Honda City Hatchback 1.5 RS CVT: Game, set, hatch
Chopping off the Honda City’s trunk — and all that Jazz
I’VE ALWAYS felt that the Honda Jazz is one of the greatest cars on Earth. Yes, it’s a GOAT — not just in its class, but in the whole “automobiledom.”
And why shouldn’t it be? The Honda Jazz retains all the virtues that the world-changing Austin/Morris Mini pioneered when it introduced front-wheel drive to an unsuspecting world way back in 1959 — diminutive dimensions that wrap around a surprisingly spacious interior and a small, fuel-efficient engine that delivers spritely (and even world-beating) performance.
And now Honda, at least Honda in the Philippines, is putting the Jazz name to rest as the current model enters the twilight phase of its life cycle. The next-generation Jazz (the Honda Jazz has always been called Honda Fit in Japan, Europe and America) debuted in the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and will likely continue only for the Japanese and European markets. The new car’s styling is decidedly less sporty and more futuristic than its predecessors’.
So what is Honda to do in the Philippines? The answer to that is easy: Take its best-selling model, the City, and lop off the trunk. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
But it makes a lot of sense, because the Jazz has always been based on the City (the first Jazz was based on the second-gen City). The City has also always been universally acclaimed. In my many years of automotive journalism, I have yet to hear of negative feedback on Honda’s subcompact sedan.
So does the new City Hatchback live up to its illustrious forerunner’s game-changing ways? In a word, a resounding “yes!”
The City Hatchback is powered by the same 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine that powers the City sedan and produces 121ps at 6,600rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4,300rpm. This smooth and eager motor is mated to a CVT with paddle shifters. Honda’s Eco Assist System, which consists of the Econ mode and Eco-Coaching Ambient Light, is still available to help promote fuel-efficient driving.
On the road, the City Hatchback delivers all the usual Honda traits of agility and nimbleness. Its rev-happy engine is very energetic and wonderfully smooth and vibration-free. There’s no stick shift but you can still have a little fun flicking through the paddle shifters. The balance between ride quality and handling responsiveness is arguably the best in its class: No surprise for a Honda to ace on-road dynamics.
Size-wise, the City Hatchback is as wide, just under an inch taller, and is a sizable eight inches (204mm) shorter than its four-door sibling. More importantly, it has the same generous 2,600mm wheelbase. Best of all, it has the ingenious fold-flat or flip-up ULTR seats of the Jazz to give it a level of versatility and flexibility that will shame many crossovers.
The four ULTR modes are:
• Utility Mode: With the two rear seats folded flat, the vehicle can carry two passengers and accommodate large cargo items in the rear storage area;
• Long Mode: With the front passenger seat fully reclined and rear passenger seat folded flat, the vehicle can carry two passengers and accommodate long cargo items such as surfboards;
• Tall Mode: With the rear seats folded upward, the vehicle can accommodate tall items that need to remain upright, such as a large plant or tall piece of luggage;
• Refresh Mode: After removing the front-seat headrests, moving the seats all the way forward and tilting the seatbacks all the way back, the Refresh Mode allows the front and rear seats to be connected — providing a comfortable place for two people to fully recline.
Any subcompact crossover can fit three or four golf bags with the rear seatbacks folded down. But how many subcompact crossovers can fit two tall plants on the floor of the rear seat area while lugging a window-type air-con, plus a week’s worth of groceries in the rear cargo area? The Jazz and the new City Hatchback can.
Unlike the City sedan — which comes in three variants ranging in price from P848,000 (City 1.5 S) to P1.058 million (City 1.5 RS) — the City HB comes in only one form: the fully loaded P1.115-million City Hatchback RS (a P57,000 premium over the similarly outfitted top-of-the-line City RS sedan). I still wish Honda Cars Philippines would introduce a lower-spec City HB variant like the sedan’s S or V counterpart. They might even be able to squeak one in at just under P900,000 (if it’s an S version).
In any case, a City HB RS buyer will enjoy the car’s generous features. Inside, the City Hatchback boasts a spacious cabin complemented by high-quality materials similar to the sedan. Comprised of its equally beautiful and comfortable suede-and-leather seats, black interior trim with red stitching and accents, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel with audio controls, front and rear center armrests, sports pedals and multi-information display with red illumination, the City Hatchback embodies an overall premium interior complementing its sporty RS design exterior.
The car also boasts an array of various tech features such as an eight-inch touchscreen/eight-speaker infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and WebLink connectivity, and a new air-conditioning system with (hooray!) rotary knobs working with a digital AC display. The City HB also features a push-start system with smart keyless entry system and remote engine start, which provides added convenience and ease of access.
Safety features include Honda’s G-Force Control (G-CON) body structure, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Agile Handling Assist (AHA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Multi-view Rear Camera with dynamic guidelines. The City Hatchback also comes standard with six air bags (dual front air bags, side air bags, and side curtain air bags) and boasts a five-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating.
All things considered, the City Hatchback not just makes a worthy successor to the Honda Jazz, it even makes a compelling argument against many crossovers, a vast majority of which never venture off road, anyway. The City Hatchback is that rare jack of all trades and master of many. More people should appreciate its genius.
