Honda Civic VTi-LX Sedan Quick Review

TELL ME ABOUT THIS CAR

Honda has sold an impressive 23 million Civics since its launch in 1972. The brand used to be hot, but for some reason they drove right off the car map.

Now, Honda – using its “Dare to Dream” motto – is trying to woo back drivers with its bold, new 10th generation Honda Civic.

The top of the range VTi-LX sedan boasts Honda’s first 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. Honda claims an average fuel consumption of just 6L/100km. This model comes with all the bells and the whistles and is priced at a competitive $33,590 ($34,165 with metallic paint). The entry-level model is available for just $22,390.

Only the sedan version is currently available but for those looking for something a bit zippier, a hatch is due to arrive in 2017.

STRENGTHS

• Efficiency. Average fuel consumption is a claimed 6L/100km. Real life driving, with a combination of freeway and city travel, saw an impressive 6.6L/100km.
  
  
• The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine provides ample power (127 kW @ 5500RPM) and performance.
  
  
• The boot’s 517L capacity is huge thanks to a space saver spare.
  
  
• The classy, leather appointed cabin gives it a more premium feel.
  
  
• It’s got heated front seats – you’ll never go back!
  
  
• The Civic comes with a 452-watt premium audio system with 10 speakers and a subwoofer.
  
  
• The VTi-LX comes with Honda’s new sensing safety suite of driver assist technologies including Lane Keeping Assis” (which detects if you’re wandering from a lane) and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Following (which slows the car down to match the speed of the vehicle in front).
  
  
• The Lane Watch feature, mounted beneath the left-hand door mirror, projects any potential blind spots onto the display screen the moment you indicate left or right.

WEAKNESSES

• At 4.64m in length it’s a big vehicle. Younger drivers may prefer the shorter hatch, due for release early 2017.
  
  
• The LCD touch screen comes with digital radio, built in satnav and Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, but it’s overly complicated and confusing.
  
  
• The USB input is almost impossible to find. Once you do source it (tucked either in the back of the armrest console or underneath the instrument panel) it allows Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
  
  
• Honda has killed off the volume wheel. Instead it relies on both an overly touch-sensitive control on the glass screen, plus an infuriating steering wheel mounted roller control. Neither of these make it easy to achieve the correct volume.
  
  
• The sunroof is perfunctory and far from panoramic.
  
  
• It’s RIP for the manual gearbox. This model only comes equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission, which takes a little getting used to.