Honda Civic hatch 2012 review

A truly global vehicle, the new Honda Civic is manufactured in Britain and was developed with extensive testing throughout Europe.

Civic VTi-S is available with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, while the VTi-L is auto only.

Value

Prices start at a very reasonable $22,650 for the VTi-S manual and peak at $29,950 for the VTi-L. On-road costs have to be factored in.To start the ball rolling on sales of the new model Honda is offering the VTi-S at drive-away prices of $24,990 and $27,290 respectively. They are on sale now.

Honda is placing much store on its new Civic Hatch and predicts sales of both models will be split down the middle 50:50. The company says it is also looking forward to adding a further buyer inducement with the stable being joined by a 1.6-litre diesel version next year.

The standard audio has USB connectivity, iPod integration, auxiliary jack and speed-sensitive volume control. Bluetooth, fitted on VTi-L only, can be had on VTi-S at extra cost. The VT-L carries a premium sound system with seven speakers including tweeters and sub-woofer. 

Hill start assist is standard across the range. Cruise control with variable speed limiter is available on VTi-L only.

Technology

The new Hatch comes in two models – the VTi-S and VTi-L – both powered by an upgraded 1.8-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC engine producing 104 kW of power at 6500 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4300 rpm.

Civic VTi-S is available with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, while the VTi-L is auto only. Prices start at a very reasonable $22,650 for the VTi-S manual and peak at $29,950 for the VTi-L. On-road costs have to be factored in.

Improved aerodynamics, together with Honda’s fuel efficient technology, have the new Civic Hatch coming up with consumption figures of 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres for the manual transmission and 6.5 L/100 km for the automatic on the Australian combined driving cycle. Carbon dioxide emissions are put at 146 g per kilometre (manual) and 155 g / km (automatic) on 95 RON petrol. Emissions standard is Euro IV.

Fuel efficient technology featured on the Civic hatch is called ECO Assist using the car’s speedometer illumination – blue (bad) or green (good) – to tell drivers how their driving is affecting fuel economy.

A green dash-mounted Econ switch activates the most economical and environmentally friendly settings for the car by selecting the best throttle position for accelerator pedal pressure to smoothly increase torque. Eco Assist also improves the efficiency of the air-conditioning system, again saving fuel.

Design

Honda research found drivers liked the styling of the previous model, with its futuristic looks and practicality but baulked at the car’s limited rear vision and felt that the rear design could look more sophisticated.

The car’s spacious and user-friendly cockpit design was well liked, with the clever ‘magic seat’ system in the rear offering added cargo room receiving much positive comment. Users, however, were not too happy with the quality of materials used.

As a result of this feedback, the new Civic Hatch has a sporty sleek exterior with a cabin cleverly packaged to offer versatile occupant and cargo space together with comfortable and stress-free driving conditions.

The designers took their lead from the ‘blended body’ aircraft in which fuselage and wings fuse into a single unit for superior aerodynamic performance and quietness.

The result is a lower and wider Civic Hatch front and profile, with smooth surfaces combining with the sculpted wheel arches and concealed rear door handles, tailgate treatment and flat underbody to produce improved aerodynamics (Cd 0.30).

A new functional cockpit layout includes a full-colour Intelligent Multi-Information Display screen incorporating the Eco driving facility, audio display and other information.

Soft-touch surface materials are used throughout for an improved quality feel, a new tilt and telescopic steering wheel has easy-to-operate controls, while the VTi-L wheel is finished in extra-smooth leather with more comfortable stitching.
A low extra rear window gives a better view from the driver’s seat and there’s improved crosswind stability.

Safety

The new Civic hatch has already gained a five-star ANCAP safety rating. LED day-time running lights (switched off when headlights are on) and LED brake/tail lights ensure the vehicle is highly visible to other road users at all times.

Driving

On a run organised by Honda through Sydney’s southern suburbs and on a mix of country and highway driving the new Civic Hatch performed up to Honda expectations.

The six-speed manual shifted gears with little effort, making for comfortable and relaxed going. Steering was direct and well weighted, offering good road feedback, while the ride was supple yet responsive to changing driving conditions.

There was no getting away from differences in performance in Econ mode with the need to change down a gear or two more often to cope with inclines or overtaking. The automatic transmission was sufficiently sorted to take similar conditions in its stride.