This engine is familiar, we’ve seen it in the CR-V. It is surprising that the fun petrol isn’t offered with a manual, and the commute-friendly diesel isn’t offered with an automatic!įirst, let’s tackle the diesel since it’s new to the Civic. If you pick the Honda Civic you get to choose between two drivetrain options - a 1.8-litre petrol paired with a CVT, or a 1.6-litre diesel paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. We like that the materials used feel like the durable kind, and not fragile like we’ve seen on a few Euro cars. Plush leather upholstery, with leather inserts on the doorpad round off the experience nicely. The dashboard is bathed in soft-touch material that feel pleasant to touch. Where most of the old car’s cabin was hard plastic, the new Civic is a welcome surprise. The Civic is impressive on other fronts, like quality. We wish Honda offered the 60:40 split for the rear seats to improve practicality. At 430 litres boot space is enough, but far lower than other options in the segment. At the rear, you get door bins and a pair of cupholders in the central armrest. There are ample cubby holes in the front half of the cabin, and it gets some versatile storage around the front armrest as well that bumps up the utility quotient. With the window line rising linearly, it’s natural to feel slightly claustrophobic here.īut the Civic wins back some brownie points in terms of practicality. Also, if you’re taller than 6 you’ll feel a bit too close to the roof. Do note that the middle occupant doesn’t get a headrest either, fixed or adjustable. With the central tunnel and the raised middle portion of the rear bench in play, the middle occupant isn’t particularly comfortable either. While it is possible, it gets a bit cozy. Also, the width on the exterior hasn’t translated into room for three at the rear. It’s just about enough for a six-footer like me to sit behind my own driving position. The rear seat of the Honda isn’t generous in terms of space. Those considering the Civic for the elderly members in their family, please note. And getting out too requires a bit of effort. To get in, you end up putting a fair bit of pressure on your knee. The option, is to push the seat all the way back, and stretch out.Īt the rear, the issue with the low slung seating position is amplified because the door doesn’t open too wide. But the co-driver will most definitely feel the pinch, especially over a long journey. This isn’t much of a bother for the driver as the seat height can be adjusted to mitigate this issue. The flat seat base robs you of valuable underthigh support, forcing you to sit in a ‘knees up’ position. Broader occupants will feel a lack of support for their shoulders. If you aren’t used to a low-seating car, you will need a few drives in the Civic before you’re entirely comfortable with the dimensions.Īlso, the front seats feel narrow. With the Civic you get tilt and telescopic adjust for the steering wheel, and the seat can be adjusted 8 ways to help you get into a nice driving position. But we do miss the drama of the old Civic’s split dashboard that housed a digital speedometer in the upper half. It’s that familiar spaceship-esque feeling with the cool-blue and red lighting in the instrument cluster and a central console that’s tilted ever-so-slightly towards the driver. The seating position is familiarly low and the dashboard wraps itself around you. The feeling that the CIvic is driver focussed hits you once you get inside the cabin. While the design is noticeably busier, we feel will look appealing for years to come.ĭeja vu. On the whole, the Civic’s design continues to be a strong point much like the older generation. The XL-sized triangular taillamps that flow onto the bootlid look super cool at night as the portion of the tail lamp on the boot lights up as well. However, it is the widest, and by a fair margin at that. Honda’s Civic isn’t the tallest when you compare it to its peers. Full-LED headlamps and that awesome-looking set of 17-inch machine-finished alloy wheels add to its wow-factor. And much like the old car, the Civic has a low-slung design, giving it a sporty ready-to-go stance. Should we be calling it a sedan? Because when you view it from the side, it looks more like a notchback with a raised rump than a conventional three-box sedan. Familiar Honda elements including the large grille dunked in chrome, honeycomb detailing in the vents and crisp character lines find their way onto this sedan too.Īctually, hang on. If the Civic could talk, we’re sure the first words it’d say would be ‘Look at me!’ It looks properly swanky, and a direct descendant of the posh Honda Accord.
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