Honda have just launched their star-child, the tenth-generation Honda Civic, in Cape Town. With 23 million units sold globally, Honda must be doing something right. Here are AutoTrader’s reasons for loving it.
1. It looks sporty and menacing
The exterior of the new Civic evokes an emotional reaction. For a sedan, previously very popular amongst more senior folk, it is seriously sexy. Low-slung and sleek, its profile is more Coupe than an everyday sedan. The swept-back, elongated headlamps surrounded with glossy piano black detail (on Sport-variants) gives it a sports car feeling and appearance. The rear-end of the Civic shows Honda’s daring side. It’s aggressively styled indeed, but everything looks perfectly proportioned. I’d feel pretty smug to be seen driving a Honda like this.
2. It offers oodles of room inside
The Civic may look like a Coupe, but boasts dimensions of roominess similar to the 2013 Honda Accord. And a more spacious cabin translates to less whining on long road-trips. The front seats are spaced further away from each other, and in the back, there’s 55mm more space for knees and plenty more elbow-room too. The now-gigantic 420-litre boot is up in size by 20 percent. Overall, the wheelbase has grown with 30mm, and the total length by 109 mm.
3. Its new 1.5L VTEC turbo-engine rocks!
We are so pleased that Honda voted ‘Yea’ for turbo technology! It was much needed in the Civic, and it’s even more potent than I expected. It’s only a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, but it’s good for 127 kW and 220 Nm and goes like the clappers. It’s fuel-efficient too: On the way back to Cape Town International Airport from Franschhoek, our trip computer showed 6.2 litres per 100 km, and we weren’t exactly on a Sunday drive. (Honda’s figure is 5.9 litres per 100, so they’re not far off).
If you can’t afford the turbocharged models, the naturally aspirated 1.8-litre engine has been tweaked for increased efficiency and power, and is good for 104 kW and 174 Nm.
4. Its CVT-gearbox doesn’t whine like others do
The new Civic won’t be available with a manual transmission (sadly), but the new Continuous Variable Transmission unit is refined, relatively quiet and smooth. It works well with the compact turbo-engine for a more linear response, and further helps you save fuel. In all honesty, most people won’t even notice that it’s not a conventional auto.
5. It's light, and its handling is tight
The new Civic is built on an all-new lightweight, high-rigidity platform, which is 12 percent ultra-high-strength steel. It has shed 22 kg’s and is 25 percent stiffer than before. Metaphorically, it’s the young and bouncy replacement to your 43-year old spouse. Steering feel has been greatly improved and feels decidedly German. Honda calls it ‘Dual-Pinion Variable Ratio Electric Power Steering’. It feels sporty, not over-assisted. Ride and stability are better than before.
6. Its tech is advanced but doesn’t bamboozle us
Hondas have always been very high-tech, yet user-friendly, hence their popularity with seniors. The new Civic has a 7-inch touchscreen that’s easy to read from any angle. And you don’t need to access menus and submenus to get to basic things like air-conditioning - there are dedicated buttons for that.
7. You’re safer inside the new Civic than Justin Bieber in a remote Amish village
Honda’s are super-safe, and their crash-test scores reflect this. Every new Civic has Vehicle Stability Assist, an emergency stop signal, daytime running lights, hill-start assist, 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchorage points and seatbelt pre-tensioners. A reverse camera and rear parking sensors are standard on every Civic but the base model.
Agile Handling Assist (AHA) is another new feature in the Civic. This assists the driver when he corners, preventing loss of control during cornering by regulating brake and throttle inputs in tiny increments. It also allows for a slightly sharper turn-in. But this doesn’t mean you should misbehave and drive like a hooligan (but if you do, AHA will intervene before stability control does). It’s not foolproof though, so we don’t condone this kind of driving at all.
An advanced safety feature that’s filtering through to the more affordable cars, is Lane Keeping Assist, which I experienced for the first time in the 2013 Honda Accord (It’s also in the new Opel Astra). This function works by allowing the car to follow the road for a while if you take your hands off the wheel. It’s in the new Civic as well, but only in the flagship 1.5T Executive-variant. It forms part of the Honda Sensing system, which also includes forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control, as well as Lane Watch with side-sensing cameras.
Rands and sense
It’s hard to find fault with the new Civic. I can totally imagine a life with the Civic as our trusty, safe, and spacious high-tech steed.
Every Civic sold includes a 5-year / 200 000 km warranty, a 5-year / 90 000 km service plan and three years of roadside assistance by the AA.
| 1.8 Comfort CVT | : R 330 000 |
| 1.8 Elegance CVT | : R370 000 |
| 1.5T Sport CVT | : 430 000 |
| 1.5T Executive CVT | : R460 000 |
