Honda Civic Sport 2006 Review

7-day Test

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Honda's little Civic was up there with the leaders in the small car market. The solid, well-built hatch was an economical option that delivered decent driving dynamics for a small city runabout.

But slowly the competition caught up and the rivals on offer expanded dramatically. While the Civic was still a very competent car in most areas, it struggled to find its true identity among the plethora of small cars on the Australian market.

Now in its eighth generation (read CarPoint’s launch review here), it is sold here as a sedan only and price-wise sits in the premium sector of the market. Although you can still get into the base 1.8 model for $21,000, the model we tested here, the Sport automatic has a recommended retail sticker of $32,000. To put it into perspective, that's about what you would pay for a base model V6 Toyota Camry and about $4000 more than Mitsubishi's new 380.

But as petrol prices continue to climb, many people are opting to downsize in favour of smaller cars with smaller engines, and that adds to the Civic’s appeal today. If you don't need or want a big car with big fuel bills, there are plenty of alternatives.

While some of the more recent incarnations of the small Honda have tended to blend into the automotive landscape, this new model reflects Honda's renewed focus on design with sharper lines and a more sporting profile. It is both longer and wider than its predecessor but marginally lower and sits on a longer wheelbase. It is still relatively conservative from the outside but step inside and the layout of the dash is fresh and innovative.

Sitting in front of the three-spoke steering wheel (itself somewhat of a design statement) the dash is split into two tiers with an upper digital display for the speedo, fuel and temperature set forwards towards the windscreen. Where the usual instrument cluster sits is a single circular analogue tacho, while to the left embedded in the sharply angled centre console are the automatic air conditioning controls and a six-stack CD audio system.

The leather-trimmed seats are comfortable and supportive with plenty of adjustments for the driver's seat and steering column. With the increased size (this Civic could almost make it into the medium segment) has come increased interior space and while the rear seat may not be expansive, there is plenty of head and legroom to accommodate a couple of adults over a decent journey.

The boot too is a good size, able to swallow 376 litres with the fuel tank having been relocated to under the front seats. The rear seat back splits 60/40 and folds to further increase luggage space should you need it.

As you would expect at the premium end of the segment, the fit and finish of the car is well up to scratch and once on the road, the ambience inside the cabin is hushed and refined. On coarser surfaces, however, a reasonable degree of tyre roar did become evident at highway speeds.

With 114kW and 188Nm, the Civic Sport's 2.0-litre engine feels easily up to the task for brisk acceleration off the line and it offers a wide stretch of torque. Like most Honda engines, it does like to rev and feels strongest over about 4000rpm but across the rev band it is smooth and eager.

The new five-speed automatic transmission is also delightfully smooth with barely perceptible shifts under moderate throttle and when you need the higher revs for some more urgent motivation, it is quick to kick down with a prod of the accelerator. If you want to do the shifting yourself, a pair of steering wheel paddles offers an equally impressive response.

We also spent a week in the five-speed manual version which offers slick shifts that encourage regular use to keep the engine on the boil. Honda quotes an official fuel consumption of 8.0lt/100km. Over a mix of city and country driving -- without any particular concern for fuel economy -- we returned an average of about 9.5lt/100km.

The front MacPherson strut and rear double wishbone suspension is on the firmer side but still offers plenty of compliance, soaking up most road irregularities with ease and making the Civic a very comfortable conveyance over most surfaces.

On the highway, it feels solid and stable but head off on a winding country road and there is perhaps a little more body roll through corners than you might expect given the firmness of the ride. It doesn't wallow about but you do find yourself leaning a little more than anticipated. That said, there is still plenty of grip from the 205/55 16-inch rubber and the handling remains predictable, if not as sharp as some of its competitors.

The steering, although reasonably direct, lacks a bit of feel.

In its past few generations, the Civic had become a rather bland, but still competent, small sedan. With this latest generation, Honda has sharpened it up in the areas that make a difference delivering an appealing alternative to both its direct rivals and larger four-doors.