Honda City RS ad compares its class-leading torque with Toyota Camry, Vios

Updated Feb 24, 2022 | Same topic: Automotive Industry Updates

Let’s analyze the City RS ad, shall we?

The turbocharged Honda City RS is already available in several Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia. And while we’re still waiting here in the Philippines, MyHondaTV, Honda Malaysia released a rather cheeky advertisement for the newest version of the Honda made subcompact car.

Check it out:

MyHondaTV. Rewrite the rules.

As you can see from the video, Honda compares the City RS to the Toyota Vios, and strangely enough, with the Toyota Camry, which as you know, belongs to another segment. Back to the ad, it highlights the Honda City RS’s abilities to lay down the power. As per the video above, Honda is claiming that it’s better than the other models shown in terms of climbing inclines, overtaking, and building up speed even when fully loaded with passengers.

>>> Related: CHEVROLET AVEO 2011 FOR SALE

A picture of the Honda City RS Turbo

We also didn't account for max torque, wheel-size, aerodynamics, and many other factors.

>>> Related: Kia Rio 2012 for sale

To check up on the veracity of this ad though, let us compare these three sedans in terms of the maximum horsepower and torque that they can make.

 
Honda City RS Turbo
Toyota Camry
Toyota Vios 1.5
Peak Horsepower (HP)
119
183
106
Peak Torque (Nm)
173
231
140
Curb Weight
1,165 kg
1,545 kg
1,060 kg

With the figures above, we can obviously see that the Toyota Camry has the most torque and horsepower, and the Vios has the least. If we went deeper into this analysis of ours, we calculated that the Camry has 0.12 horsepower per kg, the Vios has 0.1, and the City RS Turbo has 0.1.

This of course means that the subcompact sedans actually have about the same power to weight ratio, with the Vios’ relatively lighter curb weight compensating for its lack of horsepower. And obviously, the Camry, despite its significantly heavier weight, still has more horsepower per kilogram.

Before you keyboard warriors do your usual thing, do note that we’ve only taken into account the vehicle’s gross weight. This means that there might also be other factors that might affect actual real-world performance like the amount of cargo a car is carrying and the weight of the passengers riding the cars in question.

>>> Related: 2021 Toyota Camry: Expectations and what we know so far

A picture of the Honda City RS Turbo's rear.

We want a more accurate comparison, but we'll have to wait for the City RS Turbo to get here

Also, note that we used the output figures for the Vios 1.5 since the City RS Turbo is also the top-of-the-line variant of the Honda City. As such, we can safely say that our analysis is just scratching the surface. We’ll have to get our hands on the City RS Turbo and test it out in real-world conditions against the Toyota Vios 1.5, as well as the Toyota Camry to find out if Honda’s advertisement is accurate.

Regardless of this, the Honda City RS Turbo is an exciting looking sedan, which offers a lot with its sporty exterior. We cannot wait to get our hands on it, and once it gets here to the Philippines, we’ll let you know.

For more automotive industry updates, keep reading here on Philkotse.com.

Know more about Honda City 2024

Honda City

The 2024 Honda City is a subcompact sedan. In the Philippine market, its four variants are City E, City S, City V, and City RS—the prices for these range from Php 973,000 to Php 1,148,000. 

Size-wise, the refreshed City for 2024 is 4,580mm long, 1,748mm wide, and 1,467mm in height. The RS trim is a bit longer at 4,589mm. All trims then get a wheelbase length of 2,600mm and a ground clearance of 134mm. 

Under its hood is a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine capable of making up to 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to its front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 

Locally, the Honda City competes against the Toyota Vios, Mitsubishi Mirage G4, Mazda3, Nissan Almera, Hyundai Accent, MG 5, etc. 

 

Honda City Launch

The refreshed 2024 Honda City was introduced to the Philippine market on June 13, 2023. It was launched locally with four available variants: the E, S, V, and RS. 

Of note, the 2024 model updates the seventh-generation GN model which was initially introduced back in 2019. 

Honda City Exterior

On the outside, the Honda City’s top-spec trim gets LED headlamps and the stylish RS kit which provides a high gloss black finish for many of its parts. All come standard with LED daytime running lamps, and LED taillights. 

The City then sits on a set of 16-inch alloys for the RS. The V and S meanwhile, gets 16-inch or 15-inch alloy wheels respectively. The S uses a set of 15-inch steel wheels. 

Other equipment available to the City includes power-folding side mirrors, side mirror integrated signal lamps, a trunk lid switch, a trunk spoiler, and an automatic on/off for the headlamps. 

Honda City Interior

The City can comfortably seat up to five occupants which are then kept cool by an automatic or manual climate control system depending on the trim. The RS gets more convenience features in the form of a rear seat armrest, and rear seat accessory ports. It also has more cupholders numbering 4.

The model’s top-spec trim likewise has the fanciest-looking interior. This is because it gets leather-clad seats, and RS trim finishes. Plenty of bits of the City RS cabin also get a red contrasting color. 
For the driver, this Honda sedan gets a 4.2-inch TFT color meter, an analog gauge cluster, a urethane steering wheel, and a tilt and telescopic steering column.

 

Technology & Safety Features

Providing entertainment aboard the Honda City is an eight-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For the RS, this display is linked to a total of eight speakers. 

Safety for all City variants is handled by the Honda Sensing suite. This includes adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, lane keep assist, road departure warning, lane departure warning, auto high beams, and a lead car departure notification warning. 

Standard safety equipment for this Honda model includes ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti-lock braking, stability control, speed-sensing door locks, and dual front airbags. Only the RS and V trims get a reverse camera. All variants get side airbags, but only the RS gets side curtain airbags. 

Platform & Chassis

The Honda City uses a front-engine, front-wheel-drive chassis under the Honda Global Small Car Platform. Ride comfort is provided by McPherson struts for the front and a torsion beam suspension for the rear. 

Braking for this model is provided by front discs and rear drums. It also uses a hand-operated manual parking brake. 

Honda City Engine & Drivetrain

The 2024 City carries over the 1.5-liter found on the pre-facelift model. At maximum, this engine can churn out 119 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. Power is sent to its wheels via a CVT. 

Honda City Q&A

1. Does the Honda City come offered with a front-wheel drive option?

Yes, it does.

2. Which Honda City variant has a sunroof?

The sunroof is not available on any variants of the Honda City, even the top-spec model.

3. Is the Honda City a fuel-efficient sedan?

Yes. According to the fuel efficiency test result by the Department of Energy, the Honda City consumes roughly 26.02 km/l.

4. Is the Honda City Philippines a good car?

Definitely. The Honda City is considered one of the most exquisite handling cars in its segment. Moreover, it is backed with a comfortable ride quality thanks to its sorted suspension setup of independent MacPherson struts with a stabilizer up-front and an H-shaped torsion beam with a stabilizer at the back.

5. Is the Honda City classified as a sedan?

Yes. The Honda City is the entry of Honda Cars Philippines Inc. to the subcompact sedan segment in the Philippine market.

₱ 973,000 - ₱ 1,128,000

Explore
Cesar G.B. Miguel

Cesar G.B. Miguel

Author

Cesar Guiderone B. Miguel was born and raised in Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte. He graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in English degree from Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology. He previously worked as a freelance writer for various websites, as a member of the Iligan City Disaster Risk Reduction Management's training staff, and as a medical sales representative.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goridus.goridus

View more