The Honda City is one of the most popular sedans in the country, and much of its appeal comes from how cheap it is to keep running. But "cheap" is not a number. If you just bought a City (or are about to), you need to know what the casa will charge you each visit, which service is the expensive one, and what else you will pay every year on top of PMS. This guide breaks it all down in pesos, from the first 1,000 km check-up to the heavy 40,000 km service, plus LTO renewal, insurance, tires, and battery.
Budget roughly PHP 10,000-22,000 a year for casa PMS on a Honda City, and about PHP 30,000-50,000 a year once you add LTO renewal and comprehensive insurance.
- Honda PH schedules PMS every 6 months or 10,000 km, so most City owners visit the casa twice a year
- A light casa PMS costs about PHP 5,000-7,000; the heavier 40,000 km service can reach PHP 8,000-15,000
- Honda's own estimate puts five years of City CVT PMS at around PHP 84,885, or roughly PHP 17,000 per year
- LTO renewal for a private sedan totals about PHP 2,500-4,500 including emission test and CTPL
- Comprehensive insurance on a PHP 1 million City usually runs PHP 15,000-30,000 a year
Step 1: Know Which Honda City You Own and What It Cost New
The current Honda City sedan sold in the Philippines uses a 1.5-liter i-VTEC gasoline engine paired with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission — an automatic gearbox that uses a belt and pulleys instead of fixed gears). All current sedan variants come with Honda SENSING, Honda's suite of driver-assist safety features.
According to the official Honda Cars Philippines price guide, the sedan lineup is priced at:
- City 1.5 S CVT Honda SENSING — PHP 998,000
- City 1.5 S CVT 30th Anniversary Pearl Edition — PHP 1,039,000
- City 1.5 V CVT Honda SENSING — PHP 1,083,000
- City 1.5 RS CVT Honda SENSING — PHP 1,138,000
The City Hatchback 1.5 RS CVT is listed at PHP 1,199,000. The purchase price matters for maintenance budgeting because comprehensive insurance premiums are computed as a percentage of your car's value — a PHP 1.1 million RS costs more to insure than a PHP 998,000 S. Mechanically, though, every variant shares the same engine and CVT, so PMS costs are nearly identical across the lineup.
Step 2: Understand Honda's Twice-a-Year PMS Schedule
PMS means Periodic Maintenance Service — the scheduled check-ups the manufacturer requires to keep your warranty valid. Honda Cars Philippines sets the City's PMS at every 6 months or 10,000 km, whichever comes first. That is longer than the 5,000 km interval some other brands use, so a Honda owner typically makes only two casa visits a year.
Honda's published schedule runs like this:
- 6 months / 10,000 km
- 1 year / 20,000 km
- 1.5 years / 30,000 km
- 2 years / 40,000 km
- 2.5 years / 50,000 km — and so on, up to 5 years / 100,000 km
Most new owners also get an initial 1,000 km check-up, which is the cheapest visit of all (about PHP 2,000–4,000, often with free labor). Honda explains the schedule and what gets replaced at each stage in its official PMS explainer.
Step 3: Budget PHP 5,000–7,000 for Each Light PMS (10K, 30K, 50K)
The odd-numbered services — 10,000 km, 30,000 km, 50,000 km — are the "light" ones. At these visits the casa typically replaces:
- Engine oil (the City takes roughly 3.5 liters of 0W-20 with the filter change)
- Oil filter
- Drain plug washer (a small ring that stops the oil plug from leaking)
- A multi-point inspection of brakes, suspension, lights, tires, and fluids
Expect to pay around PHP 5,000–7,000 for a light PMS at an authorized Honda dealer. Prices vary slightly by dealership and region, so ask for a written quote before the work starts.
If you only want an oil change between PMS visits, Honda dealers also offer a Change Oil Package — the Honda FAQ lists a Special package at PHP 2,955 and a Premium package at PHP 4,065.
Step 4: Prepare for the Heavy 40,000 km Service (PHP 8,000–15,000)
The even-numbered services cost more, and the 40,000 km (2-year) visit is the big one. On top of the oil and filter, Honda's schedule adds some or all of the following as the car ages:
- CVT fluid (Honda HCF-2) — the special fluid your automatic transmission needs
- Brake fluid
- Engine coolant
- Air filter and cabin (aircon) filter
- Spark plugs and serpentine belt at higher mileage
Budget PHP 8,000–15,000 for a major service at the casa. The single most important item here is the CVT fluid. A CVT relies on clean fluid to grip its belt and pulleys; skipping this change is the fastest way to turn a PHP 15,000 PMS into a transmission repair that can cost many times more. If you need to cut costs somewhere, never cut it here.
Step 5: Use Honda's Own Five-Year Estimate as a Reality Check
Honda Cars Philippines has published that owners of the City CVT can expect to spend around PHP 84,885 on PMS over five years (10 visits, up to 100,000 km). Divided evenly, that is roughly PHP 17,000 per year, or about PHP 1,400 a month if you want to set money aside monthly.
In practice, the spending is uneven:
- Year 1 (1K, 10K, 20K services): about PHP 10,000–14,000
- Year 2 (30K and heavy 40K): about PHP 13,000–22,000
- Years 3–5: similar pattern, with the 60K, 80K, and 100K visits being the expensive ones
You can get a model-specific estimate from Honda's Periodic Maintenance Cost Calculator when it is available, or simply call your preferred dealer and ask for the exact price of your next interval.
Step 6: Keep Your 3-Year Warranty Valid by Staying at the Casa
Honda's standard new-car warranty covers the City for 3 years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first, while the battery is covered separately for 1 year or 20,000 km. To keep that warranty clean, do your PMS on schedule at an authorized Honda Cars dealership and keep every service receipt.
Why this matters for your budget: if the CVT, engine, or electronics fail during the warranty period, a complete casa service record is your proof that you maintained the car properly. A PHP 5,000 saving from going to a random shop is not worth risking a denied warranty claim on a PHP 100,000+ part.
Honda also runs a Sure Save voucher program that gives progressive discounts of about 15%–30% on PMS parts and lubricants across multiple visits — ask your service advisor if your dealer offers it.
Step 7: Add LTO Registration Renewal (About PHP 2,500–4,500 a Year)
A brand-new car's first registration is valid for 3 years; after that, you renew with the LTO (Land Transportation Office) every year. For a private sedan like the City, the yearly renewal usually totals PHP 2,500–4,500, made up of:
- MVUC (Motor Vehicle User's Charge — a road-use tax based on vehicle weight): PHP 1,600 for light passenger cars up to 1,600 kg
- Renewal and computer fees: roughly PHP 570
- CTPL (Compulsory Third-Party Liability insurance): about PHP 400–900
- Emission test at a PETC (Private Emission Testing Center): about PHP 400–600
Your renewal month follows the last digit of your plate number. You can check your schedule and records through the LTO LTMS portal.
Step 8: Factor In Comprehensive Insurance (PHP 15,000–30,000 a Year)
Comprehensive insurance is not legally required, but if your City is financed, the bank will require it — and in a country with yearly typhoons and floods, most owners keep it anyway. The premium is roughly 2% of the car's current market value plus add-ons.
For a City valued at about PHP 1,000,000, a typical breakdown looks like: basic own-damage premium around PHP 20,000, Acts of Nature (flood, typhoon, earthquake) around PHP 2,000, theft about PHP 1,500, and personal accident around PHP 1,000 — about PHP 24,500 in total. Most sedans in the PHP 700,000–1.2 million range land between PHP 15,000 and PHP 30,000 a year. The premium drops as the car depreciates, so year 4 costs less to insure than year 1.
Step 9: Set Aside Money for Tires, Battery, and Brake Pads
These are not part of PMS, but they will show up on your bill eventually:
- Tires: 16-inch variants use 185/55 R16 tires (check your sidewall to confirm your size). Retail prices run roughly PHP 4,500–5,500 per tire for brands like Pirelli and Bridgestone, so a full set of four costs about PHP 18,000–22,000. Most owners replace tires every 3–4 years or around 40,000–50,000 km.
- Battery: The City uses an NS40-size battery. A Motolite NS40 ranges from about PHP 2,900 for a basic maintenance-free unit to about PHP 4,500–6,300 for higher-grade versions. Expect to replace it every 2–3 years in Philippine heat.
- Brake pads: Front pads typically need replacing somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 km depending on how much city traffic you drive in — see our Honda City brake pad lifespan guide for details.
Setting aside PHP 500–800 a month for these wear items means a new set of tires never catches you off guard.
Step 10: Add It All Up — Your Honda City Yearly Budget
Here is a realistic annual budget for a Honda City driven about 20,000 km a year:
- Casa PMS (2 visits): PHP 10,000–22,000
- LTO renewal (from year 4 onward): PHP 2,500–4,500
- Comprehensive insurance: PHP 15,000–30,000
- Wear-item fund (tires, battery, brakes): PHP 6,000–10,000
Total: roughly PHP 30,000–60,000 a year, excluding fuel and parking. The low end applies to an older, fully paid City with light driving; the high end applies to a new, financed RS with high mileage and a heavy 40K service in the same year. Dividing by 12 gives about PHP 2,500–5,000 a month to set aside on top of your fuel budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
A light PMS (10,000, 30,000, or 50,000 km) typically costs about PHP 5,000–7,000 at an authorized Honda dealership. The heavier even-numbered services, especially the 40,000 km visit that includes CVT fluid, brake fluid, and coolant, can cost PHP 8,000–15,000. Always ask your service advisor for a written quote before work begins.
Honda Cars Philippines sets the City's PMS interval at every 6 months or 10,000 km, whichever comes first. That means two casa visits a year for most owners. New cars also usually get an initial 1,000 km check-up, which costs around PHP 2,000–4,000 and often comes with free labor.
The 40,000 km (2-year) service is usually the first big one, because it adds CVT fluid (Honda HCF-2), brake fluid, coolant, and filters on top of the oil change. Later even-numbered services such as 60,000, 80,000, and 100,000 km follow a similar pattern and can also reach the PHP 15,000 range.
You can, but it is not recommended during the 3-year or 100,000 km warranty period. Honda requires scheduled maintenance at authorized dealers to keep warranty claims straightforward. A missing casa record can make it harder to claim coverage for expensive failures like the CVT. After the warranty ends, a reputable independent shop using genuine HCF-2 fluid is a reasonable option.
Honda's own estimate of about PHP 84,885 for five years of City CVT PMS works out to roughly PHP 1,400 per month for PMS alone. Adding insurance, LTO renewal, and a fund for tires, battery, and brake pads raises the total to about PHP 2,500–5,000 per month, not counting fuel and parking.
Yes. The City's CVT uses Honda HCF-2 fluid, which is replaced as part of the heavier scheduled services. Clean fluid keeps the belt and pulleys gripping properly. Skipping or delaying this change risks transmission damage that costs far more than the service itself, so treat it as the one maintenance item you should never postpone.
For a private sedan like the City, annual renewal usually totals PHP 2,500–4,500. That includes the MVUC road-use charge (PHP 1,600 for light cars up to 1,600 kg), renewal and computer fees, CTPL insurance, and the emission test. Brand-new cars are covered by a 3-year initial registration before yearly renewal begins.
The City's 10,000 km interval means only two casa visits per year, compared with more frequent 5,000 km visits for some competing brands. Fewer visits usually means lower yearly PMS spending, even if a single Honda visit costs a bit more. Its shared parts and wide dealer network also keep wear-item prices reasonable.
Conclusion
Keeping a Honda City in good shape costs about PHP 10,000–22,000 a year in casa PMS, and roughly PHP 30,000–60,000 a year once insurance, LTO renewal, and wear items are included. The smartest move is to budget monthly instead of getting hit all at once, never skip the CVT fluid change, and keep every casa receipt while your warranty is active. Before your next visit, check current dealer rates through Honda's PM Cost Calculator or call your dealer for an exact quote.
