In a previous life, I had a great little Honda Civic hatch. I drove the crap out of it! Having the extra cargo space gave me the option to take more road trips with my friends. I can’t believe it, but we have not seen a Civic Hatchback since 2000. Suddenly, that though has made me feel old.
STYLING
Hatchbacks are the way to go if you need more space than a traditional sedan offers. With the seats folded down, the Civic Hatch gives you about 1300 litres of cargo space. This is similar to some SUV’s out there, but you don’t have to sacrifice the actual size of the vehicle for all the room. A great idea if you are a single or couple living in a city and still want to be able to go on some adventures.
Honda has absolutely nailed the interior fit and finish. The materials throughout the cabin are top notch. Sitting in the drivers seat with my hands on the wheel, every touch point feels like it is of the highest quality.
Speaking of touch points, Honda has most of the controls being managed through the available seven-inch capacitive touchscreen. Air conditioning, navigation and music can all be operated through this system. It works well and the overall operation is responsive to my touch, but I really miss having a volume knob. Instead of quickly turning down the volume at the drive—through window, you have to slide your finger down or repeatedly tap the touch screen. Yes, you can use the controls on the wheel instead, but same issue, you will need to hold the button down for several seconds to adjust the sound. I know I am not the only journalist to complain about this so I am hoping this will be changed in the next generation Civic.
I am one of those people who always have a bottle of water or cup of coffee in my hands. Having a place to keep both of them and is easy to reach can make or break an interior for me. The Civic has a holder in the door and two in the centre arm rest. This means I can have both my drinks and so can my passenger.
The centre console also features a two-tier storage compartment that allows the ability to plug in your phone or other electronic devices and run all your wires through a hole. It makes things look cleaner and won’t clutter up this gorgeous interior. It is some of the small details like these that make an entry level vehicle like Civic so popular.
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ON THE ROAD
So popular, in fact, the Honda Civic has been the best selling car in Canada for the last 20 years. Beating out Mazda, Ford, Hyundai and Kia year after year, for reasons other than Honda’s attention to detail on their interiors.
The Civic has impressive road manners both in the city and on the highway. Comfortable and quiet interior at any speed. It has a MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. The Civic platform offers a ride that is pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face in all driving conditions.
The base Civic Hatchback is just over $21,000 and has a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine as standard equipment. This peppy engine is a $4,000 upgrade on the sedan or coupe. It is very quick to accelerate off the line and passes effortlessly on the highway. If you want more power, the Sport and Sport Touring trims give you 180hp but keep in mind that premium gas is recommended.
The standard 6-speed manual transmission is so easy to drive. The gearbox is light and is easy to shift up or down as needed. The younger generation will most likely prefer the available Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for an additional $1,300. This technology has got much better over the years and most drivers are finding it a good option because it also delivers impress fuel economy. The posted fuel rating for the CVT is 7.2L/ 100km in combined city and highway driving while manual is rated at just 6.9L.
FEATURES, TECHNOLOGY and SAFETY
Brake assist will prevent the car from rolling back if you opt for the 6-speed. This was always the biggest stress of driving a manual and now that stress is nonexistent.
The Civic’s audio system is compatible with the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and is managed through the touchscreen.
The Civic Hatchback is available in three trims. The base LX starts at just over $21,000 with the manual transmission. Then you have the Sport, and Sport Touring top of the line with CVT that is $30,690.
On the LX and Sport,Honda Sensing is available and it includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow.
This hatch has a higher base price than the sedan or coupe but you get a better engine, more standard features and extra space needed for road trips with friends. As I reminisce about my youth, I think it’s about time Honda brought back the hatch. Just another reason to keep the Civic on top of the pack.
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