Honda City vs Volkswagen Vento

So far the Honda City has had a great run. And it has managed it mainly on account of its virtues. But, there’s also no denying that its competition was found wanting; some weren’t spacious, others lacked performance and fuel economy, while still others weren’t new enough to compete. But most of all, none of the cars in the City's segment sported a badge Battle of the s nob sedans that was premium enough to compete with Honda.

Not anymore, though. Say hello to the Vento. And like we reported in our issue before last, it’s spacious, well built and has a decently potent engine. It’s also new and carries an equally snobbish badge, that of Volkswagen.

So then, can the City still fend off budding competition, especially when the Vento seems pretty competent on paper and has a big price advantage as well? We decided to fi nd out. And to do that we have the top-of-theline Vento Highline and the top but one, City S versions, which best compete on price against each other.

Honda upgraded the quality of plastics some time ago but the City's interiors still don't feel as rich as that of its competitor here

While the City's rear end didn't look all that exciting when it was launched, the Vento's staid and uninspiring design makes it look all the more better now

On the looks front, the City remains the car to beat. Now, the VW designers deserve a big pat on their backs for making the Vento look like it does. It looks inherently like a sedan than a hatch sporting an add-on boot. It has pleasing lines, good proportions and of course an attractive front end. But, it still doesn’t command as much attention as does the City.

Inside too, the City, with its play of black, beige and silver colours along with bold and fl owing design lines that carry from the dash to the doors, feels more inviting. It also feels more spacious up front, thanks to the relatively low and long dashboard.

The Vento’s high dash conceals its roomier front. But, it certainly exudes better quality, does the VW. The plastics in particular look and feel more upmarket. The operability including ergonomics is better on the Vento as well. It also has comfy seats that support you well, be it for the back, thigh or even the sides. And that holds true even for the rear.

But, that’s only till you haven’t rested your behind inside the City. Because once you do, it’s immediately clear that even though the Vento has comfy seats, the City’s are better, both front and rear. These are larger, better contoured and prove less tiring over longer jaunts. It’s certainly the better car to be chauffeured around in, even though it doesn’tget the convenience of adjusting the front passenger seat from the rear like on the Vento.

Cabin of the Vento is reminiscent of VW's Polo. It is made of good quality materials and feels plush. Two-tone trim adds a dash of cheeriness

Dynamically, the Vento is ahead of the City; it has a fi rmer chassis and a more feedback rich steering

The Vento though makes a better case for itself for those who like driving. To begin with, its steering wheel is adjustable for both reach and rake (the City only gets rake adjustment), and along with height adjustment for the driver’s seat it’s easy to get both comfortable and cosy behind the Vento’s wheel. The steering itself feels better than the City’s. It’s still light but it feels less artifi cially weighed than the Honda's and is more linear in its operation as well.

Then of course, it handles better. Now both cars roll quite a bit when thrown hard into bends, but the Vento thanks to higher grip levels, has a better turn in. It also responds to steering inputs with more alacrity than the Honda. And the best bit is, even though it feels tighter and more predictable than the Honda, it doesn’t lose out on the ride quality front either. In fact, it rides better than the City. It’s the best of both worlds really.

The City’s ride isn’t jarring either but when going over broken surfaces or smallish potholes, but the Honda bobs around a bit and the ride can get noisy too. Passengers can also feel nearly every bump or irregularity the City goes over. The Vento on the other hand smoothens nearly everything at slower speeds and it’s only at higher speeds over pronounced undulations that it tends to wallow and roll a bit. Having said that, deep potholes can still get the better of the car.

Honda City Engine is not only a peppier performer but is also more fuel effi cient

When it comes to the drivetrains though, the Honda has a slight edge. The engine is more refi ned and even though it’s a bit down on capacity, it delivers more power and helps the City post quicker acceleration times. And with well sorted gear ratios, driveability too, is a notch above the Vento's. So is the fuel effi ciency, though there’s only about a kmpl separating the two.

Volkswagen Vento Engine is decently torquey

The Vento’s 1.6-litre engine meanwhile is essentially the Polo’s 1.2-litre unit with an added cylinder. Not surprisingly then, the Vento too fi res up as if it were a diesel. On the move, it is quieter nonetheless, and if not revved hard, is acceptably refi ned too. But, the highlight of the Vento is its gearbox’s smooth and precise shifts. And along with the light clutch, it makes for an easy to drive car, particularly in the confi nes of the city.