Honda Civic Sedan road test review

 

Honda Civic Sedan road test review: Saloons look great, but have never sold as well as their hatchback alternatives in the UK. DAVID HOOPER has been having a look at the latest four-door offering from Honda, the Civic Sedan.

OVERVIEW:

The Honda Civic range offers something a bit different to run-of-the-mill offerings with its striking, slightly boy racer-ish styling. While it might appeal to a younger audience, it runs the risk of alienating Honda’s traditional customer base which tends to be those of more mature years – perhaps that’s why its sales aren’t so great. It will be interesting, therefore, to see how this booted version of the Civic sells. Called a Sedan, it’s what I grew up knowing to be a saloon and the saloon versions of popular models have never sold as well as the hatchbacks in the UK. That said, it’s a nice looking car, and the boot is huge, so let’s wish it well and see how it goes.

OUTSIDE:

The Honda Civic Sedan is a stylish looking car, and offers a slightly more mature alternative to the sporty looking hatchback line-up. Our test car brought lots of the latest equipment to the party, including radar cruise control, rear cameras and all the usual equipment you would expect to find.

INSIDE:

The seats are comfortable, and the interior is well put together and of good quality, although not quite in the same league as some of its German rivals. It doesn’t feel as substantial, but then you don’t pay as much for it. Rear leg room is good, and the all-important (in this model at least) boot is generously proportioned. The rear seats will also fold down to increase luggage capacity, although there is quite a high “lip” which narrows the loading angles.

THE WHEEL WORLD DRIVING EXPERIENCE:

On the road, the car drives well. There are no issues with Honda’s ride and handling set-up, it’s better than many and rewards a keen driver, or is quite content to potter around the town. The 1.6-litre diesel engine is a willing partner in crime, and despite its relatively small capacity, it pulls well and returns highly respectable fuel consumption figures.

If you like this, read our review on the Civic Type-R

WEBSITE: www.honda.co.uk

THE VITAL STATISTICS

MODEL: Honda Civic four door 1.6i=DTEC SR.

ENGINE: 1597cc, 120PS four-cylinder diesel engine, driving front wheels through 6-speed manual gearbox.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 125mph. 0-62mph in 10.0 secs.

ECONOMY: Wheel World test average: 54.5mpg

CO2 EMISSIONS: 91g/km.

FUEL TANK: 46 litres.

INSURANCE: Group 16

PRICE: £23,100.

WARRANTY: 3 years/90,000 miles

WEBSITE: www.honda.co.uk

• All data correct at time of publication.