I n the late 1990s, when Japanese carmaker Honda entered India with its iconic ‘City’ , the car became a cult icon among petrolheads. The subsequent Accord and Civic sedans were hits and were the early iterations of the CR-V. The powerful yet efficient VTEC engine technology, coupled with great handling, made these cars extremely popular with car fans and the wider car-buying public alike.

But sometime in the mid-to-late naughties (the 2000s), Honda seemed to lose its way. The second generation of the Honda City, known as the ‘Dolphin’ due to its soft-rounded design , sacrificed performance at the altar of efficiency. And its look, well, let’s just say that it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Then there was diesel ; Honda just missed that bus completely. And when it did joi

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