Honda Civic VTi-NL hatch 2013 Review

Put this down in part to the five-speed auto, down a cog on most in the category, and the fact the engine/auto combination can be a bit lazy. The transmission has a tendency to ‘slur’ up into the taller ratios as early as possible.

The upside to this was that the Civic’s fuel efficiency ranked up there in the top three – and the fitment of handy steering-wheel mounted paddles meant we always had the option of taking ‘manual’ control of the transmission should the need arise.

On the dynamic front, the Civic proved perfectly predictable, albeit with more body roll than the best of its rivals. Alas it suffered the same malaise as so many other cars here, namely steering that was accurate but too light in its weighting.

Coming into corners hard under brakes showed up a tendency for the Civic to shift a tad too much weight forwards, causing the rear end to lighten up, which in turn could cause a loss of balance.

This impression was backed up during emergency brake tests, where the Honda’s rear end stepped out noticeably on its way to a worst-in-class stopping performance.

A rubber seal between the front and rear door was a nice touch and the door action, though slightly heavy, was reassuringly confident. Despite the complex shapes, the Civic’s door jambs were well presented, which was also true of the large hatch jamb.

With lush carpeting and a well-placed light, the boot area was let down only by a lack of 12V outlet and an exposed latch. The hatch itself was also heavier to close than most on test.

The rear seats were harder to get in and out of due to a low-raked roof, though once inside accommodation was ‘acceptable’.

The Civic was comfortable and very well presented with the best-feeling upholstery on test. A shame that the oddment storage is below par and the alloy pedals are slippery when wet.

Easy to operate and with sensible ergonomics, the Civic’s futuristic interior is easier to live with than its appearance would suggest. Larger buttons and an easy-to-read instrument panel are also welcome when you’re busy at the wheel.

Despite the lack of an engine cover, the bay is well presented, regardless of the exposed plumbing and wiring.

The Civic matched the cabin quietness of the Subaru Impreza at 79dBA on our 80km/h coarse chip road surface.

It is the only vehicle on test to stray from the traditional 'binnacle' twin-dial instrument display. Instead it features a two-tiered ‘Star Trek-inspired’ instrument panel, with an analogue rev counter and a digital speedometer located high above it. Short of a true heads-up display, it is one of the easiest-road speed displays to read on the move.

The Civic gets a proximity key fob for keyless entry and push-button engine start, and Bluetooth pairing was a hassle-free affair.

Though automatic headlights are not offered on this model, rain-sensing wipers are standard (and work well), and like the Nissan Pulsar, the Honda hatch gets contemporary LED daytime running lights.

The six-speaker stereo is very impressive with excellent clarity, good bass, and strong volume.

Honda's stability control system was up there with the best of the bunch too, due to its swift but tempered intervention.

Available only with a five-speed automatic transmission, the Civic’s as-tested price of $25,490 made it the fourth-least expensive car in this group.

The Civic VTi-LN felt like good value, sitting stylishly on 17-inch alloys (with temporary spare wheel) and featuring driving lights, body-coloured mirrors and hidden rear door handles. Inside, keyless entry and go, a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and tactile gearshift paddles furthered this image.

Significantly, this image is altered when after-sales services are considered. Although Honda promotes the servicing of its cars ‘in-house’ there is currently no capped price service arrangement available. Also of note is the recommended service interval of six months/10,000km – well behind the best 12-month/15,000km intervals offered elsewhere.

Honda provides the standard three-year/100,000km warranty with further extension available. Roadside assist is also available, but at extra cost to the purchaser.

In addition to falling behind in after-sales value, the Civic VTi-LN’s requirement to run 95 RON premium unleaded petrol as a minimum is another potential red flag, adding approximately $4 per 50-litre fill over regular unleaded petrol.

Redbook indicates a median privately sold price of $16,350 for a MY10 Civic VTi-L, retaining 61 per cent of its new car price.

The entire cabin is driver-centric, with all things angled toward the steerer. As such, ergonomics and ease of navigation and touch are seamless. There’s a natural flow to the cabin – in complete contrast to something like the style of the Toyota Corolla.

The suspension is firm, but not harsh. On a four-passenger circuit, all passengers approved of the Civic’s ride comfort.

Second-row space, however, is a different story. It’s tight and head and legroom is poor. Rear headroom in the Civic in fact was noted as the worst on test.

There’s also very poor visibility for second-row passengers. Despite these downfalls, the seats were noted as being very comfortable.

The Civic’s cosy cabin is well insulated and minimal noise intrudes.

Boot space is good and 60:40 split-fold seats are standard.

As alluded to above, the Civic’s visibility is another casualty of design. Side and rearward visibility is severely obstructed by pillars and sloping rear panels.