Yes citys engine is definitely a lot more powerful, 12 hp which is about 10 percent more powerful than Yaris 1.5 and alsvin 1.5. Problem is the CVT is very inconsistent. Like a week back I got humiliated by a tuscon because the CVT refused to go in lower ratios even though the transmission was in S mode. Engine literally wasn't going above 4k rpm at around 70kmh. But in other times engine goes to 6k rpm even at 50kmh.
The one technique I've found that gives the best acceleration is to initially accelerate in D mode and then while you're at full throttle in D, shift to S, then it goes into very low gear ratios and engine gets to redline really fast. Driving in just straight up S mode doesn't improve acceleration much from D mode when you're doing a full throttle run. With this technique I've seen the engine always getting pinned at the 6700rpm redline at speeds as low as 70, while just driving in S seems to adjust gear ratios such that engine doesn't even go to 6k rpm at speeds as high as 90.
Due to these inconsistencies and Toyota CVT being very responsive, I can easily see why people find Yaris and corolla faster than city and civic.
