To call the Honda Civic VTI Oriel a car is like calling an orchid a plant. The many aspects worth appreciating about the sedan starts with its types — iVTEC and VTI Oriel — followed up by a look into the interior, then to its efficient 140hp, 4-cylinder, 1.8 litre engine. The five-speed automatic transmission makes driving fun and the fuel economy (10km/l city and 13 km/l highway) makes it a car built for the 21st century. Add a few extras like a sun-roof, a state of the art audio system and there is nothing more to add... well except maybe the kitchen sink!
THE KEY
The Civic incorporated Honda's wish to create “a car for all people, a car for the world.” Ever since its introduction in 1973, the Civic has embodied Honda's challenging spirit, always ahead of the pack and always delivering new levels of value and innovation. With almost 10 million sold since, the Civic is the car which other companies emulate and will likely to for generations to come. In the past, the Civic was the ultimate machine for getting the most bang for the buck, but they were touch-and-go in the styling category. This was until the eighth generation of the Civic came out in 2006.
FIRST LOVE
Before the current models were launched, the previous generations of the Civic had quietly settled into maturity, with conventional lines and an elegant shape. In 2006, however, Honda took a sharp pen to the design, especially in the front end. Dubbed 'Reborn', its eighth generation was anything but boring. A wider body with reduced height, coupled with a sweeping roofline, sharply raked windscreen and extended front fender gave the Civic a sleek, yet aggressive stance.
The imposing front view is the Civic's most striking features. Sharp, angular headlights slant up on either side of the horizontal front grille from where the elegant lines blend into the bonnet. With its steeply angled windshield, the hood slope and the stylish exterior design, the Civic is a triumph in aerodynamic performance.
The rear of the car is a bit more conventional, with a high, flat trunk lid to maximise space. However, the rear features a cut-off tail and ring-pattern illumination rear lights, which add the finishing touches to a car that is every bit as good to look at as it is exhilarating to drive. The alloy wheels are standard on the Oriel, and a big visual improvement over the previous generations. The overall look is modern.
The overall fit and finish of the Civic is in-line with Honda's hallmark of quality. You will find a deep, lustrous paint job, tight even seams and a solid build quality all around. Every Civic in Pakistan is produced according to world-class standards, so much so that there is no difference between the Civic in Dubai, the Civic in USA and the one in Pakistan.
SLIPPING INTO COMFORT
The futuristic theme of the Civic continues as you open the door and peer inside. The whole dash is sharp, modern and very functional. The eye immediately travels to the split-level gauges which are totally unconventional, with the speed being displayed in digital glory above the steering wheel and a traditional round analogue tachometer living behind the spokes of the steering wheel, with indicator lights and panels on either side. It takes a while to get used to and the many colours at work in the gauge cluster can be distracting at night, but this can easily be remedied by dimming the dash lights a bit.
Greater body width allows for wider, comfortable and more supportive seats. The driver's seat is adjustable for height. The front seat bottoms are short, so thigh support suffers — but there is plenty of back support. The backseat space, while not large, beats competitive automobiles. The easy-loading trunk is ample, but not vast at around 12 cu.-ft., however, it is aided by 60/40 split-folding rear seats for fitting in longer objects.
Honda has made significant effort to reduce interior noise and vibration to provide a comfortable and stress-free driving environment. For this it has introduced high levels of torsional rigidity and the application of high-energy noise and vibration absorption materials in the Civic.
UNDER THE HOOD
Honda engines have always been a showcase of engineering and the i-VTEC is no different. The 140-hp, 1.8-litre, four-cylinder i-VTEC® engine is the standard in all Civic models. The Civic's engine develops 140 horsepower at a lofty 6,300 rpm and 128 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,300 rpm.
This model features the latest, next-generation i-VTEC technology (Variable-Valve Timing and lift Electronic Control) engine which automatically adjusts valve timing and lift according to driving conditions, which gives you more driving power, yet with the economy you would expect from a smaller engine. Honda claims that its engine produces the power of a 2.0 litre engine, with fuel economy comparable to a 1.5 litre. With the five-speed automatic transmission, the Civic is rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. We easily hit 10-12kms/litre in terms of fuel economy, so can endorse this aspect of the car.
The suspension and steering systems have been re-engineered from the ground up for quick, precise response and a highly refined ride quality. Confident stopping power is provided by ABS front disc and rear drum brakes.
ON THE ROAD
Powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine making 140 horsepower, the Civic is no slug. The acceleration is more than adequate for everyday city driving, but not as inspirational as we would like it to be.
The five-speed automatic transmission features an intelligent Grade Logic control system which ensures smooth gear changes and the optimal gear choice for driving conditions, and the transmission's control system was found to (mostly) play well with the pedal, keeping gear-hunting to a minimum and enough torque on tap to maintain momentum. However, (in our case at least) especially when trying to control initial tip-in, the propulsion was somewhat hampered by the five-speed automatic, which tended to up-shift quickly at lower speeds.
The Civic delivers a spirited response to every touch on the acceleration pedal, augmented by a nearly seamless automatic-transmission operation. Power delivery is smooth, with the car emitting a feisty whirr and throttling immediately when pushed even if you are idling at 40kms an hour, something which you will miss on other sedans, which have a more leisurely climb at that speed.
The engine itself utilises Honda's iVTEC variable valve timing and lift system to continuously optimise power delivery and the five-speed automatic transmission does a good job of keeping the engine in its power band. At speed, it cruises well with a low final drive ratio, assisting efficiency. When stopping, the ABS breaks do a good job of hauling it down. One thing we did notice though, as long as you're driving the car alone, you are fine. Load it up with people, however, and youll start wishing there were more ponies under the hood.
Steering and handling
The advanced structural engineering of Honda has given the Civic more rigidity and first-rate cornering capabilities as well as a smoother and safer ride. The steering is lively and direct, transmitting a good amount of information from the road to your hands.
A longer wheelbase and wider track combined with the multi-link double wishbone at the rear ensures increase responsiveness to provide amazing handling, ride quality and driver comfort.
Comfort
Though not utterly silent, the Civic is pleasantly quiet. The sedan rides about as smoothly as many larger models, even through pockmarked urban streets. This is the result of a host of new technologies, including special engine mounts, newly designed crankshaft, engine block, pistons and connecting rods, all of which help achieve remarkable smoothness.
A little lumpiness does occur when the surface gets rough, however, even then the Front McPherson struts and rear double-wishbone suspension deliver a comfortable ride.
Fuel efficiency
The Civic is a great performer at the gas pump. All Civics produced in Pakistan meet the Euro-4 standard and it is the first car equipped with drive-by-wire technology, which replaces the conventional mechanical connection between your gas pedal and engine with an electronic one.
You will never notice the difference, but your engine will — it will be able to deliver fuel more efficiently and precisely, a great thing for economy and emissions.
Safety first
Safety is a strong point of the Civic, with all models getting standard front-seat airbags and antilock brakes. Front and rear disc brakes, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) help the driver to maintain control under extreme acceleration, cornering and sudden evasive manoeuvres.
Also, Honda's safety system uses cutting-edge technology to absorb collision forces. This is the reason why the Civic was given a five-star crash test ratings by the NHTSA for driver and front passenger frontal crashes.
Security
With car thefts taking place around us on a daily basis, Honda has included some security tools. There is a rolling code immobiliser which will not allow the engine to start unless the code inside the transponder key matches the engine's code, thereby causing a hinderance.
A more visible tamper proof Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) makes the car easier to trace and identify. Honda has ensured that the car's access points are very difficult to open forcefully and the audio system is factory-fitted, making it almost impossible to remove and fit in another vehicle.
Overall The Civic incorporates “advanced, leading edge technologies,” claim the manufacturers. In addition, it feature models tailored to the specific characteristics of our regional market. In other words, the Civic today is more suited to our market than ever before.
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