2009 Honda City

Wow. The all-new Honda City is the first econocar that I've lusted for. Even as a teenager, I had no interest in such pedestrian cars. My first two cars were Mitsubishi Galants (one a hand me down from my uncle and the other a gift from my Dad). Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on small cars. It's just that once you've felt the suppleness of the appointments of a big car, and the rush of power from a big engine, it's hard to be content with anything less. It is because of those reasons that I've never cared for any car smaller than the Galant/Accord/Corona class (large-size cars in the Philippines).

The first thing you'll notice with the 2009 City is its strikingly good looks. The third generation (Philippine Domestic Market, fifth gen worldwide) Honda City has been massively revamped, completely exchanging its awkward and disproportionate body for a macho, upscale feel. It seems like Honda engineers got a clue from the Philippine sales of the previous model. Filipino car buyers always consider the looks first before anything else. This is why the Honda City was outsold by the Toyota Vios by a shocking 3:5 ratio even if the City outperformed the Vios in almost every category.

The 2009 Honda City, I am confident to say, is inarguably the best looking car in its class to be ever sold in the Philippines. I have inspected the car from all perspectives, and I could not find a bad angle. This is more than I could say for the newly redesigned Jazz and Accord; the former looks unproportional from the side, with its stubby hood and oversized windshield and front quarterglass, while the latter's headlights jut out when viewed from a three quarters view from the rear, which I find very disconcerting. Speaking of the redesigned Accord, it seems like the City took visual cues from its big brother. You cannot help but be reminded of the Accord when you see the City's grill.

The only thing that has me sitting on the fence is the Honda City's styling from the B-pillar rearwards. Although beautifully done, Honda engineers blatantly copied the current generation BMW's design. Is to woo to Chris Bangle, who recently left BMW or is this an homage to him and his highly controversial "Banglebutt"? Whatever their intentions were, the designers should have strived for originality instead.