Honda Cars : Test Drive: 2010 Honda Civic Sedan Sport | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Almost five years after its introduction, the eighth generation Honda Civic is still at or near the top of the passenger car sales charts in Canada. This is surprising when you consider that it’s not available as a hatchback – it’s offered only in sedan and coupe bodystyles – whereas its arch-rival, the Mazda3, is offered as a sedan and hatchback. (The Corolla is also offered as a hatchback, but it’s called the Matrix).

I often wonder how many Civics Honda Canada would have sold had they imported the sharp-looking Civic hatch from Europe.

Even after five years, the Civic’s aerodynamic styling still looks quite stylish when compared to its competitor’s recent redesigns, such as the Mazda3 sedan and Corolla sedans’. Inside, the Civic’s unconventional two-tier instrument layout, with digital speedometer on top of the dash and a traditional tachometer behind the steering wheel, was a bold design move in 2005 that could have derailed Civic sales – but to the surprise of critics, including me, it didn’t – although it’s worth noting that no other vehicle manufacturer has rushed to copy Honda’s dash design.
It will be interesting to see what Honda will do with the next generation Civic which is supposed to arrive in 2011 as a 2012 model. I’ll be rooting for an additional hatchback model and a new instrument panel.

Changes for 2010

For 2010, there are no major changes to the Civic sedan, except for the addition of a centre armrest and auxiliary port on base DX models. The Civic sedan is still offered with the basic 140-hp 1.8-litre SOHC 16 valve i-VTEC four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. As before, the Civic Si sedan gets the high-revving 197-hp 2.0-litre DOHC 16-valve i-VTEC engine and a six-speed manual transmission, while the fuel-efficient Civic Hybrid develops 110 combined horsepower out of its 1.3-litre SOHC 8-valve i-VTEC four-cylinder engine and Integrated Motor Assist electric motor and generator. The two-door Civic Coupe also uses the 1.8-litre motor while the Civic Si Coupe uses the 2.0-litre powerplant.

The Civic sedan Sport ($21,780), which was introduced last year, is sandwiched between the DX-G sedan ($19,580) and the well-equipped EX-L model ($23,680). Over and above the standard equipment in the DX-G sedan, the Sport adds 16-inch tires and alloy wheels (up from 15-inch), four-wheel disc brakes (from front disc/rear drum), body-colour mirrors and door handles, chrome exhaust tip, power heated mirrors, power tilt/slide glass moonroof with sunshade, variable intermittent wipers, unique black cloth seats with contrasting silver stitching, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, leather-wrapped steering wheel, outside temperature display, map lights, rear centre armrest, and USB device connector.

Our test car was an Alabaster Silver Sport sedan with the optional five-speed automatic transmission ($1,200), a Freight charge of $1,395, and air conditioning levy of $100 for an as-tested price of $24,475.

Driving impressions

Though it’s called the Sport, this Civic has the same 140-hp 1.8-litre engine as the base DX and premium EX-L Civic sedans – it doesn’t get the 197-horse 2.0-litre engine of the Civic Si sedan, or its six-speed manual transmission. But it does get rear disc brakes, an upgrade over the DX’s rear drums, and 205/55R16-inch all-season tires, an upgrade over the DX’s 195/65R15-inch all-seasons.

The Sport designation refers mostly to its appearance: sporty 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, chrome exhaust tip, body-coloured door handles, sunroof, and rear lip spoiler spruce up the outside while a unique velour/cloth black and white seat covering is unique to the inside.
As far as performance goes, the Civic Sport is on par with the other non-Si models: according to the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, 0 to 100 km/h comes up in about 8.6 seconds (with manual transmission) and you can probably add about a second with the automatic transmission. AJAC also recorded a 100 km/h to 0 braking distance of 42.8 metres.

Those values are slightly better than the recently redesigned 148-hp Mazda3 which has a 0 to 100 time of 9.9 seconds (automatic) and a 100 to 0 braking distance 45.7 metres. The 132-hp Toyota Corolla’s numbers are 10.1 seconds and 43.6 metres. The Civic’s lighter curb weight (1256 kg/2769 lbs with automatic transmission) is a big factor in its superior performance.

Cruising on the freeway, the Civic’s engine does only 2,000 rpm at 100 km/h in fifth gear, which is quite low for a 1.8-litre engine. Even so, there’s a surprising amount of torque (max 128 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm) and the five-speed automatic transmission responds quickly to throttle input. This transmission includes Honda’s grade-logic programming which automatically downshifts from fifth to fourth when descending steeper grades. While engine braking prevents the car from picking up too much speed going downhill, I often wonder how much fuel is sacrificed.

Still, along with the Toyota Corolla, the Civic sedan is consistently one of the most fuel efficient compact cars on the road. Its official Canadian Energuide numbers (L/100 km) are 7.4/5.4, City/Hwy (manual transmission) and 8.2/5.7, City/Hwy (automatic transmission) but more realistic figures come from the U.S. EPA whose calculations include faster highway speeds and acceleration, air conditioner use and colder outside temperatures. With the automatic transmission, the EPA rates the Civic sedan at 9.4/6.5 City/Hwy (30/43 mpg Imperial).

The Civic’s five-speed automatic transmission includes a shift gate that defaults to ‘D3’ rather than ‘D’, so the driver has to be careful not to slip it into D3 by mistake. Since the transmission has five speeds, it should default to ‘D4’. In fact, I would prefer it to default to ‘D’ and move to D4 with a button release. But the transmission has been this way since 2005, and nobody seems to mind.

As Civic owners know, the Civic sedan is a sporty handler. It steers and handles with the composure and nimbleness of a sports sedan without the punishing ride common to sports cars. All Civics have a four-wheel independent suspension, MacPherson struts in front and multi-links at the rear and the Sport model comes with standard Goodyear Eagle RS-A 205/50R-16-inch all-season tires which offered satisfactory traction and grip in the dry and wet conditions I experienced over a week of driving.

Unlike the Civic Si Sedan, the Sport doesn’t get the limited slip front differential, or electronic stability control which would enhance traction and handling. Stability control will become mandatory next year so all Civics will have to have it.

Even with a steeply raked windscreen and a long dashtop, the Civic sedan offers the driver good visibility ahead. Two extra front quarter windows help when making sharp turns, and the rear view is relatively unobstructed by the head restraints and roof pillars.

One unusual Civic feature is the front wipers which sweep outwards from the centre. This allows greater coverage to the side pillars but leaves an unwiped area at the top centre of the windscreen. However, I didn’t find this to be a problem as the rearview mirror blocked this area of the windscreen anyway.

Interior impressions

The sleek profile of the Civic Sedan makes it look low and sporty, and you might think there isn’t much headroom, but the Civic’s roof is taller than it looks (1435 mm/56.4 in.) and four adults will fit comfortably in the Civic sedan, even though the moonroof eats up some headroom. The Civic’s raised centre rear seat makes it uncomfortable for a fifth occupant, though. As well, while rear legroom is sufficient, footroom under the front seats is shallow.

The seats in the Sport model are covered in a unique and attractive black velour/black-and-white cloth combination with white stitching, and the same soft velour covers the head restraints and armrests. It looks great, but this kind of velour attracts lint and dust, so regular vacuuming will be required.

The front seats are comfortable but there’s a bulge in the lower lumbar area of the seatback which presses into the lower back – this may be an attempt to make up for the lack of a lumbar adjustment, but not everybody needs that much lower back support. The driver’s seat is height adjustable, and with the leather-wrapped tilting and telescoping steering wheel, most drivers will find a comfortable position. Unfortunately, heated front seats are not available in the Sport model.

The Civic’s split instrument design is odd, but the large white-on-blue speedometer display just below the base of the windscreen is easy to read, and the illuminated speedometer behind the steering wheel is also in clear view. Beside the tachometer is a transmission gear indicator and odometer, but there’s no average fuel consumption readout. Unlike other vehicles in its class, the Civic doesn’t offer a Bluetooth hands-free phone system.

The centre instrument panel protrudes rudely into the cabin so that the radio and heater are easy to reach, but I find the dash a tad imposing. I still hanker for the last generation Civic’s vertical heater dial arrangement next to the steering wheel.

The standard 160-watt stereo with AM/FM/CD/MP3 with four speakers is the same stereo in the DX model and it proved adequate in sound quality for this small sedan. It includes an auxiliary input and USB connector for music devices.

The shift lever for the automatic transmission has a big, grippy shift knob and is easy to reach but it would have made more sense to put the shift lever to the left of the handbrake lever instead of on the right, in my opinion.

For cabin storage there are two small open bins to the left of the steering wheel, and two centre bins ahead of the shift lever with a 12 volt power outlet and auxiliary jack. Directly behind that are an open coin bin, the shift lever, and two cupholders with spring-loaded cup grippers and a sliding cover. Under the padded armrest between the front seats is a storage bin with a USB connector inside. Additional storage can be found in the front and rear door pockets, and front passenger seatback map pocket.

As our test car had the automatic transmission, placing full coffee cups behind the shift lever wasn’t a problem, but it would have been if the car had a manual transmission. Two more cupholders are found in the folding rear armrest.

The Civic Sport includes split folding seatbacks released from inside the trunk which can be opened remotely with the keyless entry device. The trunk is roomy for a compact car (340 litres/12.0 cu. ft.) and fully lined, but its U-shaped hinges intrude on trunk space.

Like all Civic sedans, the Sport has two front airbags, two seat-mounted side airbags, and roof-mounted curtain airbags for both rows of seats, five three point seatbelts with pretensioners, front active head restraints, rear child door locks, and rear upper tethers and lower anchors for child seats.

Verdict
Positioned between the base Civic DX and uplevel EX-L trims, the Civic Sport sedan is better equipped than the DX and looks sportier, but it has the same powertrain and suspension, so performance is comparable.

Source;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/06/04/test-drive-2010-honda-civic-sedan-sport.htm?page=all

Honda Cars : 2010 Honda Civic DX-G Sedan Review | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

This car is a clear testament to Honda's know-how. Introduced in late 2005 as a 2006 model-year car, the latest generation of the Civic just about changed the face of the compact car segment with its near-futuristic styling and innovative cabin. That was five model years ago, but the Civic still reigns supreme in its category.

How? Well, it's about doing one thing and doing it well. The Civic has a long history, relatively speaking, here in North America as a choice form of economical transportation that is fun to drive. This simple, yet important, recipe has been maintained throughout the Civic's 35-plus year existence.

Growing with the times
As the generations seemingly flew by, the eighth iteration of the Civic is the biggest ever. More capacious, powerful and comfortable, this car is no longer a small second family car, although it certainly can handle these duties as well.

In car-years, five is a big number, especially for the Japanese. Usually, a thoroughly revamped car would be circulating on the web or, minimally, a refreshed body would have been presented to the masses “last” year.

This is not really the case for this Civic. The fact that it continues to be fashionable demonstrates that Honda was so spot-on with their styling exercise that it has required next to nothing to stay current. The car's wedge shaped front end and high tail remain modern and even sought after by those that appreciate the “raked” look.

Roomy, well thought-out and versatile, the Civic's passenger quarters are still amongst the most welcoming in the segment, as much as some cars that have only recently been unveiled. Perhaps my only complaint here is the location of the emergency brake handle which digs into my knee. Otherwise, the firm seats and flat rear floor are very accommodating. One thing I do like is the location of the speedometer at the top of the dashboard; I'm left wondering why other manufacturers have yet to copy this.

Peppy for sure
In the compact segment, sub-2.0L engines are usually reserved for the base cars. In the Civic's case, it's the only one you can get (non-Si). Dropping 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque, this car's powertrain can do what most competitors’ 2.0L engines can do all the while consuming less fuel. Our tested DX-G car was equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission which was a rarity when the car was originally launched.

At only 1,239 kg, the Civic need not struggle with lazy arduous weight transfers when tackling on and off-ramps. Instead, the agile suspension and precise power steering make this car a joy to drive. Responsive as ever, the Civic is a pleasure on the highway as well as in town; it's always nice to get back behind the wheel of a lithe car.

The autobox works well, never missing a shift however, for this automobile, nothing rivals the pure enjoyment of working the five cogs yourself. Perhaps the best outcome of driving a Civic is the low fuel consumption numbers you can expect regardless of your driving habits. An average of only 7L per 100 km is a common occurrence.

Honestly
In all honesty, I'm not a big fan of the Civic unless it's a white four-door Si. I personally have had a bad family experience with a 2006 Civic and truthfully, the car is getting old. Be that as it may, I'm obviously the confused or deranged one as the car is still popular, almost too popular. I know the car is good, but I'm convinced that its name carries it most of the way. Think of a reputation. The Civic's is nearly impeccable, it has great resale value and ownership costs are low...

I'm confronted with the fact that this is not my favourite car, because it's such an “open-and-shut” choice to make. I'm all for the underdogs, maybe, but for your money, it is seriously tough to go wrong when you drive away from a Honda dealer at the wheel of your new Civic.

Source;
http://www.auto123.com/en/honda/civic-sedan/2010/review?carid=1102300202&artid=114631

Honda Cars : Honda Civic: The gold standard of compact cars | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Here's a great article for some product knowledge;

It’s amusing to hear our American friends going on about the importance of buying products made in the U.S.A. when one of their favorite cars is made by a foreign power — us.

Yep, the Honda Civic sedan is just one of the vehicles made in Ontario at Honda’s production facility in Alliston.

The perennial top-selling compact car in Canada and the U.S., the current generation Civic blurs the line between compact and mid-size because 2009 Civics aren’t really all that small anymore.

The Civic is 4.4 metres long with the passenger volume of 2,574 litres. It may be considered compact on the outside, but it’s mid-size on the inside.

There are no less than six different Civic models: four trim levels (DX, DX-G, Sport, EX-L) of the sedan, the sporty Si with a bigger 2.0-litre engine that revs freely to an amazing 7,800 r.p.m and the Hybrid that boasts fuel economy numbers of 4.7L/100 km city and 4.3L/100 km highway.

Tested here is the Sport that replaces last year’s LX model.

The Sport features a leather wrapped steering wheel, black cloth interior with silver contrast stitching and little things like a chrome exhaust tip and USB device connector
.
The shape of the Civic sedan, as well as the coupe, has now defined the Honda “family look” with a steeply raked front windshield that is part of a sweeping roofline that actually starts at the nose then arches up and over in one curve to the rear deck.

That is combined with a wide track and extremely short overhangs for a look that seems hewn out of one block.

All Civics, including the Sport, have what Honda calls its advanced compatibility engineering body structure.

In a frontal crash, the energy is dispersed through a network of load bearing structures in the front of the vehicle.

To make it work, the front-end frame structure incorporates new upper and lower frame members to significantly enhance energy dispersion in a frontal collision.

The design of the Civic also takes into account what happens when a pedestrian is hit.

The Civic’s hood and fender areas are designed to deform if contacted by the head of an adult or child.

Energy-absorbing collapsible hood supports, wiper arms and fender mounts are designed to allow substantial deformation from an impact.

The interior of the Civic takes advantage of its greater width.

For instance, the seats are wider, and thus, more supportive.

The centre console is big enough to hold 25 CDs.

The most prominent aspect of the cabin is the two-tier instrument panel.

A digital speedometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge are housed in the upper level to be more in line with the driver’s line-of-sight, resulting in shorter eye movements between the most commonly referenced gauges and the road.

The lower level of the instrument panel houses a tachometer, multi-information digital display, odometer with trip meter and a variety of warning indicators.

Once seated, just about anyone can find a comfortable driving position, including my son, who is just too tall for most compact and mid-size cars.

With a long seat travel and standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel, even the new race of giant children we are building can drive a Civic.

Power for the four main Civic sedans, including the Sport, is a 1.8-litre SOHC inline four-cylinder producing 140 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque.

Standard transmission is a five-speed manual with a five-speed automatic as an option.

Fuel ratings for the manual are 7.4/5.4L/100 km city/highway and 8.2/5.7L/100 km city/highway for the automatic.

The automatic tested here is typically Honda-ish in that, if you pull down on the shift lever in one motion, it bypasses drive on the shiftgate and slots in one gear below in D3.

Unlike most autoboxes where you just select drive and let the transmission do the shifting,

Honda believes most people want a little more peppy response around town where most driving is done, thus a higher initial gear.

The only way around this is to pull down the shifter deliberately for drive.

The view forward is quite different from the norm for the first time Civic driver.

Due to the wind-cheating shape of the car, the hood falls away sharply forward from the windshield.

The driver, seated further back has no visual sense of where the front corners are.

This can cause problems when parking.
E
xperience, as in everything, is the best teacher and the perimeters are soon learned.
The vehicle is also wide, and along with the length and high rear deck, I found the Civic a challenge to back into my standard-sized garage.

In fact, I found an Acura MDX (also built in Alliston) easier to back in.

The DX and DX-G come with a solid fold-down rear seat back while the Sport and EX-L have a 60/40 split/fold rear seat. This can be used to augment the 340 litres of cargo volume in the trunk.

A nice inclusion is a standard 12-volt power point, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, integrated-glass radio antenna, six airbags and, on the Sport, steering wheel mounted cruise control.

Suspension is coil springs over MacPherson struts, with stabilizers bars at the front and a double wishbone independent system with stabilizers bars at the rear.

It would have been far cheaper for Honda to go with a simple twist beam at the rear. However, the double wishbones, because of the relatively long wheelbase (2,700 millimetres), make for a more refined ride that’s enhanced by better adhesion.

Breaking is power ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the rear. Four-wheel ABS with electronic brake distribution control is standard on all Civics.

If you want stability control it is only available on the EX-L, Hybrid and Civic Si Coupe.

The Sport has a starting price of $21,780 and will probably be the volume seller. My tester had just two options, the five-speed automatic at $1,200 and floor mats ($178.90) for an as tested price of $23,158.90.

The Sport is well-equipped for the price and it’s roomy too.

It’s a great car for going across town or across the country.

Others have tried, and are still trying, to duplicate or better the Civic, but it remains the Canadian gold standard for compact sedans.

Source;
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/kamloopsthisweek/news/50949132.html