1972 is not a bad year for the automotive world. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Lancia Stratos and Maserati Merak have all arrived to wow the headliners. But the year also saw the arrival of more traditional and meaningful models. Cars like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes S-Class and Honda Civic, whose names are still going strong half a century later.
The Civic was Honda’s first car in the UK and although a lot has changed in the years since, the main focus of the model has not changed. So, underneath the new look and new technology, this 11th generation is still a mainstream family sedan designed to compete with Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308, Seat Leon and Toyota Corolla.
From the outside, the 11th generation is obviously an evolution of the previous car, but underneath there have been significant structural changes to lighten and strengthen the car, as well as a major shift from pure petrol and diesel engines to a single full hybrid powertrain.
The new Civic is slightly longer and wider than the old car, with a slightly lower roofline and shorter overhangs, but there are very clear links to the 10th generation car. After the wild styling of the eighth and ninth generations, the 10th and 11th settled into a more conservative look that matches most of its rivals.
The most obvious difference is inside, where the extended wheelbase has been all about improving rear legroom. That’s great news for passengers, and the Civic’s rear cabin feels a lot roomier than most C-segment hatchbacks. Front-seat occupants enjoy similar levels of space and comfort, with plenty legroom and shoulder room and an overall feeling of openness provided by the relatively simple cabin design.
Honda does a lot of “man-maximum, machine-minimum” engineering. In practical terms, this means keeping things simple for the driver, so that the dashboard and controls have a welcome ease of use. There’s no massive button clutter, but the Civic doesn’t rely solely on its nine-inch touchscreen for everything. It’s closer to the Mazda3 example in this regard, with obvious touch controls for major functions, rather than the VW Group’s disastrous reliance on touchscreens.
It might not quite match Mazda’s premium feel, but the materials easily equal something like a Focus or a Golf and touches like the honeycomb dash grille bring an unusual and interesting detail. The only interior misstep is the drive selector carried over from the CR-V, which appears to be from Fisher-Price.
In press material for the new Civic, Honda uses words like “exhilarating” to describe the driving experience, which feels like a stretch. Competent is probably more accurate. Like the previous model, it certainly handles well enough, but it’s not as sharp as a Ford Focus or Mazda3. The steering is precise but doesn’t feel as immediate or as communicative as the better rivals. Instead, there’s a definite lean towards comfort with very good cushioning, a smooth ride and decent body control. But, like its predecessor, there’s a hint in the regular car that something much sharper and more engaging is waiting to be unlocked in the new Type R.
The same cannot be said for the engine. The Type R will get a straight-gas unit while the regular Civic will get a hybrid that completes Honda’s shift to a fully electrified mainstream lineup. This setup doesn’t lend itself to a hot hatch, but puts it one-on-one with the impressive Toyota Corolla – the C-segment’s only other full-hybrid sedan.
While the old car had a choice of economical 1.0-litre or sporty 1.5-litre petrols and a frugal 1.6-litre diesel, the new model has only one choice of engine and transmission. According to Honda, the new 2.0-liter e:HEV full hybrid engine offers the economy of the 1.0, the power of the 1.5 and the torque of the diesel.
Thus, the four-cylinder engine and the two electric motors produce a combined output of 181 hp and 232 lb-ft, offering 0 to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds. Economy is estimated between 56 and 60 mpg (depending on trim level) and emissions are as low as 108 g/km.
The engine and transmission – an E:CVT which Honda’s top tech says “isn’t a gearbox” – are related to the CR-V and HR-V setup but have been redeveloped to deliver better power, torque and responsiveness.
On the road, even with the electric motor, the Civic doesn’t feel instantly responsive, but it accelerates fairly quickly and you don’t feel it lacks power or torque. Depending on driving conditions, the hybrid will switch between its three modes unnoticed, using electric power for low-speed driving, pure gasoline for consistent high-speed cruising, and a combination of the two in situations. of intense and high-demand acceleration.
To address criticism of many hybrids, Honda designed the transmission with “linear shift control”. This mimics the rpm drop when shifting in a manual car to give a more “reassuring” sound of acceleration rather than the springy drone often associated with hybrids. It can’t completely hide the features of the e:CVT, but it’s a noticeable improvement over the CR-V and HR-V.
The hum is less noticeable anyway thanks to good sound insulation which means you only really hear the engine at full throttle and makes the Civic a pleasant long-distance cruiser.
When it goes on sale later this year, the Civic will be available in three trim levels – Elegance, Sport and Advance, with prices starting at £29,595.
All models feature 17-inch alloys, a nine-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirror, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, heated seats and the full suite of Sensing driver assistance. Sport (£30,595) adds gloss black trim and bigger wheels while at £32,995 the Advance gets a 10.2-inch digital instrument display, 12-speaker Bose sound system, adaptive headlights, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic sunroof.
Those prices reflect the added cost of the hybrid drivetrain and relatively high standard spec, but put even entry-level Civics against high-quality alternatives like Ford and VW. A Corolloa of similar spec and horsepower, however, is pretty much similar.
That price difference might work against the Civic, but it works hard to justify it. On first experience, it feels like a very competent all-rounder, well worthy of consideration over any other traditional family sedan. The powertrain delivers impressive economy and a smooth experience while interior space and simplicity stand out in a crowded market.
Price: £32,995; Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol, two electric motors; Power: 181 hp; Couple : 232 lb ft; Transmission: E-CVT; Top speed: 112mph; 0-62mph: 8.1 seconds; Economy: 56.5mpg; CO2 emissions: 114g/km
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Source: www.bedfordtoday.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-06-27 23:01:00
