I wanted to reject the Honda City RS Hatchback prior to its official launch in the country. I just love the previous Jazz so much. Things changed when I saw it in person. It looks sporty from the front and has a thick rear. It’s not like the Japanese hatchbacks which are kei-inspired leading to a flat or cut-off rear. No, the City hatch sides with Europeans in its protruding and curvy rear-end. Combine that with its taillight shape that’s Audi-esque and the City hatch is more like a mini estate than a Japanese 5-door.

Now that aesthetic isn’t without a trade-off. You can’t have tall items at the cargo area because of the angle of the glass. This also gives the City RS Hatchback much less cargo space than the Jazz it replaced. It’s a bit of a hassle, but one I’d accept for aesthetics to be honest.

Inside can be positive or short, depending on where you’re coming from. Things are fine if this is your first car. The seats feel like home, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have a solid connection, things are cool with the aircon that also has rear air vents, and you get paddle shifters for extra spice on your drives.

Now if you compare it with others in its price point, especially the hybrid ones, the City RS Hatchback comes up short. It still has a manual handbrake and therefore no Auto Brake Hold. Good luck to your right leg during traffic. No powered seat even for the driver, and there’s no wireless charger. However, there's a high chance you will forget about those shortcomings.

The City RS Hatchback is a pleasure to drive. I’ll even go as far as saying this is the best drive you can have at this price point. It can be fast without you noticing it or be a steady cruiser on the highway. The cabin is quiet, the ride is supple and can be nimble when needed.

I think it’s even better than the Civic RS e:HEV. Yes, I went there. See, the Civic has relegated its paddle shifters to controlling the level of regenerative braking. Here in the City RS Hatchback, it’s still tied to the transmission and so the engagement is just pure bliss. You can have full control of the 1.5 VTEC’s 121 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque and it will feel like you have a lot more.

Honda has seemingly maxed out the efficiency of the 1.5-liter engine too. In the city it was able to get 8.7 km/L in justifiable traffic while on the highway it returned 26.5 km/L—that is me not being eager to overtake and just cruising on 80 to 85 km/h.

The City RS Hatchback now also comes with Honda Sensing. It includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Lead Car Departure Notification, Auto High Beam, and Road Departure Notification. A lot of things to keep you safe in your daily drive. However, there’s no Tire Pressure Monitoring, no Low Speed Cruise Control that other Hondas with Honda Sensing have, no Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and no Blind Spot Monitoring.

Then again, you press on the throttle, blip the paddle shifters, and all is right again in the world. The Honda City RS Hatchback is defiant on who it is, while being open on who it’s for. It’s not packed to the brim but will certainly make core memories out of your drives with friends. You don’t need a lot of car experience to enjoy and appreciate what it has to offer.

That’s the charm of the City RS Hatchback—everyone will like it once they drive it. The spec sheet might raise an eyebrow or two, but an actual driving time will push all your doubts away. It won’t appeal towards the wallet but to your driving soul - one you’ll discover with it. Lucky are those who are thinking about it because the 30th anniversary edition that’s available now is tastefully done.