First car experience : Honda city

I still remember the day I brought her home—my Honda City 2018 i-VTEC CVT. It was a moment of pure joy, like finally unlocking that last boss car in Need for Speed after grinding for hours. Except this time, it wasn’t pixels on a screen—it was 1,497cc of refined Honda engineering parked right in front of me. To be honest, I didn’t even know how to drive a car back then. I was one of those kids who thought they’d ace real-life driving just because they were unbeatable in NFS Most Wanted. Turns out, using the keyboard is a lot easier than controlling a CVT gearbox with paddle shifters and an actual steering wheel. But I was determined. And Honda, being the reliable old friend it is, made sure my first experience wasn’t a nightmare. The First Few Weeks: Learning the Ropes The first time I drove it, I nearly had a heart attack when the 1.5L i-VTEC engine (119 bhp, 145 Nm torque) responded a little too well to my nervous right foot. The smoothness of the CVT transmission was both a blessing and a curse—it felt so effortless that I kept underestimating how fast I was going. And don’t even get me started on parallel parking. With a sedan, that’s basically an initiation ritual. The steering, though—man, what a revelation! The Electric Power Steering (EPS) was so light, it made me feel like I had decades of experience behind the wheel. Tight U-turns? Easy. Squeezing through Mumbai’s traffic like a pro? No sweat. For a guy who had only seen handbrake turns in movies, this was my real-life montage moment. Night Drives and That “Sports Mode” Feel Then came the real test—the Eastern Express Highway at night. Windows slightly rolled down, Arctic Monkeys playing, a cigarette in one hand (before I quit), and that cool breeze hitting my face. That’s when I truly fell in love with driving. And then, I discovered Sports Mode. If you’ve never driven a Honda City in Sports Mode, let me describe it for you—it’s like waking up a sleeping beast. The engine growls, the acceleration tightens up, and suddenly, the polite sedan you knew transforms into something ready to tear through the highway. Of course, it’s still a CVT, so it’s not going to throw you back into your seat like a turbocharged sports car, but the way it holds revs and keeps the powerband engaged is something else. I’ll be honest—most of the time, I don’t even need Sports Mode. The city mileage (18 kmpl, if you’re gentle) keeps me in check. But every now and then, when there’s an open stretch of road at night, I flick that gear lever down, let the revs climb, and just enjoy the symphony of Honda’s legendary naturally aspirated engine. More Than Just a Car At 25, having my own Honda City is more than just about owning a car. It’s about independence, nostalgia, and making memories. From my first long drive to Lonavala, to picking up friends for late-night chai, to taking it on my first date—this car has been there through it all. I never thought a machine could feel like a companion, but here we are. Honda took my automotive virginity, and I have no regrets. And also here's a picture of my beautiful partner.