Still Classy

Exterior visuals

Sedans can be sexy. It’s true. Banish the family-carriage-no-character image. Instead, think practicality, good economy, affordable tax and – whisper it – refinement.

Just think Honda’s Civic if you need a prime example. After all, the Honda Civic is one of the best selling sedan in Singapore. Ever wondered why? Well, it’s simply because (a) it has everything every family can ever need - practicality, good performance figures, (b) that killer styling we’ve never really seen come from Japan before this, and (c) the appeal of the Honda badge itself.

As a matter of fact, most Civic owners are repeat customers – having owned a Civic before, they’ll gladly trade in for the latest one whenever they fancy. Hmm…Honda should be counting its lucky stars for the strong following, and also having customers who are willing to pay good money for it.

The current generation Civic carries on with it the ethos of a Civic. Although the current outlook has a premium vibe, you can’t help but wonder how the next one will look like. But looking at how well its sales figure are, Honda figured, “why rock the boat?”

So instead of scurrying for an all-new car, Honda gave the Civic some light touches. Can’t seem to spot them? Well, we don’t blame you – it’s so subtle, you need to have really sharp eyes to differentiate the old from the new.

In keeping the Civic up to date, Honda decided to give its ubiquitous mid-sized sedan new headlight, fog light and tail light designs. The face gets a new grill too.

Buyers who are very keen on the Civic will be glad to know that two new colours were also added for the 2009-spec version – “Urban Titanium Metallic” and “Polished Metal Metallic”. So now there are, in total, seven different colours to choose from.

On a more personal note, I reckon some body-kits, more exciting alloy rim design and a subtle boot-mounted spoiler (ala BMW’s M3) will go a long way in making the updated Civic sportier. Don’t get me wrong though – I’m not saying the exterior needs any major rework, but after seeing so many pre-facelift models running on our roads since 2006, well, it can get pretty dull.

The inside story / The drive

To date, this remains the boldest cockpit design ever seen, this side of the competition. Firstly, it’s easy for the driver to get into his preferable driving position. Secondly, the steering wheel is perfectly sized with controls within easy reach. Thirdly, the twin-deck digital instrument cluster is easy on the eye. And let us not forget the handbrake lever too – cool stuff, ain’t it?

Saying it has a "large cabin" is an understatement. In fact, it has a very large cabin. With a wheelbase of 2,700mm, Honda’s designers manage to maximise the dimension and come up with a cabin that can ferry five around at any one time in utmost comfort. It has excellent shoulder room and generous leg space too – and together with that flat floor, ensures every rear passenger has adequate space and at the same time, keeping the infamous Economy-Class Syndrome at bay on long haul trips. Boot space? Let us just say it’s cavernous.

  

 

 

 

                FD(2006)                    VS                    FL(2009)

(foglight and chrome design change)

(rear light design change from round to oval)

(click for larger image)

If you think that sloping roof might pose a problem for taller passengers, I’m glad to report that won’t be an issue (well, unless you’re of Michael Jordan’s height). At the same time, the seats provide adequate lumbar support. But somehow, the backrest feels as though it has been leaned backwards a tad too much.

Everything feels solidly put together, and with this impressive level, brings it close to BMW territory. Also equally notable are the large windows that provide an airy feel to the interior, and the wide-opening doors that ensures ingress and egress is a cinch.

Pop open the bonnet and you’ll be greeted by the Civic’s 1,799cc lump. A proven unit seen service also in the Stream MPV, the i-VTEC unit is complimented by a 5-speed automatic transmission that feels perfectly calibrated for our roads. Well if you’re new to the world of auto boxes, there’s also the steering-mounted paddle-shifters for you to make your driving experience a more enjoyable one.

With 140bhp and a maximum 174Nm of torque, the Civic gets from nought to hundred in only 10.2 seconds – which is a respectable figure for a sedan in this class.

In a nutshell

In comparison, its nearest competitor - the Corolla Altis 1.8 - comes with a 1,794cc VVT-i unit. Despite being 10bhp and 4Nm down, and at the same time 43kg heavier than the Civic, it can still manage to do the century sprint in 10 seconds. Yes, it’s still narrowly faster, but in terms of refinement, the Civic still leads the way.

The Civic’s helm feels properly weighted - not as meaty as the BMW 3 Series’, but close enough. It has pin-point accuracy, and on-road dynamics wise, is simply superb stuff. You can just chuck it hard into a corner or enter the turn without much brake - and the Civic will gladly do so with almost zero drama, and minimal body-roll. Out on the expressway, the Civic’s commendable refinement level once again has to be highlighted - the cabin is well insulated against wind and road noise.

But there is still no escaping from the tyre roar. Surprisingly, the 205/55 R-16 Bridgestone rubbers doesn’t seem to enjoy being pushed, and ultimately, underwhelms the Civic’s handling prowess. As you can see, the tyre seems to be an issue for the Civic – it doesn’t compliment the chassis, is noisy and squeals easily. If you’re driving a Civic currently and face the same situation, do consider a tyre upgrade.

Braking power is just perfect in the case of the Civic, and the centre pedal doesn’t need to be stomped hard just to get it working. In case the inevitable ever happens, rest assure that ABS and EBD is standard issue.

It’s hard to fault a car such as this Civic here.

However, if you’re the anal sort, well, maybe the minimal changes done just so it can be considered an “updated” version is quite a disappointment. But then again, the Civic here is a proven formula that just sells itself, so with or without the “update”, doesn’t really matter to the average buyer.

After all, as long as it offers premium feel without the premium price tag, it will sell like hotcakes. Especially if it's a Honda.

(This article taken from : http://www.oneshift.com/articles/article.php?pageid=1&view=1&type=&artid=401)