Honda Civic

Overview

Sedans or Executive cars have always held a special place in the Philippine market and is pretty much the major sales driver for the country’s automotive industry. While most sales are attributed to the B-Segment or entry level sedans, C-segment luxury sedan is also a thriving market and enjoys a lot of sales. It is certainly due to this high demand that Honda Cars Philippines have presented the all-new 2016 Civic in the country. This is certainly a smart move by the Japanese automaker as they try to find the top spot in the luxury vehicle class instead of the much preferred entry-level segment. While this won’t help them increase their market share in a drastic manner it will surely help in creating a distinctive brand image among the buyers.
Coming to the vehicle, Civic has been one of the flagship Honda cars that have existed in the global market since the early 70’s and has pretty much stood the test of time. Although the earlier models were compact hatchbacks, but still remained pretty iconic for its limited run that lasted 3 generations. The model and styling for the vehicle underwent constant changes in the following years but the Civic as we know it today made its first appearance in 2005 when it was also offered in a hatchback option. The 2016 model made its debut at the auto show held in Los Angeles in September 2015 and has finally made its way in Philippine central. The launch also celebrates 25 years of Honda’s presence in the country and is also present in a turbocharged engine on the RS variant. The vehicle’s exteriors have undergone some recent additions and pretty much discards the 3-pillar design from the past models. Sporty and aggressive, the new sedan not only offers stunning looks but also packs a bucketload of power that makes it one of the most fun to luxury vehicles in its class.

Interior & Features

Being a C-segment offering by the manufacturers, there’s no reason why one shouldn’t expect all sorts of luxury features in the new Civic. The large external dimensions have provided ample amount of passenger space. The dash might remind you of the BR-V and HR-V but look in tandem with the sporty and modern exteriors. Even the base variant is loaded with comfort features that can rival any car in its class.

Interior Comfort

Interior comfort has been specially taken care of in the new Civic as even the entry-level model comes with features such as climate control, electronic parking brake, digital speedometer and instrument cluster and automatic headlights etc. Coming to the top end variants the list only seems to get bigger with features such as heated seats, Apple carplay, heated windshield, power sunroof along with the highly attractive multifunction steering wheel that provides the cockpit an essentially futuristic appearance. The remote engine start is yet another new fancy gimmick that manages to kick up the premium feel of the 2016 Civic. The RS trim includes leather upholstery, power adjustable seats and auto lock.

Interior Measurements

Being a sedan styled car, there would certainly be no lack of space in the new Civic. The rear boot can easily fit in 428 litres of cargo and can be increased by folding the rear seats. It offers 2769 litres of space for the passengers making it one of the most spacious sedans in its class.

Stereo and Accessories

Being a premium offering by Honda, the 2016 Civic comes with a highly interactive center console that is equipped with a 7-inch touch screen panel. It comes with support for various platforms such as Apple Carplay and Android along with Bluetooth and wireless connectivity with portable devices and phones.

Exterior

The new Civic’s exteriors are not only brand new but are completely unlike ever seen on this particular model. The designers at Honda have pretty much scrapped the older 3-box approach and have taken a more fastback sorta approach. This not only enhances the vehicle’s luxury quotient and premiumness up by several notches but makes it far more appealing than its predecessors. Although its dimensions appear much buffed than the older models, the use of lightweight materials has allowed the designers to shed approximately 30 kilograms of weight. The front looks extremely sporty with the neatly carved fenders and a muscular hood. The vehicle’s headlamps also look stunning with the new positioning of the LED clusters. The rear has been equipped with great looking C-shaped taillights and tapered windows that complement the fastback design. The 5-spoke alloys also look non-standard and make the vehicle appear more appealing to onlookers.

Exterior Measurements

Like already mentioned, the latest Civic has far larger dimensions than the outgoing model but has managed to keep the car weight in check by using lightweight materials. The new model has an overall length of 4631 mm and stands 1416 mm high from the ground. The long wheelbase of 2700 mm provides a stable drive and considerable degree of driving control. The 125 mm ground clearance is also great and can easily withstand bumpy roads.

Wheels

Alloy wheels come as standard on both variants offered in the Philippine market. The 1.8 E is provided with 16-inch aluminum alloys, while the RS variant is provided with 17-inch wheels with an aero design that differentiates it from the base model. All variants are equipped with P215/55 R16 and R17 all-season tires depending on the chosen option.

Mileage Running Cost

When buying a C-Segment sedan, fuel economy should be the least of your concerns as these vehicles are known for their driving comfort and luxury. In the similar vein, the 2016 Civic also provides a seemingly satisfactory fuel economy between 7-9 kmpl in various traffic conditions. While there is a slight difference between the figures for the stick shift and CVT variants, the difference is more based on the stick shift’s better mileage on highways.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Power

The vehicle’s drivetrain has already been a subject of much speculation as it was already announced that the 2016 model will come with a turbocharged engine. The 10th generation model has been provided with a choice of two engines, a 1.8-litre, and a 1.5-litre mill. It would be easy to think that the heavier engine will be featured on the higher trim, but this is where the new Civic differs from conventional cars. The 1.8-litre mill is present on the starting model, which delivers a maximum power of 140 hp at 6500 rpm and a peak torque of 174 Nm at 4200 rpm. But the powertrain that has kept the Honda fans up is the 1.5-litre equipped RS variant that is also provided with a turbocharger to produce an astonishing 174 hp at 5500 rpm with 162 Nm of torque at 1800-5500 rpm. Both 5-speed manual stick shift and Automatic Continuously Variable transmission are offered on the 1.5-litre mill, while the 1.8 E is only supplied with a manual gearbox.

Acceleration & Pickup

The latest turbocharged Civic has been described as the fastest C-segment car in the market and can easily outrun most of its competitors with ease. The continuously variable transmission makes the drive extremely comfortable and fun. While there have been no official specs for the 2016 Civic’s top speed, the 1.5-litre turbo engine is capable of pushing the car from 0-100 kmph in an impressive 6.8 seconds.

Braking & Safety

The vehicle’s active safety is as effective as the various comfort features present in the car. The latest generation Civic comes with a 4-wheel ABS that works amazingly along with the ventilated discs present on all 4 wheels.

There is no luxury without safety and the same has been exemplified in the latest Civic. The list of safety features includes Brake assist, EBD, Collision Mitigation, Hill-Assist, Collision warning, lane departure warning and stability control etc. Other safety features include 3-point ELR seatbelts, ACE body structure, Child locks on rear doors, dual SRS airbags, curtain airbags, Honda emergency response system, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.