Honda Civic i-DTEC ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

With sales of diesel cars at an all time high Honda has finally added a smaller engine to their arsenal to join the larger 2.2-litre unit. With its healthy 120 bhp and impressive 94 g/km emissions we wanted to find to out if it is any good. What better way to do that than in Honda's perennial Civic.

Now in its ninth generation this time round Honda has gone down the subtle evolutionary road. The Civic's styling isn't as bold as its predecessor - if a little fussier in places - but retains its coupe-esque roofline and concealed rear door handles. 

Inside Honda's obsession with digital speedos and analogue ancillary dials continues with a driver focused dash that sweeps around you. It works incredibly well with the speedo viewed from above the steering wheel with a large, high-quality multifunction screen just to the left. Through the wheel you view the rev counter, fuel gauge and engine temperature readout. The dials themselves are very clear with their white and blue backlighting.

Not only does the interior look fantastically space-age but it is also highly functional with simple controls and plenty of useful storage areas including a huge glove compartment. For the first time Honda has moved the Civic upmarket with materials that feel premium but still built to last.

For a hatchback of such modest proportions - one of the smallest in its class - the Civic boasts an ingeniously cavernous cabin. For starters its fuel tank is cleverly positioned under the two front seats which frees up useful space in the boot and beneath the back seats. 

Honda's amusingly named "Magic Seats" - similar to those found in cinemas - flip up and lock in place with a simple tug of the seat base creating a large area for all manner of clobber without having to fold the rear seatbacks. When you do want to fold the seats it's nice to find that the base lowers with the seat back creating a completely flat floor.

The boot too is absolutely massive offering 477 litres with a further 50 litres tucked out of sight under the false floor. You can also pivot the floor panel down into the recess to make better use of the space on offer. The Civics load capacity dwarfs all of its rivals by some margin.

Although sharing the same oily bits as the previous model, Honda has made a lot of fuss about how this Civic's chassis has been tuned specifically for European roads. Interestingly its suspension bushes are now fluid-filled making them much better at absorbing small to medium sized road imperfections. It means that the rear suspension in particular can cope with stiffer damping without detriment to comfort levels.

It seems to have paid off as the Civic has a beautifully cushioned ride that does an admiral job of smoothing out any surface in its path. Despite a little initial body roll it handles much better than before too with a crisp turn-in and good composure on twisty roads. The chassis is nicely balanced, neutral and grippy although ultimately it isn't as fun as a Ford Focus.

What Honda has always managed to get spot on is steering feel which is very natural, weighting up noticeably when cornering. It is however a little lacking in feedback but it is never difficult to place the Civic accurately on the road. The six speed gearbox is also a gem with a smooth, snappy action and the pedals are easy to modulate.

If you are thinking Honda's 1.6 i-DTEC engine is just another rattly oil-burner you can think again. It's the first engine to be launched in Europe incorporating the brands "Earth Dreams" technology. But what does it mean?

For starters it's largely made of aluminium making it the lightest engine in its sector but offers class leading torque at 300 Nm. It is also capable of returning up to a claimed 85.6 mpg despite its very generous 120 bhp. It also qualifies for free road tax thanks to emissions of just 94 g/km. The entire design philosophy behind the engine is low weight and decreased friction for optimum efficiency.

It's certainly an impressive unit when powering the compact Civic. It pulls strongly without a whiff of turbo lag making overtaking easy. It feels quicker than the 10.5 second 60 mph sprint would suggest. At times though it can be a little noisy. When not pushed it remains refined going about its business without any fuss. What makes it so pleasant it its revvy nature and beautifully smooth power delivery. 

Economy is nothing short of outstanding averaging 75 mpg whilst with us even when driven enthusiastically making the tank good for over 700 miles. There is also an ECON button that optimises the air con for greater efficiency and provides the driver with a guide to economical driving in the form of changing colour graphics either side of the speedo. Colours range from deep blue (inefficient) to deep green (greatest efficiency).

In mid-level ES trim our test car will set you back £20,780 which isn't cheap but at least equipment levels are decent. Standard kit includes a reversing camera, dual zone climate control, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, auto lights and wipers and alloy wheels.

Tech Data

Price as tested: £22,005 (£20,780 excl options)
Engine: 1.6 16v 120 bhp - 0-62mph: 10.5 secs - Maximum Speed: 129 mph -
Economy: 70.6 mpg (urban) 85.6 mpg (extra-urban), 78.5 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 94 g/km (Band A) - VED (12 months): £0
Dimensions: Length: 4300 mm - Width: 1770 mm - Height: 1470 mm - Wheelbase: 2595 mm
*data from Honda UK

DriverVIBE Verdict

The Civic is a really competent family hatch that does everything you could ask of it. 

It has a clever interior, huge boot and ingenious "magic seats" and offers good space for passengers. The interior itself is thoroughly modern and the use of posh materials adds to the upmarket ambiance. 

Behind the wheel the Civic is good to drive and handles tidily but its strongest asset is that it's easily one of the most comfortable and refined cars in its class. 

When fitted with Honda's new i-DTEC diesel engine economy is outstanding considering the power and performance on offer. It's a superb unit that really enhances the driving experience although it is let down a little by its noisiness at certain points in the rev range

The Civic isn't perfect though. We found the styling a little fussy compared to the organic look of the old model and the driving experience isn't as well-rounded as some of its rivals.

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