Honda CIVIC 1.6 EXECUTIVE
After A Family Hatchback That Boasts Better Quality, More Space And Some Sassy Technology? Hondas Civic Executive Answers The Description. Andy Enright Reports
Family hatchback buyers have a variety of disparate offerings clamouring for their attentions. Theres the conventional option, embodied by cars like the
Ford Focus and
Volkswagen Golf, the junior executive image carried off by cars like the
BMW Compact and
Audi A3 or the
mini-MPV route for the expanding family man. Imagine you could take the driving dynamics of the Focus, throw in the interior sang froid of the Audi and the interior packaging of a
Renault Scenic. Sounds appealing?
Honda certainly hope so, because thats the bullseye theyre aiming at with the £14,225 five door Civic Executive 1.
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Like the original Civic 5-door range this car was developed to replace, this model is being built at the companys Swindon plant and has subsequently spawned a three-door version that rolls along the same lines. Theres even an MPV version called the Stream though a glance at this 5-door model might lead you to think its already an MPV in its own right. Both the 5-door and the 3-door were substantially revised for the 2004 model year. The 5-door featured here getting a three-bar grille as well as a revised tailgate and rear bumper ensemble.
A tailgate spoiler was added and the tail lights have also been revised. A number of changes, however, go right across the Civic range. Extensive fine-tuning of the suspension and the power steering systems give the cars much crisper handling and better steering feel. Inside, the five-door cars get a four-spoke tiller with built in audio controls and the illuminated dash as seen in the Civic IMA and the Accord.
"If you like your family hatchbacks with the entire option list built into them, theres really only one choice"
Despite its upmarket aspirations, the one-box dome-shaped profile of the Civic Executive with its short nose and large glass area gives a very shrunken-People Carrier feel. Its the same inside, where the dashboard-mounted gearlever frees up floorspace and enables front-seated parents to walk through and give noisy kids the good news. As for space, well theres significantly more than youd find in an ordinary family hatch, due to dimensions that make it 130mm longer and 15mm higher than a class-leader like Fords Focus. Hardly surprising then, that the cabin boasts a useful amount of extra room.
Compare it once more with a Focus and youll find 30mm more headroom and (perhaps more surprisingly given that its 15mm narrower) 145mm more cabin width. Rear
seat passenger legroom is especially impressive, even for the middle seat occupant who for once, can stretch his or her legs out in comfort. To the Civics credit, it was named the most comfortable car in Britain in a survey carried out by What Car? magazine, who enlisted the help of a leading automotive ergonomist who rated cars on ease of access, driving position, seat comfort, control layout and visibility. The Civic was praised because its so straightforward.
According to the judges, "the controls are simple and even the unathletic will find it easy to climb in and out of seats that are unlikely to cause aches and pains. Its one of the most thoughtfully designed cars weve ever sat in." Despite Hondas concentration on their engineering prowess, theres not a great deal thats new under the bonnet. The 108bhp 1.6-litre engine behind the Executives three-bar grille will be familiar to those familiar with Hondas previous Civic line up, but in this case it has undergone some fettling.
Honda claim better mid-range pull from the engine, whilst emissions have been reduced in order to comply with the stringent EU2005 regulations.
But in order to future-proof their engines to this degree, have Honda hobbled the 1.6 Executive? Not so youd notice. Sixty is 10.4s away en route to 114mph, compared to 9.
9 seconds for the outgoing model. Youd definitely trade that half second for an improved performance at the pumps, and the latest Executive comes up trumps in this respect with an average of over 40mpg. Despite the fact that enthusiast drivers will put the
Ford Focus or
Peugeot 307 at the top of their shortlists, the Civic certainly deserves a look in, as its certainly much more satisfying at speed than its predecessor. The standard Electric Power Steering (EPS) system originally developed for the Insight hybrid car helps here, increasing the steering gear ratio to create a more linear response.
The result? A much greater level of control and feel. Aside from the Executive, the standard Civic 5-door range also covers S, SE and Type-S trim levels but if you like your family hatchbacks with almost the whole option list built into them, theres really only one choice. The Executive includes alloy wheels, body coloured door handles, a radio/CD player, Projector headlamps, an electric sunroof, mirror-mounted indicators and climate control air-conditioning. Theres also enough leather in here to give a vegetarian a guilt complex, with hidebound seats, steering wheel trim and gear level gaiter.
In addition to this gear, theres also electric windows all-round, front and side airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, rear heater ducts for chilly back seat passengers and heated mirrors. With cup holders front and rear, outside temperature gauge, an ISOFIX child seat system and keyless entry, the Executive pretty much does what it says on the tin. As far as running costs are concerned, significant reductions are being claimed and theres the usual three year comprehensive warranty to consider. Not that youre likely to need it.
Build quality a traditionally strong Honda trait is as usual exemplary: even the gaps between the body panels have been halved. On the security front, this car copies the excellent system used on the larger Accord with deadlocks and an immobiliser. Theres also a visible vehicle identification number to aid recovery should the car get stolen anyway. Categorising the Civic 1.
6 Executive isnt easy. Theres enough
mini-MPV and junior executive DNA mixed into the familiar family hatchback recipe to make it worth consideration by any prospective buyers in these categories. One things for sure, though. The Civic is bigger, better and, in Executive guise, plusher than its ever been.
The automotive old school is a failing school and the Civic is out to close it down.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Honda Civic 1.6 Executive
PRICE: £14,225 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 156g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 10.4s / Max Speed 114mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 29.4mpg/ (extra urban) 49.6mpg/ (combined) 39.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4285/1695/1495mm
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