My first experience of the Honda Civic came courtesy of Harold McGarrity, the Fermanagh man had a dealership in Belfast and he was widely known in motor racing circles as he raced a Chevron in Formula Atlantic at all of the Irish circuits. He kindly loaned me a Civic and I enjoyed a few days behind the wheel
The Civic was first introduced in 1972 and it quickly became a hit with buyers, fast becoming one of the most popular Hondas ever, with over 28 million sold across 170 countries and it is now in its eleventh generation. The latest to bear the Civic badge is a very well-proportioned five door hatchback which has the lines of a coupe, making it the best looking Civic to date and recently I spent a most enjoyable week behind the wheel. From the moment I took the wheel of the Civic I had that good feeling when you get when a car seems just right; often it can take a few days to settle in to a car.
Under the bonnet, the two litre direct fuel injection petrol engine with a lithium ion battery which powers two electric motors, all working in harmony; the result is excellent all round performance courtesy of impressive energy density, thermal efficiency and torque. The e:HEV system aids in delivering a smooth responsive power delivery with impressive acceleration and the bonus of excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. Rest to 100kph (62mph) comes up in just shy of eight seconds. The e:HEV system shifts without notice between EV, Hybrid and Engine Drive with no input from the driver and in an urban environment the vehicle runs in EV Drive most of the time, producing zero emissions whilst utilising the seamless and responsive traits of electric drive. When you require stronger acceleration, the car will switch to Hybrid Drive to propel the wheels via the powerful electric motor, with the internal combustion engine generating the required electric power. Driving at constant high speeds, such as on the motorway, the system will shift to Engine Drive, and is directly and efficiently powered by the petrol engine with minimum losses and assisted by the electric motor when necessary. When the required drive energy becomes high towards top speed, the system switches back to Hybrid Drive to unleash the full output of the electric motor. In all drive modes, brake and deceleration energy is being recuperated to improve the overall efficiency resulting in remarkably low fuel consumption particularly in stop and go traffic.
The sleek exterior flows to the interior matched by Honda’s human-centred approach which results in a cabin with comfort, visibility and spaciousness better than ever before, in addition to enhanced safety and greater driver engagement. Honda engineers focused on these key aspects to offer drivers and passengers a better in-car experience during long drives. Honda’s M/M development principle is exemplified by an interior that offers premium levels of refinement and everyday usability and benchmarked against upper-level segment vehicles to maximise spaciousness. This unique approach creates an exhilarating driving experience through both dynamics and design has resulted in a cabin with greater visibility and airiness, thanks to the low, flat dashboard, revised external mirror positioning and larger windows all-round.
Summing up, the current Civic is by far the best to date, it brims with technology, however what scores for me is the sheer quality of drive and I must admit that it was refreshing not to be testing yet another SUV; there is still room in the market for a well designed and engineered hatchback.
Ian Beatty