What they said when the Honda Civic was new… (May 21 2001)
HONDA has stolen a march on its rivals with the arrival of the new Civic series. Built in Britain and boasting one of the most innovative interiors, this seventh generation Civic comes after 13.5 million sales from the previous versions but it is entirely new and refreshing.
A clean sheet approach to the Civic design has produced an externally distinctive and inwardly ground-breaking model which can out perform rivals in nearly all respects.
Not only is it striking to look at but the equipment levels are very good and it builds on the former Civic virtues with added driver appeal and enhanced safety.
As a five door model it has a stumpy nose, flat floor and walk-through interior to maximise passenger room, with the fascia mounted gearlever to optimise space.
There are new 1.4 and 1.6 litre engines - I tested the latter in top SE Executive trim - and they sit on a totally new suspension and come in three trim levels. Automatic four speed transmission in a £900 option on all except the 1.4S, otherwise it's a standard five-speed manual.
The engine was obviously tuned for mid range pulling power and economy because it was not very gutsy from standstill or at the top end but it did permit quick overtaking and produced excellent economy.
The convenient location of the gearchange is not new and is half-way between floor and column mounted positions, but it is very convenient, direct and the ratios were carefully chosen for consumption reasons. Drive briskly, however, and you will find yourself swapping cogs a lot between 2,3 and 4.
An easy changing gearbox was matched by the precision and power of the brakes and the electric steering, although some might want more feel through the rim. The turning circle was tight and it did not suffer from vibration at speed.
There was some scattering of secondary controls apart from the usual stalks but the instruments were very large and clearly displayed in front of the driver. I liked convenience of the effective air conditioning system and the adjacent sound system as well as the abundance of oddments room throughout the cabin. Used five-up, the boot space was only modest but the offset split was useful to gradually increase total capacity.
Access was easy and the room inside extremely good throughout. The front seats had plenty of adjustment range and were particularly well shaped and comfortable in their leather covers.
Ride quality was good over all manner of surfaces and at any speed but there was some body roll around tighter corners which detracted from the responses to steering. Despite the rolling, the Civic had very safe handling characteristics once you became used to its slightly stodgy feel through the wheel.
The short nose, slim roof pillars and big windows gave clear visibility and the wipers and lights were effective as well.
All noise levels were low, except for the constant road rumbles and a busier engine note at high speed.
The performance was good but not class leading and four up it was noticeably less willing to pull from rest but irrespective of how it was driven the economy was satisfying.
An enduring feature of the Honda Civic was its sense of being cut from a block of steel, so well assembled were the components, so finely matched were the panels and the complete lack of any rattles or vibrations in the cabin.
If you were thinking of a very modern medium hatchback, the Civic deserves a test drive. It could put you in the seventh heaven.
Words: Robin Roberts
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