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The Honda Civic has returned with quite exciting and upscale features. The ninth generation 2013 model year of the Civic was unveiled recently in Lagos at the Ijesha Showroom of The Honda Place (THP) Nigeria before making its first public appearance in the country at the just-concluded Lagos Motor Show.
Coming with a sleek, energetic and aerodynamic design with new ECON button that adjusts throttle response and air conditioning to improve fuel economy, the Honda Civic, in its ninth reincarnation, has returned as a smoother and sleekcar with curvy wheel-arches and longer front and rear overhangs.
Available in two –trim levels, LX and EX, the entry level LX comes equipped with automatic air-conditioner, USB connectivity and 16-inch alloy wheels while the EX adds luxuries like cruise control, front fog lights, dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth and panoramic sunroof.
Head of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Deepak Daryanani, while unveiling the car at a media launch and tour of the Ijesha facility of THP, said the previous-generation Honda Civic had a revolutionary look, but Honda has chosen evolution for this latest model.
According to Daryanani, the tail of the Civic however retains the split screen of its predecessor with the lights incorporated into the split while a windscreen wiper has been added.
On the inside, the cabin material and switchgear has been improved while the digital dashboard is simplified so that it’s easier to read.
A test drive of the car reveals that the new Honda Civic strikes a good balance between fun and comfort – thanks to the new smooth electric power steering system and fluid-filled rear suspension bushes, which soaks up bumps convincingly.
Coupled with this is the new Civic slippery aerodynamics that helps resist wind noise, so it’s pretty quiet on the motorway. “And “if you’re looking for a car that won’t see the dealer any more than it has to, buy a Civic”, Daryanani advised.
On the safety features, Daryananisaid the new Honda Civic has a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating, adding that every Civic comes fitted with a full complement of airbags, as well as LED daytime running lights, ESP and ABS as standard. The EX model, according to him, gets adaptive cruise control and a Collision Mitigation Braking System, which uses radar to detect imminent collisions at low speeds.
The Civic now comes more roomy at the back with a generous dimension of 4,300mm long, 2,065mm wide and 1,590mm tall. The clever rear bench ‘Magic Seat’ is also still there thus enabling the seats to be folded flat to carry longer items, or flip the seats up cinema-style to transport taller loads. The boot, on the other hand offers 477 litres of luggage space (including 76 litres within an under-floor compartment), which is a massive 161 litres more than some competitions.
On the efficiency of the car, “The Civic has always been cheap to run, and this latest version is no different. All of the engines are economical. You can get the 1.8 litre to post 28/29kmpg and emit 137g/km. And with strong residual values across the range, you’ll get a lot of your money back come resale time,” Daryanani assured.
He however disclosed that only the 140bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine with a five-speed automatic transmission system will be available in the Nigerian market.
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