Honda City Turbo II Review
Under the current economic climate, there is a new trend towards small, cheap and economical hatchbacks. The Shogun built Honda City Turbo II seems to be the type of car for the current times, even if the original car was built in 1983. Let's take a look at the original, it had a mind boggling 113bhp and around 800kg so it was light and also fairly brisk, but also fairly forgettable to drive. This Shogun-City Turbo is much more though, 190+bhp, 720kg and rebuilt suspension and brakes to properly bring this car into the 20th century.
On the track this car feels very impressive, it shakes and judders with power, it's so very much more then the original, The short couple box mated with 190 bhp make this one of the quickest accelerating cars in this power class and THE quickest in its class.
Handling is nippy, in the old car is was very numb and inert, often the old car would turn fine into a corner but then out of nowhere would understeer from the track. No such problem in the Shogun Version, The steering is very light and pointy, the car feels very good, very sharp. Yes it still does understeer, all front-drive cars do but in this it doesn't lie about the fact that it will understeer so you as the driver have the knowledge that the car is understeering so you can do something to cure it.
There are issues though, I can't imagine this car being very cheap but it wouldn't be much over 50,000 minus the ridgidity refresh. 1st and 2nd are only there for burnout comps and appearances sake because the car just burns through these gears. The top speed is only 165 kph (101 mph).Also when you drive this car around your constantly expecting more, you want it to be faster but it isn't which is a shame because its fantastic to drive around in.
The Shogun City Turbo is an excellent take on an oldschool hatchback, the problem is when you get out, your always wanting a little more the this car offerers.