[nik_kapur]

Had pre booked the car and i finally went to test drive it today at a dealer in Delhi. As expected, there were a lot of people checking it out and queuing up for a test drive. The dealer allowed me a short test drive (he wanted it shorter but once i was in the car, i refused to take a U turn when we were barely 1km out of the showroom premises !

Now the details of the drive....

Same engine as the Civic i sold back in 2013 (having driven it for 5 years) and i swear to god i felt like i was reacquainted with an old friend ! The sound and the behaviour of the engine brought back lots of memories and i never imagined that this could actually be a thing ! Imagine the engine sound and the buzzing reminding you that we have known each other in the past !
I drive a Corolla CVT currently so my comparison was going to be a direct one (i in fact drove my corolla to the showroom so i had experienced it a few minutes before arriving at Honda). My Corolla (also a 1.8 and a CVT) feels less buzzy and the CVT is more seamless (less of the rubber band effect), the steering feels lighter and the ride is pretty good. The Civic on the other hand feels sportier because of its lower driving position and feels tighter (the steering feedback and suspension setup). The interior whilst its so much cooler with its TFT screen and sports car like dashboard layout, the centre transmission tunnel is very wide and makes the driver seat a tight space, when you have your left leg hanging doing nothing in an automatic, you want to push it to the left and hang freely which isn't happening in the Civic. The lower driving position also makes the drive a little tiring comparatively. (the corolla with its higher seating and a more roomy interior is an airier place to be in)

The Decision

Well there is none taken. Im very confused having driven the car, it does not excite in terms of performance whilst it does with its looks. Its really not that much better than a Corolla which id be replacing.
The interior will make you feel very cool but if you're in your Mid 30s or 40s, you may miss the luxury feel of an Octavia.

[infinitewheel]

Went to Honda to check out the car. Few initial impressions from my side

1. The feedback you get once you take the driver’s seat gives a big smile on your face. Really confortable.

2. The booting sequence of the MID reminds the older civic. Nice to see the lights coming in style.

3. The sliding armrest for the drivers seat is neat and offers good space.

4. Ingress and egress might be difficult for elderly people due to the low position of the seat.

5. Though not upto the mark of VW or Skoda, the door closes with a good thug (can make out the difference when compared with City)

6. The rear seat doesn’t offer a good thigh support. For a person with average height the thigh gets flexed more giving an uncomfortable feeling (in long drives). Jazz, WRV offer better under thigh support though the seating position in those cars are a bit upright.

7. Considering the size of the car the luggage space is very less.

Yet to take a test drive.

[asingh1977]

Spotted one in the parking today. RED. It just looked beautiful and so well packaged. Wanted to peep inside, but the owner was talking a call. Good this car is back. Has a cult following.

[peus017]

Well with more disposable income, Civic has hit the right target audience group - The ones who want to upgrade from City,Verna and Ciaz. With limited options in Market referred as Octavia (Service and maintenance worries), Corolla (Underpowered and overpriced) its a good customer base which Civic fits for - luxury and power and not to forget the CULT status.

[Redline6800]

I got to see the new Civic, while at Whitefield Honda to collect my 2000 model Honda City 1.5 EXI from service.

To my pleasant surprise, I loved the Civic (no test drive). My immediate terms of reference was my pre-worshipped 2013 VW Jetta 2.0 TDi. I loved the front design of the Civic - very sporty and the LED lights look great. Paint finish was excellent and the exterior of the car appeared on par with the Jetta in terms of fit and finish.



I quite liked the rear of the car as well



Am a sucker for OEM alloys and loved the design of the 17" wheels, which also looked high quality as well.



The interiors appeared well made and solid with sufficient tech. It looks great, feels very well made and I loved the sporty seating position, which was best of all for me. Honda adds a sporty twist to mass market cars, in a way, that few manufacturers have been able to emulate and I absolutely loved the low seating position, feel of the steering wheel and the all-round quality of the cabin. All that was missing was a manual gearshift !

I am quite sure that the performance on offer will be sufficient for my needs as I am a sedate driver.

The digital display was crisp and sharp and will be a big draw for sure. I did not find the Civic interior to be lower in quality as compared to my Jetta. Both are very comfortable and well-made cars.







The front and rear seat was very comfy for my 189 cm height and 86 kg weight. However, the sunroof on the ZX does tend to eat into head-room. Am not a big fan of the sunroof but the missus is. I tend not to give too much importance to the door thunk sound as evidence of build quality - but yes the door does feel quite light while opening and closing.







Overall am very pleased that the Civic is a timely return to form for Honda - this is a good honest automobile and there were no overt signs of cost cutting that has blighted the brand in India over the last few years. If they can distill some of this goodness into the next gen Honda City, then Honda will have largely repaired the self inflicted damage done to the brand.

Pricelist for reference. Perhaps year end will be the time to buy, when likelihood of discounts will be higher. The pick of the range is the petrol VX for me.

[urajkumar]

I remember in some interview where it was mentioned that its already BS 6 but dont see that highlighted anywhere else. If it is, then that's a big plus on the resale value.

Does anyone have any concrete information?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by urajkumar

I remember in some interview where it was mentioned that its already BS 6 but dont see that highlighted anywhere else. If it is, then that's a big plus on the resale value.

Does anyone have any concrete information?

BS6 compliant mostly.

Means that the same engine can be modified to BS6 version once fuel is available. But will be BS4 as per current documents and therefore will not help resale value.

[gaurav_diavolo]

Is there any bleakest of possibilities that Honda launches the 1.5L 182bhp variant in the future as a special model like Octavia’s RS at a price point of 30 Lacs. If for 230 bhp, purists are paying for the RS, Civic fans too will surely shell out that much for the lovely Civic. Plus it looks delicious with the visible exhausts and the spoiler! Maybe the SI badge as a special variant?

[SR-71]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

BS6 compliant mostly.

Means that the same engine can be modified to BS6 version once fuel is available. But will be BS4 as per current documents and therefore will not help resale value.

Slightly off topic, when we talk about BS6 ready and modifications that can be done, would it be simple ECU remapping for a petrol car if the manufacturer says its BS6 ready ?

I understand from various posts that a BS6 diesel engine will be saddled with SCR / DPF which would be physical mod. Why would anyone want to tinker with an engine if the engines or its support component if the BS4 engine can run fine with BS6 fuel. How about petrol engines, are there additional components that come into play ?

[sidindica]

I will appreciate Honda for this. Surprised that this wasn't discussed.
This, the 1.8.

[varsin]

Sorry, but what is this please?

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by sidindica

I will appreciate Honda for this. Surprised that this wasn't discussed. This, the 1.8.

Originally Posted by varsin

Sorry, but what is this please?

Engine bay protected by metal plate?

[pavi]

Originally Posted by varsin

Sorry, but what is this please?

I think he meant the metal engine bay guard. In Honda City it is a plastic guard, but I would say it is strong based on my experience with it over 77000 kms.

[M00M]

Is the civic BS6 ? Anyone knows ?

[anish5225]

Originally Posted by Redline6800

Pricelist for reference. Perhaps year end will be the time to buy, when likelihood of discounts will be higher.
Attachment 1858118

Wondering why the ex-showroom price of cars are so high compared to other markets. Forget road tax, its anyway exorbitant!
Just comparing to another market like Australia where Honda doesn't manufacture cars. I believe they import cars from Thailand. But still the ex- showroom price for highest spec version with the 1.8 Lit NA engine is about Rs 6-7 lakhs less than India. Is it because of manufacturing costs in India? Or does India starts taxing car components right from the assembly stage?