I-DSi or VTEC best for Jazz

[culzean]

I am sure a lot of people on this forum will have driven both the I-DSi (GD) and VTEC (GE) Jazz, leaving aside suspension, steering and other issues and voting for engine only, which engine do they think best suits the Jazzes design brief as a city / commuter car. 

The Lower powered but more tractable I-DSi or the higher revving VTEC with more power high up but less torque at lower revs.

[dogbiscuit]

I voted for the i-DSI but would like to add that both engines have their strengths/weaknesses.

I find the VTEC better suited to motorway cruising at speeds in excess of 60 mph. I just find it more relaxing to drive longer distances at higher speeds. But I think around town and on A/B roads the i-DSI is just fine; preferable to the VTEC. The Jazz is a city car and as such I think the i-DSI suits it better. Given the choice this is what I would have. Perhaps Honda should give us the choice of a 1.4 i-DSI and a 1.5 VTEC for those who like to work the engine.

Regarding fuel consumption I'm finding my 1.4 VTEC less economical than the 1.4 i-DSI possibly because I'm now driving differently having to drop a gear to find some power. I haven't done 5K miles with the VTEC yet, so its early days and I might just be able to learn how to squeeze more mpg out of it.

[Downsizer]

I haven't driven the I-DSi, but I find the 1.4 VTEC to be surprisingly flexible.  The Autocar test report of 29 Oct 2008 suggested it delivers 80 lb ft of torque (85% of the peak of 94 lb ft) at 2000 rpm, rising steadily to the peak at an admittedly high 4800 rpm.  Does anyone know what torque the I-DSi provides at 2000 rpm?

[RichardA]

I'm not sure about the torque figure of the i-DSi engine at 2000rpm, but peak torque of 88 Ib ft is generated at about 2700rpm.

[culzean]

I found with VTEC engines I have driven that although they have plenty of top-end power and would have undoubtedly happily revved themselves into pieces if the rev-limiter hadn't been there I always found myself swapping gears often.  Sharp bends on hills (there are plenty in Shropshire) were particularly troublesome and would see me dropping quite a few gears to find the right one.

With the  i-DSi I have become really lazy on the gear-changes and the same hills don't give a problem anymore, it seems happy to pull in almost any gear under any situation, which is what you want from a 'commuter / town' car.  That is not to say that the VTEC isn't flexible, but it just feels different to the i-DSi.