Hello, and welcome to the last review of our long-termer 2017 Honda Civic 1.6-liter DX Plus. After going through the hands of my colleagues Zaran, Anas, and Sana – it finally got into my garage for me to review it. While the Civic nameplate harks back to 1972, we have here with us the latest 10th generation avatar of what is unarguably one of the most important models in Honda’s lineup.
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The Honda Civic slots in the compact sedan category, which in my opinion nowadays, is one of the most challenging categories for every carmaker because of two important reasons. The first is the recent encroachment of very well-equipped Chinese cars, which tend to skimp on the quality of the vehicle to attain a cheaper price. The second reason is the rising popularity and mindset of local, regional, and international consumer trends of preferring Compact SUVs or Crossovers, instead of a sedan. This situation is made even more complicated as several times, the price difference between a sedan and a Crossover can often be negligible. Having said that, the new 2017 Honda Civic is the winner of the “Best Compact Sedan” category in the 2017 Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) awards. Let us try and see why that’s the case.
Exterior
The new 2017 Honda Civic goes against well established, tough competitors such as the Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. Also, with a vastly different (and lower) market share, we can also name the nearly non-existent Volkswagen Jetta. Compared to the competition, in my opinion, the 2017 Honda Civic has the best exterior design, overall. The exterior styling comes across as modern, aggressive, dynamic, and seems very well-built, too. All of these positive attributes are primarily driven by the front-end design on the new Civic. This is the area where we can see the near-perfect combination of well-defined muscular lines between the hood and the front bumper.
Jumping to the rear, the new Civic portrays something that is not common for the sedan category. Let us be honest, how do you visualize a family sedan? The stereotypical expectation is a design with a large trunk area that juts out and extends well past the rear wheels, very much like the car designs we used to sketch as kids. However, although this is very much a sedan, Honda has managed to dissimulate the visual expanse and bulk at the rear, lending a different approach to how most of us view a typical sedan.
Interior
Interior-wise, I must say I was confused with the 2017 Honda Civic. Keeping things short, I believe this interior doesn’t do justice to the rather modern and brave exterior. Although you have the overall quality and features that you can get for approximately AED 67,000, I was expecting a bit more. Though the leather-covered steering wheel feels nice to touch and hold, there are enough hard plastics throughout this cabin to remind you of its price tag. That said, everything feels very well put together and you won’t be having to put up with any unwanted squeaks or rattles.
When I first sat inside the new Civic, I was expecting softer and more giving seats. However, they are on the firmer side and something that you need to get used to. On the other hand, my main issue is with the infotainment system on this new generation Civic. Although it has Bluetooth connectivity for your mobile phone to make calls and to stream music; I feel the whole system feels like it has been borrowed from an older model. The small size of the display and its relatively low-res quality are the main reasons for my complaint with it. It is made worse on a bright and sunny day. When the sun hits this relatively small screen, you can barely read anything that’s on it.
Drive
Now for my experience behind the wheel of the new 2017 Honda Civic. Here’s where I think this Civic really makes a case for itself over its predecessor, and over some of its competitors. I had the opportunity to drive this car for more than a week and I really liked it. Of course, the one thing I really wasn’t a fan of was this car’s transmission, which happens to be a non-inspiring CVT setup. That said, for everyday usability and cruising down the highway, this CVT is alright and contributes to the respectable frugality of the new Civic.
As for the overall drive, the 2017 Honda Civic feels very smooth and the cabin is relatively quiet. Isolation from the outside world is above average and easily fits a car of this class. Another thing I loved was the handling. And every time I got behind the wheel of this Civic, it was an "oh my god" kind of a moment for me. Honda has got the steering set-up bang on for urban driving conditions and at normal city speeds, maneuvering and making turns in this car is a breeze. This came as a real boon for me, especially given the tight confines of the parking area in my building. The nippiness and easy steering almost made me feel as though I was driving a go-kart, rather than a 4.6-meter long sedan.
Verdict
Although the 2017 Honda Civic is on the pricier side of the segment that it sits in, if you are looking for a car under AED 70,000 (i.e. approximately AED 1,000 per month installment for a 5-year loan), I will definitely suggest you give this sedan a fair chance when considering your next purchase. In closing, if I were to describe the new Honda Civic in a few words, those words will be – reliability, fair drive, good-looking exterior, and good fuel economy.
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