Honda puts pizzazz back in Civic,
2016 version arrives longer, lower with a turbocharged engine
Ever
LOS ANGELES since Honda’s Civic became a favorite of tuners and performance enthusiasts in the 1990s, the brand has yearned to make the compact a cult favorite again. Now, Honda thinks it may have done it.
The new 2016 Honda Civic, which went on sale in November, is longer, wider, lower and feels racier. It has a lengthened hood, which denotes power, and a swept-back rear, which has become a more popular trend in larger cars but not so much in smaller ones.
Looking good wasn’t enough. Honda Civic now has an optional 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that develops 174 horsepower while getting about the same fuel economy as the larger, but less powerful, 2-liter 4-cylinder engine. The suspension feels a little harsher and race-oriented as well, with Honda boasting that the Civic has almost 75% of its body structure now made from high-strength or ultra-high strength steel. Less weight to lug around cars can mean an easier time accelerating quickly.
That’s great, especially if you’re a performance enthusiast. If you’re not, we fear the the Civic may feel a little uncomfortable for some.
Honda says it paid a lot of attention trying to make Civic quieter, including better glass and triple-sealed doors to keep the noise down. But we found there was still quite a bit of engine racket. If you want a truly hushed car, look to the midsize contenders.
Civic is among the compacts often bought by office workers, retirees and others who need drama-free, dependable and frugal transportation. They don’t care much for pizzazz, but if a car de- livers some, well, great. Credit goes to Honda for trying to add the pizzazz.
Civic needed some added appeal. It is, after all, a major player in the compact car segment and the archrival of Toyota’s more sedentary Corolla. Civic, which typically places in the list of the Top 10 best-selling cars, fell just short of Corolla last year at dealers’ lots. Honda sold 335,384 Civics to Toyota’s tally of 363,332 Corollas, Autodata reports.
The Honda was a competent driver. The larger engine has enough pep, though it’s no speedster. (Honda is sure to follow this basic Civic with hotter performance versions.) Honda’s newfound affection for the continuously variable transmission, which saves gas compared to a standard automatic transmission, is well placed. We detected no hesitation in the transmission during acceleration.
Compacts haven’t traditionally been comfortable for families, but with the addition of 3.2 cubic feet of cabin space due to the larger dimensions, this made for a nice day of driving with three adults. With Honda now having the Fit at the bottom of its sedan lineup, Civic could grow a smidge.
The interior materials feel like high quality, and the dashboard design was particularly appealing. But Honda insists on touch controls for its audio systems, instead of dials. That can lead to a lot of fumbling when it comes to simple tasks like trying to set volume or click through radio stations. Yes, it makes for a clean appearance (and drivers can use steeringwheel controls), but it comes at the expense of convenience.
What was appreciated was Honda’s suite of safety features, including the lane keeping assist, which gives a gentle reminder if the driver drifts out of the lane. And we’re still impressed by the Lane Watch feature, in which a video view from the outside right-hand mirror appears in the center screen when signaling a right-hand turn.
It’s a nice finishing touch to an overall well-done new version of a popular model.