Honda Civic: 5 Things we like

Introduced to the world for the first time way back in 1972, the Honda Civic is undoubtedly one of the most successful and best-selling cars to be ever made. While the previous generations of the Civic were well received, it was the radically different-looking tenth-generation model that truly garnered attention. This new-gen Civic was launched in late 2015, and it brought in new technologies and safety features along with it. In Malaysia, you can get the Civic in three flavours: there’s the base 1.8S trim at RM 108,165, mid-option 1.5 TC at RM 120,855, and the full-option 1.5 TC-P at RM 128,631. The Civic’s prime contenders in this segment include the Toyota Corolla Altis and Hyundai Elantra. Anyway, let’s jump right in and discover the 5 things we like about the new Honda Civic.

1. Exterior styling

For the tenth-gen Civic, Honda scrapped the traditional three-box design in favour of a futuristic and contemporary fastback one. The compact sedan’s low stance coupled with its aerodynamic silhouette makes for an eye-catching design, and easily turns heads wherever it goes. The sculpted front of the Civic features a taut bonnet with sharp ridges, Honda’s signature new chrome ‘flying grille’, sharp-looking headlights with distinct LED DRLs, and a flamboyant bumper piece with sporty vent designs and tucked-in fog lights.

The svelte side profile of the Civic looks outstanding, courtesy of its smooth lines and coupe-like rear styling. Other, equally appealing characteristics include the prominent fender flares, five-spoke 17-inch alloy rims, noticeably elongated wing mirrors, and the pronounced rear haunches. Around the back, the Civic’s flashy C-shaped LED tail lamps look modern and upmarket, whilst the pseudo vents and air diffuser on the rear bumper add a sense of sportiness. Overall, the Honda Civic’s enthusiastic and crisp design makes it one of the most appealing sedans in its class.

2. Rounded interior

The new Honda Civic’s interior is a well thought out and well put together place. It retains its practicality, user-friendliness, and ergonomics, without having to sacrifice on the styling and general layout. The good use of multiple angles and layers, textures, colors, and trim pieces amalgamate quite well, and look pleasing to the eye. The relatively driver-centric cockpit means an angled centre console, comfortable driving position with a well-designed steering wheel, and large digital cluster are all part of the package. The build quality and fit-and-finish are quite good, and even though there are cheap plastic bits in here, they aren’t too bad or nasty.

The cabin of the Civic is spacious enough for four grown adults, though squeezing in a third passenger in the back may prove tricky. And while the headroom is generally good, those over six feet tall might end up touching the roof. Sound isolation is pretty decent, too, and you’ll only pick up irritating levels of road and wind noise at higher, triple-digit speeds. During regular urban commutes, this cabin retains its low NVH.

3. Lengthy features list

All variants of the Honda Civic get 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, halogen front fog lights, remote engine starter, automatic door locking, keyless entry with push start, cruise control, automatic climate control with touch-sensitive buttons and rear air vents, colour LCD instrument gauges, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, electronic parking brake, hands-free telephony with voice recognition, a 7-inch touchscreen head unit, and an 8-speaker audio system. Meanwhile, higher variants add larger 17-inch rims, LED elements for the headlights and front fog lights, posh chrome outer door handles, paddle shifters, dual-zone climate control, leather seat upholstery, and built-in navigation.

4. Proven safety tech

The Honda Civic specs sheet boasts a perfect 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating, and comes as standard with six airbags, all-around disc brakes with ABS, EBD and brake assist, Auto Brake Hold (ABH), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), four-corner reverse parking sensors, Multi-angle rearview camera, and ISOFIX child-seat anchor points.

5. Punchy and efficient powertrain

The Civic can be equipped with Honda’s newly-developed VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This motor displaces 1,498cc and is fitted with dual-overhead cams, pushing out 171 hp at 5,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 220 Nm between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm. The peppy mill comes paired to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and engages the front wheels. From a standstill, the Civic 1.5T accelerates with much gusto, getting past the 100 kmph mark in a smidge over 8 seconds. As for top speed, all Civics can go all the way up to 200 kmph, though the turbo models do reach that mar quicker. However, despite its stellar performance, the turbo mill can still surprise you with a fuel economy of about 17 kmpl. Of course, if you thrash it around too much, expect way less than that.