Car reviews

Introduction

The latest Honda Civic is striking at first glance and many people will have to look again. It may not be everyone's taste, but the latest Civic certainly does turn heads. Even years after this car was launched it was still the newest styled vehicle on the road. It was a brave move by Honda as many people considered the car it was replacing to be a safe bet.

Exterior & Interior

The Civic looks futuristic from the outside with the use of curves and lines imbedded perfectly. This is a car that will turn heads, some for the right reason, but there are also plenty of others that don't like the style. The front has a curved bonnet and some of the models enjoy what looks like a full width of light clusters. The side of the car keeps a similar style to the previous model as the lines are straight and help to make the sportier model look sporty. The rear of the car is curved and almost looks a little bit like the VW Beetle. The triangular exhausts and rear lights quickly make sure that you know this is definitely a Honda Civic though. The sports versions of the car are given front and side skirts, and a rear spoiler. The additional of larger alloys really helps with the style of the vehicle and most people will enjoy how the Type-R version looks.

The interior of the Honda Civic is an absolute joy for the driver. The instruments look amazing and everything seems to be in the right the place with ergonomics being excellently balanced. Added touches such as the start button for the ignition, the smart colours used to light up the dash and touches of chrome really make this interior rate head and shoulders above its competition. The use of futuristic stylings is done to perfection as the car looks very modern, but it is not over the top.

Drive

Despite the car looking like something from the future, it does drive very much like a car from the present. Having said that it is a good car to drive and will please most owners. As always with the Honda Civic, how the car feels to drive will vary drastically depending on the version that you choose.

The handling of the Civic is ok, but it will not impress those that want to push the car harder. As the car is built to provide a solution for so many different people there are areas which it tends to lack in for both the sports models and the lower specification versions. There is a small amount of roll on corners and this isn't much better in the Type-R or Sports models. The steering is light which is perfect for the older generations, but the lack of feedback may leave the younger drivers feeling a little frustrated.

The suspension has been a problem point for the Civic as there have been quite a few faults reported. The suspension does work quite well though ironing out the journey on most roads, even those that are quite uneven and bumpy.

Faults & Repairs

Reliability is not much of a concern with cars from Honda, and the civic (06-) Hatchback is not different. If the car does have issues then there is a good warranty period of 90,000 miles or 3-years, whichever comes first. Only one recall has been made so far concerning the hand break so this should be checked to make sure it has been completed. There few areas that should be checked if you are buying the car second hand. The suspension, the filler cap and excess interior wear are all areas that could be a concern. As with all Honda's you should expect high servicing costs for this vehicle.