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By Declan Colley
At the present time, there are not many compact sedans on the market – and certainly not outside the premium segment where the Audi A3 and the Mercedes CLA offer options. The choices are limited, mainly because it is a segment of the market that seems to have fallen in front of the vineyard in the face of a continued attack by all-terrain vehicles / crossovers.
This week's test, the Honda Civic 'Sedan', as the builder understands – perhaps out of deference to its large US audience – is one of the few non-premium compact sedans on the market.
In fact, I think (but I'm open to the correction) that the only other candidates of this type that you can buy for now are the Mazda 3 sedan, the VW Jetta and the VW group twins, the Skoda Rapid and the Seat Toledo.
A reasonable indication of the death of the compact and affordable sedan appeared recently when Ford announced its new Focus range – with no four-door option available. When a company the size of the Blue Oval decides that the sales figures per slot are no longer sufficient to justify the manufacture of such a car, it seems that the writing is on the wall of the genre.
Even when the new Corolla sedan, which should land here here, will be sold mainly in hybrid – Toyota expects that 90% of sales are made in this format – it tells you that something is wrong in the world .
Honda – which has never been a company to fully comply with industry standards – resists the trend and the Irish branch of the company is really very optimistic about the Civic sedan.
After driving the thing, I can certainly see why, because he is a very refined artist.
But Honda does not just build a sedan, it also goes against the grain by proposing a diesel powertrain as one of two engine choices. They like doing things their way, these guys from Honda.
Part of this Honda uniqueness is expressed in the look of the new Civic, whatever the format. The new sedan has proved to be a divisive factor and it is a very "cooking pot" car; people like it or hate it.
Personally, I like it, for the simple reason that it strives – and largely succeeds – to be different and that designers seem to have striven to create more angularity than what should be seen with a car in the Civic Look, they have (whether you like it or not) have made it very distinctive.
The sedan is also a remarkable job in the field of appearance. Although he has a clear visual relationship with his brother or sister, a closer look illustrates the individual quirks. The roofline is more curved and the back is very different too, surprise, surprise.
On the engine, you have the choice between a single-cylinder three-potged petrol engine or, as we have tried, the 1.6-liter turbo-diesel i-DTEC. Both are front-wheel drive and are available with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or, in the case of diesel, a nine-speed car and in-line gasoline. 39, a CVT system.
I think for the sake of a better driving experience – and your ability to get the most out of the engines – there's no need to look further than the six-speed manual.
The diesel may seem a little shy, offering only 118 hp, but it will still reach 100 km / h with a stopped start in sufficient time of 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 205 km / h. . It will also restore an almost surprising fuel consumption of 3.5 l / 100 km while emitting only 94 g / km for a tax band A2 and an annual bill of 180 €.
It's a quiet engine with which you can drive and live, but it also has a little bit of life when you ask a question or two and even if it does not break a speed record on the ground, it's a decent and professional proposal with welcome perspective of being largely bombproof mechanically.
Dealing with the urban chore is not a problem for this thing, but it's like taking the air of the country too and you will find it as a companion highway very accommodating and comfortable, especially because it comes standard with a Adaptive and intelligent cruise control, a variety of safety systems including a lane departure warning and a set of anti-collision systems.
It should be noted that the Civic is quite loaded in terms of specifications. In the premium category that we have tried, it is interesting to see how the evolution of the small car has reached such a point that it is equipped with the kind of equipment that, until recently, It was only available on seriously premium cars.
Take a look at, for example, the inventive and very attractive dashboard graphics, or the advanced satnav, the sign recognition system, the automatic windshield wipers and many other things like the leather upholstery (with steering wheel and knob). leather) and the high-end 10-speaker audio system – you will leave very
impressed.
On the road, the sedan was slightly modified compared to the hatch and recalibrated the steering to cope with its increased bulk.
That said, the Civic looks like a big car and you also feel that the chbadis could handle much more power and easily adapt to any type of road surface. The general feeling is that it's very sophisticated for what it is.
It is also very comfortable and practical, with plenty of head and legroom for the driver and pbadengers, as well as a very large boot.
The price tag may seem a little exaggerated for what is essentially a small car, but the Honda is a small car wrapped in big-car clothes and what's on offer for the price will make you think.
A very decent buying prospect then, and a very attractive option in a very small opposition area.
Maybe the genre of the room as a whole suffers serious repercussions from SUV reserves, but Honda clearly shows that there is still life in this dog.
Colley Verdict
The cost: From € 28,950 to € 32,950 as tested
Engine: A slender and economical diesel
The specification: Pretty impressive
The global verdict: Bringing life to an endangered genre
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