STRESS-FREE ZONE

The new Honda Civic will appeal to buyers who don’t want to haggle on price

IT’S A VERY DIFFERENT CAR NOW

Eleven generations and almost 50 years since the first Civic three-door hatchback, the 2022 model has morphed into a much larger fivedoor coupe that’s available as one model only, with a deluxe price tag of $47,200 drive away.

This suggests that Honda isn’t interested in selling very many, but it certainly intends to make a solid earn on each one. The previous model was priced in the mid-high $30K range.

NO HAGGLE, NO DEALS

Since July last year, Honda Australia, rather than its dealers, has set the price you pay for its cars. It advertises a “national drive away price” that includes all on-road costs, plus five years roadside assist.

You can now buy the Civic online at honda.com.au and simply nominate the dealer you would like to pick it up from, or book a test drive before you decide. Honda dealers are now agents, responsible only for delivering and servicing cars.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

This so-called “agency model” has its pros and cons for buyers. Many people detest the highpressure, hand to hand combat with salespeople that’s part of the traditional way of buying a new car. Fair enough, because it’s often a process of gouging the customer as brutally as possible. Honda claims instead a “simple, seamless and transparent” buying process and overwhelmingly positive feedback from its customers.

The downside? You can’t shop around and negotiate the lowest price. Honda dealers are not allowed to discount.

BIGGER, STRONGER, SAFER

The Civic runs an updated, carry-over 1.5-litre turbopetrol four-cylinder, matched with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive.

Standard equipment includes Bose sound, wireless phone charging and navigation with over the air updates. Eight airbags, plus essential driver-assist safety tech, are also included.

Civic is one of the largest cars in this class, with plenty of rear seat legroom and reasonable headroom despite the raked, coupe-style roofline.

BUT IS THE PRICE RIGHT?

The Civic is beautifully built and finished, inside and out. On the road, it has quite taut, sporty handling that makes it enjoyable to drive, without sacrificing ride comfort. Its Goodyear tyres are noisy, though and the adaptive cruise control needs work. In the test car, on a Melbourne-sydney return trip via the Hume, it sometimes applied the brakes in error, or too vigorously.

Now with a respectable 131kw of power and 240Nm of torque (from 1700rpm), the 1.5 is fine for day to day driving, with decent mid-range tractability and low fuel consumption on regular unleaded.

However the CVT transmission doesn’t respond quickly or decisively enough when you require serious acceleration. Paddle shifters allow you to circumvent this delay, while Sport mode features a more aggressive, responsive shift map, but a conventional automatic would be a more efficient, responsive partner with this engine.

The Mazda 6, Skoda Octavia and Toyota Camry Hybrid offer more car – especially under the bonnet – at comparable or lower prices than the Civic. And if you fancy a bit of argy bargy down in dealerland, you can haggle as hard as you like until the salesperson begs for mercy.