Honda Civic VTi-L 2013 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $26,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Metallic Paint $525
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 6.7
CO2 emissions (g/km): 158
Also consider: Ford Focus (from $20,290 - $38,290); Holden Cruze (from $21,490 - $31,790); Hyundai Elantra (from $20,590 - $28,990); Mazda Mazda3 (from $20,330 - $39,490)

The new Honda Civic Series II sedan represents a turnaround of sorts for Honda, because it's a good thing. For the past few years Honda has struggled to capture the imagination of the new car buying public with a relatively staid vehicle line-up, but the Honda Civic sedan is a surprisingly tidy small car.

On test is the Honda Civic VTi-LN, where the N stands for navigation. For $26,990 you get a decent amount of kit. A five-speed automatic gearbox is standard issue, and coupled with a typically flexibly (if rev hungry) Honda four-cylinder engine, the car motivates well.

Power and torque is not dazzling (104kW/174Nm) but the gearing is short enough to deliver plenty of squirt from stand still and at the other end of spectrum the car can be driven very frugally, particularly if you hit the 'ECON' button with softens throttle response and reduces the air-conditioning's power drain.

Fuel economy is rated at 6.7L/100km which would make this vehicle one of the most efficient autos in its class. On test, we achieved high sevens, 7.9L/100km to be exact, but that's still a decent figure considering the heavy traffic in which it was driven.

Like its bigger brother, the Accord Euro (which we've had on long-term evaluation for the past six-months) ergonomics in the Civic's cabin are great. This is an area that Honda does brilliantly, and everything from the seating position to the control positioning is well thought out. Almost every button, dial and switch is well labelled, large, and easy to reach, and the steering wheel controls are the epitome of intuitive.

Simply put, everything works. Getting in and driving the car is a doddle, and though it neither fast not particularly agile, at its core it's a polished mode of transport. The engine is refined, the transmission effects smooth changes and the car has a supple ride, all of which make for a pleasant driving experience.

I really like the two-tier instrument panel too, with the analogue tachometer mounted low in the ordinary position, and the digital speedometer mounted high, which makes flicking a glance at it slightly quicker than usual. It updates relatively quickly for a digital speedo too, something that can't be said for older Japanese systems.

Evidence that Thai manufacturing is coming of age, the car has a solid, quality feel in several respects, from the way the doors shut cleanly to sturdiness of the stereo rotator dials. There were no squeaks or rattles to speak of, even when grinding over speed bumps, but it should be noted I only tested this model for a week, not six months.

Apart from general refinement and quality engineering feel, the Civic's other strong suit is it interior space. The cabin is deceptively roomy with excellent space for front passengers and above average rear seat room. Having recently swapped in and out of the Accord Euro I was impressed by how close the Civic comes to both boot space and rear seat leg room.

The era of small cars tailored for singles and retirees is well and truly over -- this is a genuine family car. I had the baby seat in the back, the pram in the boot with space to spare.

If there's anything to complain about here, it would be that the car is a little boring in some respects, particularly dynamically; even though the engine does have a playful, revvy character.

Honda has equipped the Civic VTi-LN as standard with cruise control, rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlights, all of which allow you to focus on steering the car. As well, little extras such as Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, USB and iPod connectivity make life a little easier while on the move.

This Civic also gets a reversing camera, keyless entry and engine start, in addition to 16-inch alloy wheels and front fog lights, not to mention satellite navigation. The sat nav is best-described as middle-of-the-road. It works well, has a good quality colour touch-screen and is easy to program trip data. A shame then the map graphics look a little dated compared to some rivals’ factory-fitted nav systems.

There's a lot to like about the Honda Civic and it's easy to recommend, a five-star ANCAP safety rating among its drawcards. But the car's toughest challenge will be competing in a marketplace populated by similarly well-equipped sedans, such as the Hyundai Elantra, Mazda Mazda3, Ford Focus and upcoming Nissan Pulsar.

Nevertheless, the Honda Civic is the 'Mr Smooth' of the current crop of small cars, and if you're after something a little more refined, more considered and efficient, the Civic would be a good place to start looking.

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