New Honda Civic

It's damn hard. Almost impossible. It is so hard that no one manages to do so. But Honda had no choice. They had to replace a famous car, that was still well ahead of time, with a new version, in order to carry on the fame and glory. And when we say that "they had no choice", we do not mean the expiry of a product in the warehouse, because it is not the case, but to replace the models after a few years old.

The New Honda Civic, the ninth generation is no worse than its predecessor, following the tradition of the brand. And as we are talking about a samurai house, the values accumulated in the past remained priorities.

Exterior Design

Another interpretation of the previous design, which has already begun to stir endless controversy. Because we are not artists, we refrain from abstract comments, but I'm not embarrassed to explain the back design, which has undergone major changes.

Well, the explanation lies in aerodynamics. Former F1 team engineers were involved in this project from start to finish, and the work studies were the ones that indicated that 70% of the aerodynamic efficiency of a car is given by the back side of the car.

So, before you start to criticize lights, remember that at Honda the shape is the result of function and not vice versa.

Interior Design

Spacious, quiet, restful. Driving is 100% dedicated to the driver, the controls are ergonomically designed and calculated to a millimeter. On good roads, outside sounds are almost non-existent, this contributes decisively to the comfort of the travel. The materials used are as good as the previous model, and the trunk volume is from another universe.

Thank to the fuel tank mounted under the front seats, the trunk volume starts of 477 liters and ends to 1378 liters after folding the rear seat. Rear doors open wide, the rear seats rises vertically, and the washing machine that you've just bought will feel confortable on its way home.

Driving

There are three engines available at the realease date (March 2012): 2.2 i-DTEC (150HP), 1.8 i-VTEC (142HP) and 1.4 i-VTEC (100HP). In the autumn of 2012 is expected to join the long awaited 1.6 i-DTEC, but until then we have to expect.

Body was been further strengthened and the rear suspension received special attention. The torsion back bars wall is now 4 mm (the previous version had only 3 and 3.5 in the Type R!), and this feels right. In addition, the rear suspension bushings are fluid core, which dramatically improves the car behavior.

The Electrical Department is the best in the auto industry, offering a real and quickly feedback. The secret consists not in the assist and electronic control, but in the front wheels geometry. In addition, the electronic assistance is minimized when driving straight, leaving the driver's pleasure of a "natural" ride.

Performances and Prices

We don not have prices yet, but we know a little about the performance. 2.2 i-DTEC diesel engine, our favorite, has a consumption of only 5l/100 km outside town, while the 1.8 i-VTEC needs 7l/100km. In town, we recommend the automatic gearbox, but unfortunately this is only available for version 1.8 i-VTEC.

Verdict

The New Honda Civic is no worse than his father, and for that we put the hand in fire. Even though the exterior has suffered a lot of changes, the car keeps the original pedigree, keeping the previously confirmed values and improving all complained received aspects.