AutotestThe new-generation Honda Civic is clearly more understated than its extravagant predecessor. The new model clearly has its subcutaneous qualities, and there are more than enough.
The Honda Civic was once a runner in the Netherlands, but for price reasons, the brand has left it quite behind in Europe – and certainly in the Netherlands. The fact that the Netherlands is not really an important market for Honda is apparent from the fact that the Japanese brand is the third largest car manufacturer in the world. And that’s despite the fact that we sell almost no Hondas, apart from lawnmowers.
Still, the Japanese brand wants to grow and so it decided to give the new Civic a so-called ‘world car‘ to make. So there will be only one model with – at least for the time being – one engine variant, and according to Honda, it is based on Western European taste. Honda considers the European market to be the most demanding and diverse and thus believes that a ‘European’ car is more than good enough for the rest of the world.
The big disadvantage of a car that should appeal to everyone is that the design often suffers. Because the outside is not allowed to bump anyone’s head, it doesn’t surprise anyone. And so we see a front end that looks fine, but isn’t really a Honda characteristic. The side is also a bit safe and average. The back looks nice with its diffuser-like underside and overlapping brake lights, but it is nevertheless not an eye-catcher. The car is also a bit ‘high on its legs’. Even with 18-inch wheels, the Civic has a lot of space between tire and wheel arch and that doesn’t look very sporty.
The Civic, already not small, has grown by another 3 centimeters to 4.56 meters. A record in the C-segment, where cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Opel Astra, Ford Focus and Peugeot 308 also operate. In addition, the wheelbase increased by 3.5 centimeters, while the height was reduced by 2.5 cm. Despite this, there is more glass surface, which makes the interior appear lighter and more spacious. The finish is of high quality and the materials used are fine. Nice detail are the ventilation grilles, which extend over the entire dashboard and are made of plastic in a honeycomb pattern.
The Civic hybrid has a 410 liter trunk
When you slam the door behind you, you hear a solid thump and the knobs and buttons also feel like they’ll last forever. The operation is simple and although the instruments seem a bit busy, you quickly find your way behind the wheel. In the center of the dashboard is a somewhat modest display for the navigation and multimedia system and below that is a compartment where you can charge even the largest phones.
Behind the wheel you sit nice and low and you can pull the upright steering wheel well towards you. The seats offer quite a bit of lateral support and there is also enough legroom in the back for a car of this caliber. People over 1.80 meters, however, rub their heads against the roof here. The boot space measures 410 litres. That’s quite a lot, especially for a hybrid, and that’s because Honda has placed the battery of the hybrid system under the rear seat, next to the fuel tank.
‘driver’s hybrid’
However, the real qualities of the Honda only come to the fore when we start driving. Honda calls the new Civic a ‘driver’s hybridAnd that’s not even far from the truth. Because when the accelerator pedal is pressed, the car takes off. The Civic has no plug and so only regeneration of braking energy is used. The electric range is up to 3 kilometers, but the electric motor offers a lot of pulling power. And when the first corner pops up, it turns out that the car stays flat and feels incredibly confidence-inspiring.
Engine sound is addictive
The best part is that the car is not equipped with a CVT transmission that roars when the accelerator is pressed. The Civic has opted for one fixed gear, but Honda has very cleverly divided the engine speed into transitions that sound as if a DSG automatic transmission has been built in. You almost get the feeling that you are in a Honda V-TEC with close ratio– gearbox is moving around. It’s fake, yet addictive. Especially in sport mode, where the engine sound is amplified. With the paddles behind the steering wheel you can unfortunately not manually switch. This only allows you to control the degree of regeneration in four positions.
It’s amazing how Honda can make the Civic feel sporty without sacrificing comfort. Also nice: the engine keeps drive in the corners, so you have more grip and can accelerate out even faster. At most, the control could have been a bit more direct. Due to the enormous pulling power of the electric motors, you seem to be going very fast and that is true, but the sprint time from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.8 seconds does not sound really spectacular. Anyway, the car never feels slow and its top speed of 180 kilometers per hour is more than sufficient for almost all European countries.
From 35,680 euros
Honda is proud of the new Civic and for good reason, because the 184 hp Atkinson engine is faster than the outgoing 1.5 turbo and with a consumption of 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers more economical than the current 1.0. This new Civic also has more pulling power than the current 2.0 diesel. The new generation is only available in Europe as a hatchback and will be available in Dutch dealers from October. The price list starts at 35,680 euros.
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