Honda Civic Sedan 1.8i ES

Do you still remember? About ten years ago, a lot of sedans of this brand hit our roads. It's true that Honda has made great strides globally and locally, but - at the very least - diversity on offer is always a good selling point.

Honda, although one of the smallest "Japanese", still plays an important role in the global automotive industry. And he remains a typical Japanese manufacturer, which, among other things, means that perhaps his every move is not immediately clear to us. What is it about? Although this Civic bears the same name as the five-door model, internally it is a completely different car. It is mainly aimed at the markets of Japan and North America, partly also in Eastern Europe and the rest of Asia, as it has long been known that buyers in Europe looking for such a large vehicle prefer limousines. So if the sedan also appears in any of these markets, it will only be the goodwill of the local importer.

Both the sedan and the sedan version, this Civic has its drawbacks: access to the trunk is limited (small lid), the trunk itself is quite low (from our set of suitcases, we put two middle ones and an airplane in it, but if the trunk was only slightly larger, it Would have easily swallowed an even larger suitcase!), the boot lid inside is not dressed (so there are pretty sharp edges of the sheet metal) and, although this is the third retractable, the hole that forms is very small and stepped. And, of course, due to the lack of a rear window wiper, visibility in rain and snow is partially limited. And later, when dried drops leave dirty spots.

As for the design (outside and especially inside), it seems that the person in charge, approving the futurism of the five-door version, said to the designer: Well, now make it something more traditional, classic. And that's all: the outside of the sedan is closer to the Accord, and inside - a five-door Civic, but at first glance it is much more classic. In appearance, evil tongues even mention Passat or Jetto (headlight!), although the models "came out" too close in time to be one or another copy of the third. However, it is also true that in classic limousine bodies we often encounter classic design solutions. Because clients are more “classic” to their taste.

If you get into this sedan from a sedan (both times Civic!), two things will quickly become clear: that only the steering wheel (almost except for the placement of a few buttons on it) is exactly the same and that the instrument panel is brushstroke, emphasizing the front drivers , similar. Also in the sedan, well under the windshield, there is a large digital speed indicator, and just behind the wheel is a large (only) analog engine speedometer. This is the source of the only major ergonomic complaint: the steering wheel needs to be adjusted so that the top of the ring is between the two sensors, not so that the driver can steer the car. This is not very disturbing, but still leaves a little bitterness.

The fact that this is a car, not intended primarily for Europe, is quickly noticeable from the inside. The classic Japanese American is that the middle slots in the dash cannot be individually closed or controlled, that the automatic gearshift is only for the driver's windshield (fortunately, both directions here!), That there is no stabilizing ESP in the car ( and is not driven by the ASR). ) and that the maximum speed is electronically limited. It is rare to find such upholstery in cars: it is very soft and therefore pleasant to the skin, but very sensitive to wear (an elbow rest between the seats!). After all, we also rarely have a test car of this size and price range with a sunroof.

Otherwise, the difference between cars designed for different continents is getting smaller. Following the American model (or better: taste), this Civic also has a nice amount of drawers and storage space inside, which are useful as well. Only between the front seats there are five of them, four of them are large. The four-door drawers are also large, and the banks have four places. With a trifle, problems almost certainly will not arise.

But even the rest of the ride is enjoyable; the driver's position is very good, the handling is simple and the space on the four seats is surprisingly large. The blue illumination of the gauges (with a combination of white and red) is striking, but pleasing to the eye, and the gauges are transparent. In this Civic, all the switches are also at your fingertips, the automatic air conditioning works well (at 20 degrees Celsius), and overall comfort is somewhat disturbed only by the rather loud interior at higher engine speeds.

The mechanics also flirt a little with the sportiness of this Honda. A lot of irritation is the considerable sensitivity of the accelerator pedal (it reacts to the slightest touch), but the engine, although quite sporty, is also very friendly. The engine is also the only important mechanical part that is exactly the same as in the five-door Civic (AM 04/2006 test), which means you can expect the same character from it.

In short, at idle it's exemplary flexibility, in the midrange it's excellent, and at higher revs it's a bit below expectations as it's not as powerful as the noise it makes. Here, too, the engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission that can be snappy but gives poor feedback, and the lever isn't particularly precise. However, gear ratios (also here) take quite a long time to calculate; just enough to make fuel consumption more favorable, but again not enough to make the principles of engine flexibility. That's why it's often not necessary to reach for the shift lever if the driver wants a comfortable ride, and by insisting on the accelerator pedal and then shifting gears, the ride becomes sporty.

That this Civic is not a Civic also becomes clear when you inspect the chassis. Compared to the five-door, the sedan has an individual suspension at the rear and a multi-track axle, which in practice means a more comfortable ride and more precise steering. Winter tires do not allow for a reasonably accurate assessment, especially in the fairly high outside temperatures during the test, but this chassis together with an excellent steering wheel (sporty, precise and straight!) Makes a slightly better impression than the five-door Civic.

On the verge of physical boundaries, however, the Civic has a longer rear end or longer overhang above the rear wheels. The above provides an excellent feel in tight corners (i.e. at lower speeds), and in longer corners (at speeds above 100 kilometers per hour), the driver feels a tendency for the rear to pull away when the throttle is quickly withdrawn, or even more when braking. Keeping in a direction (not only straight, but especially around corners) is not ideal, especially on wheels or in strong crosswinds when the Civic gets a little hectic.

The phenomenon is far from critical, since with excellent steering it is easy to keep the direction, and, again, soft tires on pavement with spring heating help a lot. Sporty driving can also be fun, and probably the least sporty part of the mechanics are the brakes, which, after a few successive hard stops, overheat so badly that their effectiveness is reduced.

What about savings? The transmission (and differential) gears are set to 130 at 4.900 km / h in fourth gear, 4.000 in fifth and 3.400 in sixth gear, and it takes just over seven liters of fuel per 100 kilometers to drive on the highway at these speeds. ... Pressing on the gas increases the consumption to 13 liters per hundred kilometers, less than seven can be achieved by the driver with a slight movement of his right foot on roads outside settlements, and in urban conditions the engine will consume about nine liters per 100 kilometers. When you take into account the engine power and the range that is maintained at given speeds, the fuel consumption is just exemplary.

All things considered, this Civic feels like an entirely classic Honda; as we expect. The body is there. ... Yes, also a classic, but in a different sense of the word. Classics for people with classic taste. And not only for them.

Vinko Kernc

Photo: Aleš Pavletič, Vinko Kernc

Honda Civic Sedan 1.8i ES

Basic data

Sales:	AC Mobile doo
Base model price:	19.988,32 €
Test model cost:	20.438,99 €
Calculate the cost of auto insurance
Power:	103kW (140 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	9,3 with
Maximum speed:	200 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	6,6l / 100km

Technical information

engine:	4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - petrol - displacement 1799 cm3 - maximum power 103 kW (140 hp) at 6300 rpm - maximum torque 173 Nm at 4300 rpm.
Energy transfer:	engine-driven front wheels - 6-speed manual transmission - tires 205/55 R 16 T (Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 M + S).
Capacity:	top speed 200 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h in 9,3 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 8,7 / 5,5 / 6,6 l / 100 km.
Transportation and suspension:	sedan - 4 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front individual suspension, spring legs, triangular transverse rails, stabilizer - rear axle shaft, screw springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear disc - rear wheel, 11,3 ,XNUMXm.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1236 kg - permissible gross weight 1700 kg.
Inner dimensions:	fuel tank 50 l.
Box:	Trunk volume measured using AM standard set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (total volume 278,5 L): 1 backpack (20 L); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 2 × suitcase (68,5 l)

Our measurements

T = 0 ° C / p = 1010 mbar / rel. Ownership: 63% / Condition of km counter: 3545 km
Acceleration 0-100km:	9,0s
402m from the city:	16,5 years ( 138 km / h)
1000m from the city:	30,0 years ( 175 km / h)
Flexibility 50-90km / h:	9,7 / 12,8s
Flexibility 80-120km / h:	14,0 / 18,5s
Maximum speed:	200km / h (V. and VI.)
Minimum consumption:	7,2l / 100km
Maximum consumption:	13,0l / 100km
test consumption:	9,2 l / 100km
Braking distance at 100 km / h:	46,8m
AM table:	40m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear	56dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear	55dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear	54dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 6rd gear	54dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear	64dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear	63dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear	62dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear	61dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 3rd gear	71dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear	69dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear	68dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear	67dB
Test errors:	unmistakable

Overall rating (330/420)

• Although it bears the same name as the five-door version, it differs significantly from it - or is looking for other customers; those that favor the classic look and shape of the body, but at the same time require typical Honda (especially technical) features.

• Exterior (14/15)

  Despite the back of the limousine, it looks like a very obedient car. Excellent workmanship.

• Interior (110/140)

  Very spacious car for four. The seat upholstery is very comfortable to use. Lots of boxes.

• Engine, transmission (36
  
  
  / 40)

  In general, the movement technique is very good. Slightly long gear ratios, the engine is worse at high rpm.

• Driving performance (83
  
  
  / 95)

  The chassis is excellent - quite comfortable, but with good sporting genes. The wheel is great too. Slightly compromised stability.

• Performance (23/35)

  Long transmission and engine character reduce performance by several points. With this kind of power, we expect more.

• Security (30/45)

  It's unsafe since it doesn't even have an ASR engine, let alone a stabilizing ESP. Poor rear visibility.

• Economy

  Very favorable fuel consumption for engine power and our driving. A good guarantee, but a big loss in value.

We praise and reproach

appearance

flywheel

ergonomics

driving position

legs

medium speed engine

production

boxes and storage spaces

interior space

ease of use of the trunk

accelerator pedal sensitivity

on-board computer

rear visibility

glass motor

engine at higher rpm