By: Alex Forrest
More than 40 years ago, the Civic was the car that catapulted Honda onto the shopping lists of new car buyers worldwide.
However, over the past decade, the Civic fell behind the pack. Paradoxically, the car that made Honda is now the brand’s make or break car.
Honda says the team that developed the new Civic was given the mission to deliver a “dynamic rejuvenation” of the Civic.
The new Civic’s two biggest rejuvenations are its bold and completely new styling, and, under the skin, its peppy new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
It’s longer and wider than the previous Civic, with its appearance determined in part by aerodynamics and the need to minimise wind noise.
There are five different model grades in the Civic range, starting with the VTi at $25,420 drive away. One up from that is the VTi-S at $27,582, which brings alloy wheels, keyless entry and Honda’s lane watch rear camera function
For $31,100 you’ll get the VTi-L, which introduces the 1.5-litre turbo engine, followed by the VTi-RS ($35,420) and the VTi-LX at $37,380.
Safety gear comprises front, side and full-length curtain airbags in all variants across the range. Surprisingly useful is Honda’s Lane Watch system, which is available on the top four models in the range. The system displays a view behind the passenger side of the car thanks to a camera under the left exterior mirror, and is great for keeping an eye on what would normally be a blind spot.
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Autonomous braking, lane departure warning and active cruise control with a low-speed following function, only comes with the top-of-the-range VTi-LX.
The interior’s build and finish is excellent and it’s good to see a much less fussy dash layout than in past models.
You get digital radio in the top three variants, and it’s also equipped with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto, both of which are increasingly expected by consumers on new cars.
The new Civic sedan is a far more convincing argument than its predecessor and, if the new hatch follows suit when it arrives in 2017, the Civic will be back in the game
| Price driveaway (as tested): | from $35,420 drive away |
|---|---|
| Engine: | 1.5-litre turbo petrol |
| Power: | 127kW @ 5,500rpm |
| Torque: | 220Nm @ 1,700 - 5,500rpm |
| Claimed fuel economy: | 6.0 litres/100km |
| ANCAP Rating: | 5 star |
| CO2 Emissions: | 140g/km |
