Honda Civic is back to make its name in the market. The goal of this compact sedan is to conquer the market with its brand’s renown build quality and to continue the long and successful legacy of the “Civic” name.

At A Glance

Upside:

• sleek body design
• reduction in carbon emissions
• fuel efficient

Downside

• over complicated driver’s seat
• less responsive gearbox

Design 5.0 / 5.0

The tenth generation of Honda’s most popular model ever comes with a sexy new body design, a more rich-fully equipped interior, and an old 1.6 VTEC engine that comes from the previous model with only a few refinements.

Performance 3.5 / 5.0

Starting from the engine, it may be old but this definitely isn’t disappointing. The reason is that this motor is well tested and trusted, and it boasts 123 hp combined with 152 Nm of torque so it adequately powers Honda’s new sedan while keeping the fuel economy at a good level (14.9 km/L). A role in this part is undertaken by the new Continually Variable Transmission (CVT) that tries to increase the engine’s efficiency as much as possible. The bad side with the CVT is that it is tuned with a focus on the reduction of carbon emissions due to the regulations, and that makes us think about the potential performance that this car would have otherwise. All in all, the power is adequate but the i-VTEC might not satisfy your sport driving urges.

The automatic gearbox is relatively smooth although some find it a little bit unresponsive at certain scenarios. In city driving conditions of Singapore, it will completely take the burden of frequent gear changes and it will perform well and relatively discreetly. It works quietly, smoothly, and it tends to make the driver forget about the existence of a gearbox in the vehicle.

Comfort 4.5 / 5.0

If the sound insulation in the cabin was a bit better, the driver could maybe actually really forget about the gearbox. However, the new Civic seems to be quite noisy for its drivers and passengers, and although the ride is comfortable, the noise adds a negative touch to the whole experience. Speaking of the cabin, the new interior design brings more goodies around the driver and in reaching distance, making the cockpit more comprehensive but at the same time a bit over-bloated. This approach might not appeal to everyone, because the driver’s interface with the comfort systems should become less complicated, less cramped, and more ergonomic as technology progresses. The materials are generally good overall, but there are some hard parts that lack the look of quality.

Conclusion 4.0 / 5.0

On the road, the Civic features good handling characteristics and the electric steering provides the driver with enough feedback to make the turning an enjoyable experience. The driver will feel the full control, sharp turning with the wheel, and sensational stability of the car even when pressed.

In overall, the new “civilized” version of Honda’s sedan will most likely leave the vast majority of its buyers fully pleased. If 11.6 secs for 0-100 is not for you, then simply go for the Turbo version but prepare for a harder, more noisy, and more fuel costly ride as well.