Honda Civic VTi-L Sedan 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $20,990
Options fitted (not included in above price): Automatic transmission $2300, Metallic paint $475
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 6.8
CO2 emissions (g/km): 161
Also consider: Ford Focus, Holden Cruze, Mazda Mazda3, Subaru Impreza

The new, ninth-generation Civic should be a mighty shot in the arm for Honda.

With a lacklustre 2011 behind it, and production from natural disaster damaged plants in Japan and Thailand beginning to come back on line, the company is in revival mode right now. Numerous revised models are in showrooms and some significant new ones are on the way – including, towards the end of the year, the new CR-V and the hatch version of the just-launched Civic sedan.

The thought is if models such as the Accord Euro, Jazz and Odyssey can continue with the rising trends indicated in early 2012 sales, then the all-new Civic should be able to replicate these performances by returning to its rightful position in the Honda sales hierarchy. In previous-generation run-out mode, Civics were moving out the door at a mere trickle that did not reflect the small sedan’s true importance.

If there’s anything slightly disappointing about the Civic, it’s that it follows a conservative styling path that, while it is sure not to offend traditional Honda buyers, may have some trouble attracting new ones faced with the at times almost-garish array of small-car competition from Europe, Japan and South Korea.

But the style of the new Civic grows on you. After initially being underwhelmed by its conservative looks, the Honda’s shape and proportions are appreciated. It doesn’t have the rakish, knife-edged look of an Accord Euro, or the concept car appearance of the new CR-Z hybrid, but there’s a pleasant balance to it that will probably stand the test of time. Maybe it will look good – as did the outgoing eighth-generation model – a few years down the track when some of the current, swoopy crop of small cars begins to look even more contrived than they already are.

Critics of the new Civic say it looks a bit too close for comfort to the previous model, and that may be partly true, although when you take a closer look the differences become readily apparent. A little more of a mobile wedge than its predecessor, the Civic still avoids the ungainly, high-rumped look of some of its contemporaries.

But, as always with car styling, time and customer preferences will be the deciding factors.

A surprise with the Civic is that it is shorter overall and runs a shorter wheelbase than the model it supersedes, yet offers improvements in both passenger and boot space. Overall length is down by only 10mm, but the wheelbase has been chopped from 2700mm -- particularly generous for a small car -- to a shorter but still generous 2670mm. Although Honda says the new model weighs a bit more, our figures tell us the automatic VTi-L, at a quoted 1230kg, actually weighs 10kg less than the previous version.

Push all that aside and the new Civic does everything a brand-new model should: It is roomier, more powerful (a bit anyway), more refined, yet more economical and more environmentally friendly.

Apart from the hybrid Civic, the engine lineup remains as before, with 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre engines on offer, both reworked to do a better job. The single-cam 1.8-litre engine winds out to a very creditable 104kW (one kilowatt more than previously) at a lofty 6500rpm, along with 174Nm of torque at an also-lofty 4300rpm. The longer-stroke 2.0-litre engine used in the Civic Sport develops 114kW and 190Nm of torque at the same respective engine speeds.

Importantly, the new engines are much more efficient, the 1.8 auto more so than the manual -- in both fuel economy and emissions.

The 1.8-litre variant as tested here claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.7L/100km in auto form (6.8L/100km for the manual) compared with 7.2L/100km for the previous auto, while the CO2 figure drops from 171g/km to 158g/km (161g/km for the manual).

Our test car was a five-speed automatic transmission entry-level VTi-L model Honda has fitted it out in a way that barely reflects its ultra-competitive pricing.

Stack up its climate-control system, trip computer, power windows, leather-wrapped steering wheel, alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, shift paddles, steering wheel controls for audio, phone and cruise control against the competition and you’ll find the VTi-L is far from left wanting, especially at a pre on-roads price of a tad over $20,000.

And it’s not as if Honda is reliant on the equipment list to make an impression. Inside, the VTi-L is all class, with the traditional space-age two-tier instrument panel and a well-chosen display of trims and materials -- including damped grab handles -- that speak of little else but quality.

Much of the door trim is soft-touch, importantly on the door armrests, while the dash itself is a mix of solid-touch materials presented in a way that is consistent with the quality elsewhere in the cabin.

The centre console reveals no less than three separate storage areas (under the centre armrest, in a sliding-top bin between the armrest and shift lever, and in an open cubby ahead of the shift lever), and the dash separates driver information into three separate areas: Above the steering wheel (digital speedo, trip computer), below the upper wheel rim (analogue LCD tacho) and towards dash centre (radio, climate control) where it is accessible to both driver and front-seat passenger.

The only real complaint here is that the relocated climate control switches are a bit small and require more attention than ideal. Honda would probably argue that the driver shouldn’t be trying to adjust the system while on the move anyway. In part compensation, the audio controls are big and easy to use.

And the Civic’s boot, while still not a class leader, has taken a massive jump from the previous model’s 376 litres to 440 litres -- all augmented by a 60:40 split-fold rear seat operated via levers mounted in the boot. The only deficit here is the hinge system which, though cleaned-up with plastic sleeves covering the hinge arms, is still intrusive on luggage.

In the cabin, passengers are given stretching space that challenges the best in segment (Honda claims it is actually the best), with very good rear seat kneeroom and more legroom than most drivers would need, on seats that prove comfortable on the long haul. The back seat even gets a fold-down centre armrest with drink holders, which is pretty good at this level. All-round visibility is excellent, particularly helped by the small MPV-style windows at the thin A-pillar.

For some, the Civic’s low-set seats could present a bit of a problem leaving and entering and, although overall noise levels are low, we did notice some rustling from the exterior mirrors at highway speeds.

The re-engineered single-cam 1.8-litre engine does a sterling job of propelling the Civic and, obviously given the revs at which power and torque are developed, doesn’t mind the odd excursion into the red zone. But – once again look at the characteristics – it needs a bit of prodding to give its best. It is far from lacklustre though, helped along in our case by the efficient and smooth-shifting five-speed auto. The lack of shift lever manual controls was a bit of a pity but the steering wheel paddles were always there for those who like that sort of thing.

It was a little difficult to quantify the effects of the fuel-saving elements in the new Civic, including the ECO button that activates a whole series of internal procedures including engine management and transmission characteristics to swing the pendulum away from performance to economy -- and visual aids reminding the driver how efficiently the car is being operated.

Combine this with a sturdy suspension that doesn’t mind carrying a bit of passenger load and well-weighted, reasonably quick “Motion Adaptive” electrically-assisted steering (with 3.2 turns from lock-to-lock) to help deliver a good, planted feel on the road. The Civic retains a sense of balance and competence consistent with its image as a small car that raises itself above most of the rest. It is among the top contenders in its class. The Civic’s brakes could maybe have felt a bit more reassuring but, at the same time, they always did their job effectively.

In all, Honda has done a great job of giving the Civic new relevance in its category. The exterior styling may be conservative, but the interior is as funky and well-equipped as you are likely to find. Passenger space is excellent, there’s a decent boot and the handling dynamics are right up there among the best in class. And with an entry price a whisker over $20,000 there’s very little not to like.

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