and say it’s probably the most well-rounded subcompact sedans in the market today. It’s not perfect, but no car is, and it does its duties as a small(ish) family sedan without any hiccups.
It’s practical, spacious, efficient, and a decent steer. There’s really not much to dislike about the City, and it’s as logical and sensible as it gets when it comes to choosing a daily driver.
SPECS: 2023 Honda City 1.5 RS CVT
Price: P1,128,000
Engine: 1.5-liter gasoline I4
Power: 119hp
Torque: 145Nm
Transmission: CVT
Layout: Front-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 8.5/10
