NEW CIVIC RECLAIMS FUN DRIVING ROOTS
Honda promised a revolution with its 10th-gen compact and it delivers, with nimble handling, richer cabin
The outgoing Honda Civic, introduced in 2012 and reworked in 2013, is being reinvented yet again. This time, it is a complete makeover that touches everything between the bumpers. As such, the 10th-generation sedan should serve to maintain the status quo and keep the Civic as Canada’s favourite car, as it has been for 17 years.
Stylistically, the new Civic adopts a much sharper look, with detail in its curves. The face is bold with available LED headlights, the side profile is sleek, the tail is taut and it, too, gets LED lighting. Now if only the colour palette were as expressive — two whites, a couple of silvers, burgundy, black and a new blue are your options.
The Civic is both larger and stronger than the outgoing model. It is 75 millimetres longer, 126 mm wider and now rides on a 2,700-mm wheelbase. The platform is also 25 per cent stiffer, in spite of the car being 31 kilograms lighter and larger overall.
The Civic’s interior is much improved. The new look — primarily digital — is much easier to comprehend. It also adds an aura of richness to the soft-touch-lined cabin.
The driver’s lot is also better. Sitting proudly atop the centre stack is a seven-inch screen for audio and climate functions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been integrated in a remarkably friendly manner. Both platforms bring the smartphone into the car and blend two divergent technologies into one, which gives easy access to anything your phone can do, apps and all.
Honda adds amenities with each step up the Civic ladder. The $15,990 DX is pretty basic; it skips air conditioning but it does get a rear-view camera. For $18,890, the LX adds the seven-inch screen and all the gizmos, along with air, heated front seats, cruise control and 60/40-split folding rear seat. The EX ($22,590) adds dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, smart key access with push-button start and Honda’s clever LaneWatch camera, which puts the view of the right side of the car on the seven-inch screen.
Meanwhile, the EX-L ($24,990) brings a new engine, fog lights and 17-inch wheels, along with the Honda Sensing suite of safety features. The package adds active safety gadgets, including a lanekeep assist system, which steers the car to keep it in the lane. The top-level $26,990 Touring brings everything, including wireless phone charging, LED headlights, GPS navigation, power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats and a sweet-sounding 450-watt audio system.
The 2016 Civic’s powertrains have been completely revised. There is a new 2.0-litre engine — replacing the outgoing 1.8-L four-cylinder — delivering 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. It’s available with a six-speed manual or optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With the latter, this combination took, according to my hand-held stopwatch, 9.9 seconds to run from rest to 100 km/h. The claimed fuel economy is 7.8 L/100 km in the city and 5.8 on the highway, not bad from either perspective.
Even better, however, is the rollout of a new 1.5-L turbocharged four, which makes a much more rewarding 174 hp and, more importantly, 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,800 rpm. Off the line, the turbocharged Civic pulls strongly, with little in the way of turbo lag. Once moving, it piles on the speed with spirit, running from rest to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. This work ethic brings a surprisingly sporty feel to a fourdoor compact sedan. If there is a nit to pick, a buyer must move far up the trim-level ladder to get this sweet mill.
The new turbo engine is married to a CVT sourced from the Accord to handle the low-end torque. Normally, I would rant about the vagaries of this type of transmission, but I came away pleasantly surprised. Yes, it does drone a little when flat-out acceleration is called upon, but it was civilized and workable. The lack of a manual mode or paddle shifters was disappointing, but it does bring stellar economy: 7.6 L/100 km in the city and 5.5 on the highway — all while being two seconds faster than the 2.0-L engine. It also sips regular gas.
And there’s a better base of operations for the new suspension. The front struts now work with a multi-link rear suspension, a vastly improved steering setup and better brakes. The lot came together with a precision that is rare in a sub-$30K car. There is, however, a noticeable difference between the EX and Touring models I drove. The EX tends to favour the ride side, although it still handles admirably. The Touring felt crisper and delivered better feedback. For me, an LX with the turbocharged engine and the Touring’s suspension would be perfect.
Unlike the previous Civic, which was pure evolution, the 10th-generation car raises the bar in all key areas. It has more space, a richer cabin, sophisticated technologies and a better powertrain lineup. Throw in nimble handling and you have a very entertaining ride. Down the road, coupe and five-door models will be added, along with Si and Type R versions. The Civic is finally poised to return to its funto-drive roots.