Honda Civic 2018 REVIEW: - The wildcard hatchback that’s full of surprises
NEW Honda Civic 2018 road test and review. Does the car reach the company's ambition to appeal to a younger audience?
Honda Civic 2018 Review
VERDICT: Sporty, spacious and sleek hatchback has all the right ingredients to be a hit
PROS: Unique styling, surprisingly practical, safe
CONS: Some frustrating design choices, few cheap-feeling elements, clunky infotainment system
Honda Civic is a compelling purchase.
The team behind designing it didn’t play it safe and go for an evolutionary design, something which is indicative of these types of cars but throughout the rulebook and started again.
But does it have more tricks up its sleeves than just a fancy design and can it compete with its rivals?
DESIGN
It has a snarling sporty presence that isn’t quite as outlandish as the hot Type R but is certainly a stand out vehicle in its class. The car has a muscular and dominant exterior for a car of its size and will warrant a second look, especially in the Rallye Red.
It’s grille is a particular highlight while the rear may seem a bit too boy racer for some. It’s definitely a car targeted at a younger audience but it isn't overly flashy, so won't necessarily exclude older motorists. The car has a strong presence and feels large despite being a fairly compact hatchback.
POWER
Powering the car was a 1.0-litre VTEC Turbo which offered smooth power delivery and was not jerky like some of its rivals. This powertrain produces 129 PS and 200Nm of torque which allows it to go from 0-62mph in 11.2 seconds.
There are more potent 1.5-litre powertrains that will allow the car to sprint from 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds, almost three seconds quicker. While it doesn't feel underpowered at any point, it’s not the most potent or exciting in its class but is still a solid choice.
According to Honda, the 1.0-litre can also achieve up to 55.5 mpg on the combined cycle and produces just 110g/km of CO2 emissions which should be good for keeping costs down.
It also has a nice solid manual gearbox which is smooth and the steering is fairly light and responsive. The driving position is nice, engaging and comfortable and on the whole is a pleasant experience.
The soundproofing inside the car was decent and there wasn't too much of a bleed from the tyres or the engine.
INTERIOR
The car is well equipped and comes with a lot of nice standard equipment across all its trim levels and the EX Express.co.uk was loaned is particularly nice.
Honda has used a lot of nice soft-touch materials in the places that matter - on the steering wheel and on the dash - but there are a few cheaper feeling plastics used across certain elements. For example, the buttons on the steering wheel feel really cheap and clicky.
This is not off-putting, however, because, on the whole, the interior is nice with fairly decent visibility all around. The infotainment system isn't the nicest to use and is a bit clunky.
Like with most in-car infotainment systems the best thing to do is to link it up to your phone and use the apps as they will be more familiar and intuitive.
With the EX trim, there is also an optional sunroof which creates a bright and fairly spacious interior.
There is plenty of room inside the front, a good 478-litre boot space with the seats up. However, due to the flared wheel arches, space is not the widest but there is a handy compartment underneath the floor of the boot.
There is also enough space for three adults in the rear.
Two adults will be plenty comfortable in the Civic but it probably won’t be terribly comfortable for three adults in the rear over long distance trips, but short ones should be fine.
In the EX trim it comes with leather seats which are optimally heated but in SR you still get the Leather Steering Wheel and Gear Knob. There is also an optional tech pack which adds Wireless Charging, LED Fogs, LED Headlights with Washers, Heated Rear Seats but this comes at a premium so think about how much you’d actually use these extras before splashing out.
It also comes as standard with useful things like USB ports, Apple Car Play, Android Auto and a solid high power auto system which should appeal to the younger demographic.
DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM
The car comes with a nice list of standard safety and assistance systems including Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition & intelligent-Adaptive Cruise Control.
The car also comes with ISOFIX points in the rear, City-Brake Active System, Hill Start Assist and Brake Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Lane Keeping System.
Honda scored a five star Euro NCAP rating for the updated and the car scored highly in both the Adult Occupant (92 per cent) and Safety Assistance (88 per cent) sections.
This rating was bumped up from four stars after the company added more airbags and improved passenger protection in the vehicle.
Prices for the car start at £19,100 and the model we tested cost £23,620. It's not the cheapest on the market but you get a nice blend of practicality, styling, and equipment.
VERDICT
It seems fairly evident that Honda is aiming to appeal to a younger audience. The way the car looks, to the way it drives and what it comes equipped with all seem to point towards this.
There is little you won’t like about the Civic hatchback. It's surprisingly practical, it's comfortable and nippy, looks sporty and interesting but is also pretty economical and doesn't produce particularly high CO2 emissions.
It is part of a burgeoning market segment, but it does more than enough to warrant your attention and should definitely be one to consider.
8/10
SPECS AT A GLANCE
MODEL: Honda Civic
ON SALE: Now
PRICE: £19,100-£27,480
ENGINE: Turbo-petrol – 1.0, 1.5-litre
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual transmission
POWER: 129 PS
MAX TORQUE: 200Nm
0-60MPH: 0 to 60mph in 8.2 seconds (1.5)
TOP SPEED: 137mph top speed (1.5)
AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY: 55.4mpg (1.0)
CO2 EMISSIONS: 106-139g/km
RIVALS: Mazda 3, Peugeot 308, Volkswagen Golf