One of my first company cars was a D reg Honda Civic & I really, really liked it. Ever since, I’ve had soft spot for Honda’s, especially the Civic, but in recent years the Civic lost it’s way. The good news though, is that in it’s latest incarnation, it’s very much back & better than ever, with a new hybrid powertrain making it a far more attractive fleet proposition. Here’s how we got on.
What is it ?
A five-door hatch that competes with the Golf & Focus in an ever declining market sector. Looks-wise it’s sleek & low with a very Honda front end & an almost BMW 4 Series side & rear, with a nod to the Tesla Model 3 thrown in.
Model range
One engine lifted from the CR-V, the 2.0-litre e:HEV system powers all Civic models bar the Type R. It’s available in three trims; Elegant, Sport & Advance.
Standard features
Elegance features a rear view camera, front & rear parking sensors, keyless entry & start, auto high beam, heated front seats & Honda Connect with a 9″ touchscreen
Sport grade adds auto air-con, synthetic leather & fabric seats, wireless charging, 18″ gloss black alloys & LED front fog lights.
Range topping Advance comes with synthetic leather seats, electrically adjusted front seats, a heated steering wheel, a glass panoramic roof, a 10.2″ multi function display, 12 Bose speakers & 18″ two tone black & diamond cut alloys.
Performance
The 2.0 litre engine uses an e-CVT system, that in the Civic’s case is actually very good, with no typical CVT rise in revs as you accelerate. The 1993cc engine is mated to a 1.05 kWh battery that helps the car along. The battery also adds a decent amount of extra power to the 143ps engine; 194ps & 315Nm’s of torque, meaning a decent 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds when driven in Sport mode & a maximum speed of 112mph.
Economy
With CO2’s of 99 -101g/km & a combined return of 56.5mpg, the new Civic enters Toyota Corolla hybrid territory offering good economy figures for a spacious, five door hatchback. Unlike hybrid systems from rival manufacturers, most of the time the engine acts as a generator to power the battery rather than the wheels. This has the affect of making it feel like you’re driving an EV rather than a hybrid petrol, especially when you’re in town.
Inside
The cabin features some familiar Honda switchgear, notably the steering wheel stalks. There’s also some new & improved touches, such as the dashboard-wide criss cross hidden air vents, which we really like. There’s plenty of black & the plastic finishes are pretty good. For convenience, you get separate climate controls, a plus, sitting beneath the touchscreen, twin USB’s & a 12v socket too. You change gears by utilising the button configuration between the front seats, where you’ll also find the electric hand brake. It’s simple to use. Rear passengers also get twin USB’s
Infotainment
The touchscreen is easy to reach for the driver & the functions are logical. It’s a bit slow to load, but on the plus side, I connected wirelessly to Apple CarPlay in an instant & finding 6Music wasn’t a chore either.
Practicality
Despite the low roof line, all passengers get good head room & leg rooms decent too. The glove box is spacious as are all four door pockets, with twin cup holders up front also offered. The hatchback opens to reveal a useful 410 litres of space & our test car also came with a plastic boot floor protector, great for muddy shoes & dogs.
Driving
The Civic offers three driving modes; Eco, Normal & Sport & you can also utilise the steering wheel mounted paddles for regenerative braking, especially useful for slowing down in town. The electric motor make the Civic feel nippy & responsive & coupled with the weighty steering, comfortable suspension & good body control, make for an engaging drive.
On the motorway, we utilised Adaptive Cruise Control & Autonomous Driving which allowed for easy progress at motorway speeds. Our only criticism of the set up is that the distance adjustment was a touch sensitive & we found the car slowed down far too quickly sometimes.
In town or on slower roads, the Honda CVT set-up is excellent, much better than any we’ve tried elsewhere, so when you select Sport mode & accelerate, it’s smooth & quiet as well as enjoyably enhanced by the exhaust noise that features with Sport. Driving in Eco mode dampens things down & is was our de facto mode for the motorway. Normal sits comfortably in the middle.
The cabin is well insulated against the outside, but you may notice that the 18″ wheels & tyres emit some significant noise when driven on wet roads or over poorly maintained road surfaces
Pros
Great e-CVT engine offers comfortable, economical driving. The Civic looks different from the opposition, which has to be a good thing. Plenty of standard equipment is included on all model trims. Excellent all around build quality.
Cons
It’s sleek profile means you sit low down in the cabin, which may not suit some. With no plug-in or electric versions yet, the Civic can;t compete on BIK with many of its rivals.
Conclusion
We didn’t really know what to expect from the latest Civic & we came away quietly impressed. The last version was too aggressive looking for our tastes, but the new one is spot on the way it looks & perfect for now. The cabin is really nice & it’s an enjoyable car to drive, with plenty of room for four adults & their luggage. It also offers something a bit different from the usual C Sector offerings. In the fleet sector the only thing missing is a plug-in drive train or EV version. Otherwise we can’t fault it.
A return of form 4/5
Model tested. Honda Civic e:HEV Advance
Price: £31,220
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol-electric hybrid
Power/torque: 181bhp/315Nm
Transmission: e-CVT automatic, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 112mph
Economy/CO2: 56.5mpg/100g/km
