Selwyn Times: January 29, 2020

38 Wednesday January 29 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
SELWYN TIMES
Honda Civic hatch has rich heritage
HONDA HAS one of the
motoring world’s most enduring
nameplates – Civic.
The cheeky three-door
hatchback that was introduced in
1972 has gone on to become one
of the most sophisticated models
in Honda’s line-up today.
Sure, there are other badges
which have gone the distance
as well, but the Civic has good
history and everyone I know who
has owned a Civic has always
been full of praise for its honesty,
reliability and economy.
I guess nothing has changed
now that we are into 2020, the
Civic RS that this evaluation
focuses on is a very refined
mainstream model. Of course,
the Civic has grown markedly in
stature, the hatchback and sedan
could well be deemed mid-size
models at over 4.6m, but they still
have the virtues that will lure the
faithful and newcomers into the
brand.
Essentially, there are five Civic
models, three sedans and two
hatchbacks, although this doesn’t
include the Type R; if you want
outright performance, that
228kW thriller is still the bee’s
knees in terms of hot hatchbacks.
This evaluation focuses on the
$39,990 RS Sensing sedan, which
gets Honda’s delightful 1.5-litre
turbocharged four-cylinder
engine. Bear in mind that you can
buy Civic SX ($32,990) without
turbocharged power, there are
1.8-litre naturally aspirated
driveline options.
That engine also develops good
power at 104kW and 174Nm.
However, the RS gets 127kW and
220Nm and, according to Honda,
both return healthy and close fuel
economy figures. The SX is rated
at 6.4-litres per 100km/h (44mpg)
on combined cycle average,
while the RS will make returns of
6.3l/100km (45mpg).
My son purchased some
gaming items off Trade Me and I
offered to take the evaluation car
south to Ashburton to pick them
up. On the long straight roads of
State Highway 1 the fuel usage
gauge was listing just 5l/100km
(56mpg) instantaneously at
the legal limit, the engine quite
relaxed working over at just
1600rpm.
That had a beneficial effect on
overall economy, when I took
the evaluation car back to the
dealership the in-cabin average
was showing 7l/100km (40mpg),
not too distant from Honda’s
claims.
While the engine is leaned out
HONDA CIVIC RS: Sporty, edgy styling.
towards fuel savings, that doesn’t
mean it is unwilling to perform,
quite the opposite in fact. It is
a free revving unit with strong
torque and positive accelerator
response, the turbo boost is
strong through the mid-range,
maximum torque arrives at just
1700rpm and is carried through
to 5500rpm; on the occasions
when I made use of the passing
lane, the Civic RS stormed
through an overtake with ease.
While there aren’t many corners
on that drive, there are a couple
of tricky ones off the main drag
which test chassis and suspension
control. I’m pleased to report
the Civic in this form has direct
corner turn-in and acceptable
handling balance. Body lean is
well contained, and the fourcorner
independent suspension
set-up is all quality in terms
of shock absorption without
jeopardising cabin comfort.
A lot of how the Civic handles
is a direct result of the Type R
performance programme, and
this has filtered down to a fine
ride comfort/handling balance,
along with providing strong
communication between the
road surface and steering wheel.
The sport specification 235/40
x 18in Michelin Pilot tyres also
play a part, they have a wide
road footprint and high grip
properties.
Not only does the Civic offer an
involving driving experience, it
also is finished to lure the buyer
with its bold looks and edgy
design. The test car was painted a
burnt orange and it captured a lot
of attention with its sporty appeal.
It also gets a lot of kit. Sure
there’s no satellite navigation, but
it does have plenty of goodies
which takes the model into the
value-for-money bracket.
The Civic RS also has all the
safety kit which easily qualifies
it for a five-star Australasian
• Price – Honda Civic RS
Sensing, $39,990
• Dimensions – Length,
4662mm; width,
1799mm; height, 1416mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
front-wheeldrive,
1498cc, 127kW,
220Nm, continuously
variable automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 8.5sec
• Fuel usage – 6.3l/100km
New Car Assessment Program
rating. The Honda Sensing safety
technologies include an alphabet
soup of acronyms. Spelt out, they
include adaptive cruise control,
low speed follow, lane keep assist,
collision mitigation braking,
forward collision warning, lane
departure warning and other key
safety features.
When I returned home from
my 190km return journey, I told
my wife how much I enjoyed the
Civic, she agreed by saying that
when she drove it it also left an
impression.
Not only does it represent
sporty style and performance,
but it is a refined car in terms of
comfort and function.
It is also much of what I like
about cars, and while it most
certainly fits into the sedan/
hatchback category its integrated
design borders on coupe-like
styling, and that definitely
captures my attention.