Civic: still Canada’s best-selling car
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- Published on Saturday, September 26, 2015
Photo courtesy of www.southbayhonda.com
By Ben Castle
The Neepawa Banner
66,057. That’s how many Canadians bought a new Honda Civic in 2014.
The Civic has been Canada’s best-selling car for the last 17 years, as well as the third best-selling vehicle overall last year. Its closest competitor in terms of sales, Hyundai’s Elantra, was only able to muster a relatively paltry 50,420 sales in 2014. The Civic has become the car to beat in the compact class and it has always led the way in terms of reliability, quality, value and low running costs. However, in the last five years, the competition has raised its game considerably and we now have a number of competitively-priced compacts that offer — on paper — better power and efficiency, six-speed gearboxes and the option of more practical hatchback body styles. So does the Civic still stand scrutiny?
A test car supplied by Forman Honda in Brandon was the mid-range EX model sedan with a five-speed manual transmission which costs $20,950 before taxes. It features a 1.8-litre 16-valve engine with 143 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. Honda claims fuel economy of 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres highway or 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres if you opt for the more efficient CVT automatic transmission for an extra $1,300.
The EX model has a high-level of specification including 16-inch aluminum wheels, automatic climate control, auto lights, leather-trimmed steering wheel, heated front seats, power moonroof, nearside blindspot camera, keyless start and rearview camera. If you can live without these features, as well as air conditioning and cruise control, the mechanically identical entry-level DX model (manual transmission only) can be had for a more competitive $15,750.
In practice, during my test drive, I achieved an average of eight litres per 100 kilometres in mixed driving and a best of 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres on an extended highway journey, which was very impressive!
The dashboard features a two-tier setup with a digital readout for the speedometer on the top tier and an analogue rev counter on the lower tier. This setup gives the interior the “wow factor,” which most of its rivals lack.
The Civic also features a variable service regime. Sensors monitor the quality of the oil, so theoretically, depending on how you use the car, you could be looking at 10,000-plus kilometre service intervals, which means the car is off the road for less time and benefits the environment and your wallet!
The interior features soft-touch plastics, is solidly built and feels like it will stay durable for many years. The driving position is low-slung and very comfortable and the low dashboard means good visibility.
The driver is the centre of the action with the dashboard angled towards the driver, like a BMW, and the controls work with slick precision and fall easily to hand. Due to a flat floor in the rear, the Civic sedan will seat five adults comfortably, but it has to be said that some rivals offer more legroom and at 353 litres, the trunk, although usefully-shaped, lacks the depth and capacity of others in its class. Perhaps not a deal breaker, but something to consider if this is your main family vehicle.
If you really enjoy driving though, then the Civic is still well worth a look. Despite the rather modest power and torque figures, the Civic, at 1,283 kilograms, is the lightest car in its class and the engine is a gem. Unlike a lot of non-performance-oriented units, it is happy to be revved to the limiter and is both smooth and refined. The five-speed manual transmission also has rifle-bolt precision, which makes it one of the nicest gearboxes I have ever had the pleasure to use.
Civic also offers something that is relatively rare in this class: multi-link rear suspension, a feature only available on a few other competitors. This lends the Civic real precision and agility in its steering and a smooth and quiet ride, even on gravel. The only downside to this setup is a bit less stability in slippery conditions, but the standard stability control should keep any wayward behaviour in check!
There will be a new 2016 10th generation Civic out next year featuring, for the first time, a range of turbo-charged engines; however, despite not being the most modern compact in its class, the current Civic still delivers on its strong reputation whilst also offering one of the best drives in its class and excellent value. The EX model offers the nicest combination of features and value, but as the lowlier LX model only really does without the aluminum wheels and moonroof,and is available from $18,550, that would be my current pick of the range.
