Honda City GN2/GN3 (2020-Present) Expert Review

Overall Rating

For this generation of the City, Honda paid even more attention in developing the features that its customers value the most, the result of which is an outstanding B-segment sedan that most will be happy to live with.

Performance

The upgraded 1.5L DOHC engine feels more eager to perform compared to the older SOHC engine. "In-gear" acceleration is now much more brisk, and the pace is well sustained, even up to 140 km/h. The i-MMD hybrid, on the other hand, is more geared towards maximising efficiency. It's not for everyone, and the RM106k asking price can be a hard pill to swallow.

Ride & Handling

Suspension is a tad more rigid than before, so the City feels more surefooted in the corners and more stable on highways. Steering is light, making it more wieldable and easy to manoeuvre. The Mazda 2 still feels the most zippy, though.

Comfort

The stiffer suspension knocks ride comfort down a few notches, but the spacious and airy cabin continues to be unmatched.

Safety

The new City now gets Honda Sensing and Honda LaneWatch for the first time. Unfortunately, Sensing is only available on the RS, and that is nearly RM20k more than the City V. At least there's rear seatbelt reminders, a multi-view reverse camera, six airbags and Isofix child seat anchoring points.

Space

Honda upped the ante with the City this time, offering a much bigger cabin and 519 litres of boot space. These will lead the segment perhaps uncontested for the next few years.

Value

The S, E and V models are actually cheaper than their previous-generation GM6 counterparts, each packing more features and performance than before. The RS i-MMD hybrid, on the other hand, is a highly complex system that comes at a steep cost.