Honda Civic Hybrid 2012 Review

Honda Civic VTi-L and Hybrid

What we liked
>> Improved looks
>> Frugal to own and operate
>> Retention of Civic interior design

Performance is adequate, even in the case of the 1.3-litre Civic Hybrid or the Civic VTi-L powered by the smaller 1.8-litre engine coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. Yet fuel economy is better than just acceptable, by small-car standards, and Honda continues to be known for producing reliable, well engineered cars.

So the ninth-generation Civic is not some hyper-taut tarmac-tearing projectile. Nor does it represent a significant shift in design criteria from what worked in the past for Honda. The new Civic is evolutionary, not revolutionary. And Honda's latest small car has evolved along the same path taken by other cars new to the small car market. Fuel economy and safety have both been placed under the microscope for upgrading in the latest model, which is released in Australia in time for the 40th anniversary of the Civic nameplate.

Both the VTi-L variants are powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder, whereas the Civic Sport, priced at $27,990 comes with a 2.0-litre engine and five-speed automatic as standard. At $35,990, the 1.3-litre Civic Hybrid is the ostensible flagship of the range. Up against other hybrid-drive small cars, the Civic's price looks a little steep; see COMPETITORS below for more information.

Standard comfort and convenience features for the whole range include: climate control, cruise control, manual height adjustment for the driver's seat, intelligent multi-information display (I-MID), electric windows/mirrors, tilt/telescopic adjustment for steering column, leather-bound steering wheel, MP3-compatible CD audio system, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

The Civic VTi-L also features: 16-inch alloy wheels, variable-dwell intermittent wipers, 60:40 split-folding rear seat and cloth trim in grey. In contrast, the Civic Sport comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, auto-on/off headlights, rain-sensing wipers and leather seat trim. Largely equipped as for the Civic Sport, the Hybrid rides on 15-inch alloys and does away with leather for 'Stone' cloth trim. The 60:40 split-folding rear seat of the conventional variant is ditched in favour of a fixed seat. The only option is metallic paint, $475.

As noted already, a revised version of the 1.8-litre SOHC four-cylinder is located in the engine bay of the Civic VTi-L. Peak power has risen 1kW to 104kW, offset by 174Nm. According to Honda, fuel efficiency is improved across the board — by as much as 4.3 per cent in the case of the Civic Hybrid — with the manual VTi-L using just 6.8L/100km in combined-cycle testing and emitting 161g/km. Fuel consumption with the automatic transmission is better still, 6.7L/100km and CO2 emissions of 158g/km.

The 2.0-litre engine in the Civic Sport develops 114kW and 190Nm for combined-cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of 7.5L/100km and 178g/km, respectively. Only one transmission is offered with this package, the five-speed automatic that is optional for the VTi-L. Upgraded from 1.3 to 1.5 litres, the petrol engine in the Civic Hybrid produces 67kW and 132Nm. In combination with the electric motor, which peaks at 17.2kW and 106Nm, power and torque respectively amount to 82kW and 172Nm. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is 4.4L/100km and CO2 emissions measure 104g/km. The drive for the Civic Hybrid is taken to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Honda has introduced an electrically-assisted steering system, which can aid the driver during what the company calls 'split-mu' braking, as well as understeer or oversteer situations. The steering prompts the driver to turn the wheel in the correct direction if the on-board safety systems detect a dangerous situation developing. As with other EPS systems, the Honda system also reduces fuel use.

MacPherson struts at the front are complemented by ventilated discs. At the rear the Civic rides on a multi-link independent system and the braking is handled by either solid discs for the VTi-L and Sport, or drums in the case of the Civic Hybrid.

Kerb weights range from 1205kg for the manual Civic VTi-L to 1285kg for the Hybrid. In length, all three variants measure 4540mm and in width, 1755mm.

Honda has kept many of the older car's useful design traits in the new model. A lot of people don't like the two-tier instrument layout in the earlier model — and we're tipping they won't warm to it in the new car either — but this writer does like it and finds it easy to use and informative.

While the Civic sedan, old or new, is not a vehicle you would call a true driver's car, the driving position is really well set up. As mentioned, there's always a clear view of the instruments, the controls fall easily to hand, and Honda's new I-MID infotainment system is intuitively simple, with a bit of trial and error. Put to the test, the writer was quickly able to call up a screen that provided average fuel consumption for the trip and distance travelled for the route instructions, both on the same screen simultaneously.

Doors close softly without any great need for muscle and the lid of the 440-litre boot (VTi-L, Sport) is similarly easy to lift or close. The boot of the Civic Hybrid only measures 351 litres and the rear seat is fixed in place. There's not the same flexibility of packaging in the Hybrid due to the lithium-ion battery placement.

Honda calls the Civic's crash-absorbing structure ACE (Advanced Compatibility Engineering). Like many other modern cars, the structure diverts impact energy through load paths to keep the cabin close to intact. Honda claims also that the structure can reduce the risk of 'under-ride' or 'over-ride' impacts with vehicles of different dimensions.

COMPETITORS

Toyota's Corolla is getting long in the tooth and, for auto buyers, provides only four speeds from its slushbox option. Subaru's Impreza has just been released in a new generation model, but the Subie seems to be more expensive than the Honda, spec for spec, with performance that's even more relaxed than the Civic's. It's one for Subaru fans, perhaps...

Holden builds its Cruze sedan here now, but it was previously built in South Korea. As an alternative to the Civic, we're in two minds. The 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine is a lot more refined than the 1.8-litre atmo four in the Civic VTi-L, and the Cruze is solid and seemingly dependable, as well as being in the right ballpark for price. But the Civic is more attractive and just a little livelier in performance.

Of the European entries in the segment, the Ford Focus is quieter and more composed, with stronger performance from its 2.0-litre engine. The turbodiesel-powered Focus Trend undercuts the Civic Hybrid by thousands of dollars, but uses markedly more fuel. Other Euros include the Peugeot 308, Renault Fluence and the Volkswagen Golf. Of all the names mentioned, the Golf is the car we consider represents the strongest threat to the Civic. It's well proven, almost as reputable, more refined and practically as safe. On top of all that, it's just more enjoyable to drive.

ON THE ROAD

The lasting impression gained from the back-to-back comparison was that the current car had stood the test of time quite well. By no means is the new Civic a major leap forward. That's the problem with developing a car that is a hard act to follow, even five or six years down the track.

The drive program for the event wasn't a demanding test of the new car's abilities. It was mostly a leisurely drive in the country, other than the relatively brief stretch along the Arthurs Seat Tourist Road, which told us little about the car's torque and straightline performance, since the run was downhill.

The entry-level Civic VTi-L, was fun to drive from Arthurs Seat to Dromana. MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link IRS system performed without vice and the car negotiated the hairpins in a flat stance and with reasonable grip for a base model. It was the electrically-assisted steering that let the Civic down. In respect of feedback through the wheel the new Civic represents something of a backwards step. It's overly assisted and lacks the feel of the earlier car's hydraulic system. Where have we read that before…?

Equipped with automatic transmission, the VTi-L came with shift paddles that were easily located, even with some steering lock applied, but the actual response to downshifting was a long time coming.

Throughout the rest of the drive program, the Civic, either the VTi-L or the Hybrid, rode well for a small car, but as in the older Civic, tyre noise was noticeable above all else. The difference between the two cars was this: The new model was being assessed on coarse-chip country roads leading to the Mornington Peninsula, rather than the smooth bitumen of Melbourne's arterial roads and suburban streets.

Also pertaining to NVH, the 1.8-litre engine powering the VTi-L variant proved moderately loud once it was operating in the upper rev range — not that many Civic drivers will run the engine that hard. While it's fairly free of vibration, it remains less refined than petrol engines in the Volkswagen Golf, for instance. The Golf is an obvious marketplace rival for the Civic and the NVH of the VW engines is admittedly damped down by turbocharging. Nevertheless, the Civic's 1.8 is not an engine that invites full bore running up to redline, yet it does need to be revved a little for added performance. If the driver's not in a hurry to get somewhere the engine is much more in its element and combines well with the five-speed automatic for fuss-free driving.

On the winding country roads and suburban arterial roads and freeways encountered on the drive program, the trip computer reported fuel consumption of 7.6L/100km for the VTi-L and 4.7L/100km for the Hybrid. The two figures prompted us to wonder whether the $15,000 difference in purchase price between the base Civic and the Hybrid can be entirely justified. And while the Hybrid's fuel consumption figure itself is not the issue, the closeness of its purchase price to that of the Toyota Prius is — the Prius is $1000 cheaper in basic form. If eco credentials count for much, the Prius is simply the better buy.

From our experience here at motoring.com.au, the Prius can better the Civic's 4.7L/100km, and while commuting in heavy suburban traffic too. That said, if you can squeeze a Honda salesperson on price, the Civic Hybrid is nicer inside than the Prius. Trim materials are softer and easier on the eye, interior design is more orderly and the Honda delivers adult-proportioned rear-seat accommodation like the Prius.

Plus, it comes with lithium-ion battery technology, unlike the Prius, which retains Nickel-Metal Hydride battery technology. In practice, the Prius will run in EV mode for 2km, and it can launch from standstill with only the electric motor providing the drive. The Civic too, will run in electric-only mode, but only during low-speed cruising; the rest of the time the electric motor is there to supplement the petrol engine's output or recharge the battery.

Unfortunately, we can't bring you an assessment of the mid-range Civic Sport, in spite of Honda's best efforts, because some greedy journalists snaffled them up rather than condescend to drive home in the cheaper and lower-powered Civic VTi-L or the Hybrid — Mongrels!

Still, Honda reckons that only 25 per cent of Civic sales will be the Sport grade models anyway. Five per cent will be Hybrids and the remaining 75 per cent will be the base-grade models (and probably most of those will come from the factory with automatic boxes). So the Civic VTi-L we drove will certainly be the volume seller in the range.

And that's as it should be. The Civic VTi-L represents pretty good value for the price. It's a more attractive car than its predecessor too, although the styling may date quickly. And while Honda has chosen an evolutionary design path for the new car, the effort has been worthwhile.

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