New-look Civic's touch of luxury (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

New-look Civic's touch of luxury

10:24am Thursday 9th July 2009 in Road Tests

These have been very hard times for the UK motor industry.

Honda closed its factory in Swindon for several months to cope with plunging demand.

But the success of the Government’s scrappage scheme, in which incentives are given to drivers of old cars to buy new ones, is paying off.

That’s certainly a chink of light at the end of the tunnel for Honda, maker of the Civic, one of the most successful-ever cars.

The Civic is a phenomenon. It’s been around since 1972 in one form or another and is one of the longest-established nameplates on the road.

The current Civic is the eighth generation, and certainly the most unusual. Honda took the bull by the horns by creating a futuristic-looking model.

It divided opinion. Some admire its space-age style, while others think it’s just a little too outrageous for such a traditional marque as Honda.

But the fact is that the average age of a Honda driver is pretty advanced. The Civic and other recent models have been crafted to appeal to younger drivers without alienating the older ones.

To that extent, they seem to have succeeded. The Civic is unusual but not offensive, and it certainly stands out in a crowd.

Tested here is the middle market 1.8 VTEC SE, a dashingly well-equipped model which leans towards luxurious.

There are Type R and Type S sports models for the more vigorous drivers, but this model is aimed very much at the middle-market. The most appealing aspect of the car is its smoothness. Few cars in this class boast limousine-style ride, but this one does.

If you fancy a meatier model, the Type R is for you. There are two of these flying 2.0-litre petrol hatchbacks up for grabs – one in standard trim and a GT version.

But if the Type R’s 6.6 second sprint to 62mph from standstill is a little too much heat, then there’s a warm, and very willing, Civic alternative – the Type S.

And the Type S is currently on special offer with a £2,000 discount. With its sporty looks, the 1.4-litre i-VTEC Civic Type S appeals to younger customers that want the Type R look, with more affordable running costs. Customers can save £1,200 this summer, with the model now priced at £13,550 on-the-road.

Its five-door counterpart is equally economical thanks to the new 1.4-litre i-VTEC petrol engine introduced to the range for 2009 and should appeal to the increasing number of downsizers. Customers can benefit from £1,000 off the list price of the 5-door SE manual at £13,950.

Higher-powered versions of the British-built family hatchback are also available with savings. The new Civic 1.8-litre i-VTEC SE five-door manual now costs £14,985 (saving £1,000), and for rev-hungry ‘Red H’ fans, the Type R GT is available at £17,980 OTR, which is a huge £2,000 off the normal price.

Back to the tested version. The five-door Civic hatchback’s drive is top-notch, and the Type S merely sharpens up that good basic standard. Strong grip in corners, nice body control, and a firm, but never harsh, ride complements the slick changes on the six-speed manual gearbox and responsive, balanced steering.

Driving concentration is disrupted a little by Honda’s insistence on splitting visual information read-outs into three levels – two through, or slightly above, the wheel, and sat-nav, time and other minor information in the centre – and the lights/wiper stalks also need to be longer.

Having to reach right around the wheel to operate fog lights, or intermittent wiper speed, brings a little unnecessary clumsiness to cabin functionality.

Finally, this safe and sprightly little car doesn’t deserve the group nine insurance rating – front seatbelt pre-tensioners, anti-whiplash headrests, front, side, and full-length curtain airbags, plus five stars for front and side impact safety, three stars for pedestrian safety and four stars for child protection – all signify that the rating should be lower.

PRICE: £15,985.

ENGINE: A 1,799cc four cylinder engine generating 140PS through front-wheel-drive.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 127mph and 0 to 60mph in 8.9 seconds.

COSTS: Urban (town) 32.8mpg; extra-urban (country) 51.4mpg; combined 42.8mpg.

INSURANCE: Group 9.

EMISSIONS: 152g/km.

WARRANTY: Three years, 90,000 miles.