Honda Civic Car Review in India

The Honda Civic is the eighth generation Civic in India which has been given a face-lift in September 2009. Honda Siel Cars India launched the new Honda Civic with aesthetically designed new looks. The premium sedan is an excellent combination of new-age and sporty design and aggressive appeal together with the cutting-edge technology and refined engine.

The Civic, after its launch in the US, comes with some tweaks to suit the Indian road. The Sedan was introduced in India in 2006. It is powered by 1.8L i-VTEC engine, comes with higher ground clearance and stiffer suspension. With top-of-the-line technology, sporty looks, choice of automotive and manual transmissions, the new Honda Civic is bound to please the Indian taste palates.

The new Honda Civic places itself in the entry-level D segment and competes with the Toyota Corolla and the Skoda Octavia. The new Honda Civic design is youthful and trendy in comparison with its competitors. The Civic comes in two choices: Petrol and Hybrid.

1.8 S MT, 1.8 V MT and 1.8 V AT are the petrol versions and 1.3L is the hybrid version. The Hybrid engine comes with Continuous variable transmission. The 1.8 S MT and the 1.8 V MT come with manual transmission and the 1.8 VAT comes with an automatic gearbox. Additionally, the petrol variants will be available in 2 attractive types - Elegance and Inspire.

The Honda Civic is the futuristic family car. It was voted as the 'Car of the year' for 2007.

With its peppy engine and buttery smooth transmission, the Honda Civic petrol version comes with a high-tech and revolutionary 1.8L i-VTEC engine that cranks out 130 bhp at 6,300 rpm and a peak torque of 172 Nm is achieved at 4,300 rpm. The incorporation of variable timing control for the single overhead cam enhances engine performance at high speed. The all-aluminium engine is ultra smooth and almost silent at low revs. Equipped with the 5-speed manual and an automatic (1.8V AT), the new Civic is swift. The power graph remains stable between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm, and that is when power is essential for a stop-and-go drive. It is a muscle engine and roars at high revs.

Under the hood, the Hybrid version sports a high-power 1.3 liter, four-cylinder petrol engine, which forks out a powerful 94 bhp @ 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 122 Nm @ 4,600 rpm. This hybrid power is coupled with a Continuous variable transmission.

The all-independent suspension with McPherson Strut in front and coil over double wishbone with torsion bar in the rear is excellent during high speeds and highway drives, but not a very good mate for bad roads. The suspension system is tweaked for minimal body roll during tight cornering. The all disc brakes with brake assist give instant halt to the mighty car. The power-assisted, collapsible steering is precise and takes speed of the car into consideration for inputs. With all these smartly tuned features, the ride quality of the new Civic takes driving to a new horizon.

The new Honda Civic is not a typical three box character; the A-pillar is shifted forward for better aerodynamics that makes it look like the next generation car. The easy flow design with stylized smokey headlights, new curved 5 point metallic grille, the revamped sporty front bumper and crystalline octagonal combi tail lights are some of the stand out features. The car stands on newly designed alloy wheel. The New Honda Civic comes in five exquisite colours: Crystal Black Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic, Tafeta White, Habanero Red and Alabaster Silver Metallic.

TThe circular roof rises gradually and falls on the boot gracefully; the new Honda Civic's short boot gives it a contemporary feel. A touch of elegance is visible at every corner. The low-slung car looks sporty and outgoing. The new Civic SMT comes with two tone luxury high quality fabric seats with matching fabric on door panels and armrest. The new Honda Civic VMT & VAT comes with a steering mounted cruise control system that helps to cruise at the desired speed with one touch operation. In line with the preferences of the customers, the audio system of the new Civic comes equipped with a USB port together with the CD player. The intelligent fuel economy indicator introduced in the new Honda Civic will enable the customers to achieve the good fuel efficiency.

Safety of passengers and pedestrians is a top priority for Honda and all safety equipment is standard across all variants. The new Honda Civic comes fully loaded with various active and passive safety features including Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake - Force Distribution System (EBD) & Brake Assist, Dual SRS airbags and pre-tensioner seat belts. Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body (ACE) and G-CON (G-Force Control Technology) provide a high integrity survival zone that enhances self-protection and better compatibility in collisions with other cars.