The new 11th generation Honda Civic has arrived, much to the joy of the 1,200 people that booked this sedan way before launch. This highly-anticipated Honda Civic features a new design, improved tech and a more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. On top of that, Honda Malaysia has introduced a new variant to the Civic’s lineup — the RS spec car takes the crown from the V-spec with the E-spec becoming the new base.
The Honda Civic RS features an exclusive exterior kit such as the twin tailpipe with chrome finisher and 18-inch matte black alloy wheels to bring out the sedan’s sportiness. In addition, the side mirrors, shark fin antenna, outer door handles and trunk spoiler are painted black to highlight the car’s sporty ambitions. No matter which Civic you’ll end up with, all of them have received the Laser Brazing technology that smoothens the car’s roofline.
Lighting up the road ahead are new LED headlights with LED daytime running lights. As for the rear, the LED combo lights gives the Honda Civic a new identity.
For the 11th generation Civic, Honda Malaysia is dropping the 1.8-litre engine and sticking only with the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, as dictated by market demand. To date, turbocharged variants make up 60 per cent of the Civic’s sales.
Goodbye 1.8-litre engine, you’ve done well
The engine may be small but it is souped up to produce more power than a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated engine. The 1.5-litre VTEC Turbocharged engine produces 182PS and 240Nm of torque, enabling it to reach speeds of up to 200kph. Power is fed through a CVT gearbox to give the Civic a 0-100kph time of 8.5 seconds for the RS, 8.4 seconds for the V spec and 8.3 seconds for the E spec. As for fuel economy, the RS returns 6.3l per 100km while the V and E specs yield 6.0l per 100km.
Differences in the performance numbers stem from the kerb weight of the sedan — 1,338kg for the E, 1,349 for the V and 1,362 for the RS. So yes, for kit adds more weight. Nevertheless, the new drive mode options of ECON, Normal and Sport remaps the car’s computer so the small differences in performance feel negligible.
The all-new Civic’s chassis has been improved to handle better, ride more comfortably and offer more protection in a collision. than the previous generation. Honda has toughened to chassis with an eight per cent increase in torsional rigidity and a 13 per cent increase in bending rigidity. Furthermore, the insulators, floor undercover and spray foam are employed to enhance interior quietness and ride comfort.
Interior makeover
The all-new Civic has a bigger glasshouse installed for better visibility outside and to make the interior seem more spacious at the same time. However, what would grab your attention first is the Honeycomb Mesh Panel that runs horizontally across the dashboard. In addition, the seats are redesigned to support good posture.
Exclusive to the RS variant, the Civic is fitted with Combi Leather Seats and a leather steering wheel finished with red stitching. The variant also differentiates itself with black headlining, sports pedal and foot lamp.
In the RS and V variants, you’ll find a 9-inch Advanced Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There are also two USB ports in the front for easy access. The standard equipment that comes in all Civics is a 7-inch TFT meter, two rear USB ports and Smart Clear Wiper.
The Civic’s senses are tingling
The all-new Civic is equipped with the complete Honda SENSING advanced safety system. Nine modules make up the full suite, including:
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- Lead Car Departure Notification System (New)
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Low-Speed Follow
- Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Forward Collision Warning
- Lane Keep Assist System
- Road Departure Mitigation
- Lane Departure Warning
- Auto High Beam
Of the nine, Lead Car Departure Notification System makes its debut in the Honda Civic. This system works by alerting the driver that the car in front has moved if the driver hasn’t moved in an appropriate amount of time.
Some of the Honda SENSING modules have been improved for better usability. The Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow can now slowly decelerate by detecting braking and indicator lights from the vehicle in front. It will also control acceleration just in case the driver jumps the gun. The Lane Keep Assist System has been ironed out for the smother steering operation during turn-ins and corrective steering assist in crosswinds and high wind-pressure situations.
There’s still no sight of any blind spot monitoring system, Honda continues to favour the LaneWatch to uncover the left blind spot. You still need to peek right to clear the blind spot on that side. The Honda LaneWatch system is only available in the RS and V variants.
The Civic’s safety features do not end there. The list continues to include:
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- Six Airbags
- Vehicle Stability Assist
- Hill Start Assist
- Emergency Stop Signal
- Anti-lock Braking System
- Electronic Brake Distribution
- Auto Brake Hold
- Rear Seat Belt Reminder (New)
- Driver Attention Monitor (New)
More information on your smartphone
Just as the previous Civic, this generation also has Remote Engine Start and Walk Away Auto Lock. New, though, is the expanded functionality of the Honda Connect. Through the app, you can pull up a whole slew of information from the car. The Telematics system gives you Vehicle Diagnostics, Remote Applications, Security Applications, Vehicle Tracking and Support Services.
The all-new Honda Civic starts the ball rolling at RM125,634.64 for the E variant and continues to RM138,043.36 for the V variants. The top-range RS is available for RM144,350.09. New colours offered are Ignite Red Metallic and Meteoroid Grey Metallic, which joins Platinum Pearl White, Lunar Silver Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl on the palette wheel.
The big question remains, can an even-numbered generation Civic be more successful than the previous one?
