Where the Honda Civic redeems itself is in the drive department. The motor is the potent 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel making a reasonable 120 PS but a very chunky 300 Nm of peak torque which maxes at 2,000 rpm. In here with it is a six-speed manual with a petite gear-shift lever positioned slightly more forward than I would have liked. The shifts are sure, but feel a little clunky. However, that’s small change because the big money you put down gets you one of the best steering-wheel feels out there. Honda say there’s a dual pinion set-up for the rack and the steering feel on the move is just superb. It responds to even a slight input and weighs up absolutely brilliantly at all speeds ― it’s variable ratio, too ― inspiring more confidence with each passing bend. The suspension is on the softer side, though, and that sort of puts a damper on the excitement over bad roads or when dealing with mid-corner undulations. The ride quality is definitely on par with the segment challengers.
The throws are quick and reasonably short going through the gears. It feels involving and somewhat effortless, with the three-pedal layout nicely spaced for the appropriate footwork. A slightly longer seat-base and added thigh support would be appreciated, though. Even so, there is a lot going for the Honda Civic when it comes to dynamics and driver involvement. It’s not slow, racking up a fairly quick 0-100 km/h time even in the scorching summer heat. It was sober under braking and kept its composure well. It can be rewarding on the go, that’s for sure. The diesel motor piles the revs on slow and steady, but the speed climbs fast and just as steadily. In fact, I ran out of room trying to get to the limit of fourth gear. The motor delivers the power smoothly and the linear build-up of torque is a very positive big deal. There is no sudden surge post 2,000 rpm, rather a hint of potency at 1,500 rpm that strengthens progressively as the revs cross 1,800 before it peaks at 2k. The efficiency, too, is hatchback level with the highway fuel economy in the real world hovering around 20 km/l. There’s an ECON button on the centre console which, I believe, is supposed to do something and the info-display has some green and blue lighting to inform the driver whether they’re being economical or, well, uneconomical. So that’s that.
Where it stands is somewhere between the Škoda Octavia, which is, by far, the best in its segment and a hoot to drive and the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, both of which focus more on comfort and equipment. The Civic is good fun to drive but lacks the rock-solid reassurance and impeccable dynamic ability its Czech rival offers. Then again, there is also their notorious after-sales. The Civic is dramatic to behold, but sort of lacks the fluidic flair of its Korean rival. And while it seems far more interesting than its other globally bestselling Japanese rival, it could do with some less bouncy suspension for those who want to relax in the back seat. Not many who buy the Civic will want to do that, though, presumably.
At Rs 22.30 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec diesel manual ZX trim, it’s on the steeper side of the segment average and far more expensive than its rivals. Keep the price out of mind and it does make sense.
Need to Know – Honda Civic i-DTEC ZX MT
Price: Rs 22.30 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 1,597 cc, in-lien four, turbo-diesel, direct injection
Max Power: 120 PS @ 4,000 rpm
Max Torque: 300 Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, manual, front-wheel drive
Suspension: MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear
Weight: 1,353 kg
