Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo in the test: This is how the US bestseller drives

Created: 12/27/2021, 02:44 PM

From: Simon Mones

The Honda Civic has been one of the most successful cars in the world for decades.

While the 10th generation is still on the road in Europe, the successor is already driving around in the USA - with us behind the wheel.

Torrance (USA) - Finding a more successful car than the Honda Civic is hard.

Because even if the compact class model in Europe only plays a minor role in the registration statistics, the Japanese golf competitor is more successful than ever in the USA and Asia, with millions of units and an image like Donnerhall, as reported by 24auto.de.

Unlike in other Honda series, an electric drive still plays no role in the Civic - neither a plug-in hybrid nor an electric version are available.

The Civic - whether as a four-door sedan or hatchback model - has been appealing to traditionalists for years;

those who find the Accord too big or a vehicle like Toyota Camry too boring.

For years, the Honda Civic has been driving international competition from Europe and Asia to the ground in the USA.

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Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo in the test: This is how the US bestseller drives

Reason enough to take a closer look at the new 11th generation Honda Civic in its home market, because it will soon be coming to Europe.

Production in Swindon, UK, is now a thing of the past, and the upcoming hatchback version for Europe will also be manufactured in Greensburg (Indiana), USA, or Alliston (Ontario), Canada.

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Next year the new Honda Civic is also coming to Europe © Honda

Since 1973, more than twelve million Honda Civic have been sold in the United States alone, making the Japanese one of the three best-selling cars of all time in North America.

The previous generation - on the market since 2015 - was sold more than 1.7 million times before the successor started.

While the diagonal corner sets the tone in Europe, it looks completely different in the US mass market.

Here, the Honda Civic has been the bestseller as a four-door sedan for decades.

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Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo in the test: turbo gasoline engine instead of naturally aspirated engine

After the American Japanese stuck to the high-revving naturally aspirated engines for a long time, like most competitors, at least the top model has switched to a high-torque turbo gasoline engine.

In this context, the Honda Civic with its 1.5 liter four-cylinder, which generates 132 kW / 180 PS / 240 Nm thanks to its turbocharging, is particularly interesting for most customers.

Its standard consumption: 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers and thus half a liter less than the basic gasoline engine with two liters of displacement and 158 hp.

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Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo in the test: New airbags - for the first time in the rear

The eleventh generation design is more technical and dynamic than previous generations.

The 4.67 meter long sedan plays with coupé associations and is reminiscent of an Audi A5 Sportback or the Hyundai i30 Fastback.

Inside, the Civic has also become significantly more modern;

There are animated instruments, a nine-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard, wireless charging of the smartphone and a Bose sound system with twelve speakers.

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The interior of the Honda Civic now looks much more modern.

© Wesley Allison / Honda

Just as much attention was paid to safety as to comfort.

For the first time there are rear airbags and newly designed airbags at the front, which are intended to reduce head and neck injuries.

In the interior there is a little more legroom than before thanks to the wheelbase lengthened by 3.5 centimeters to 2.71 meters, and the seats are well contoured, especially at the front.

The load volume of 407 liters can be increased significantly by folding down the rear seats.

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Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo in the test: driving modes hardly differ

Optionally, a switch on the center console can be used to switch through three driving modes, whereby the automatic transmission is now mandatory.

The four-cylinder with a displacement of 1.5 liters is acoustically restrained and becomes more robust at higher speeds without showing any sporty genes.

One reason is the continuously variable automatic CVT transmission, which robs the front-wheel drive vehicle of some of its dynamics and also does not do the engine sound good under load.

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The Honda Civic comes without all-wheel drive.

© Honda

Compared to its predecessor, the 1.4-ton Civic is better because it is fuller on the road.

The widened track at the front and rear is not only noticeable when it comes to brisk cornering thanks to its smoother running and agility.

The smooth but precise power steering is particularly pleasing.

The weight of an internal combustion engine hardly seems to be on the front axle, so the Japanese maneuvers so casually and easily, even at lower cornering speeds.

Even the supposed family model is a lot of fun.

However, the individual driving programs are too close together and do not differ enough.

What Honda does not offer in its Civic, unlike many competitors, is an optional all-wheel drive.

If you want this, you have to switch to an SUV like the C-RV.

The base price for the Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo Touring is $ 28,300.

There are electric seats, complete safety equipment with LED headlights and numerous assistance systems.

The touring package also includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, Bose sound system and heated leather seats.

In the coming year, the eleventh generation will come to Europe.

Expected volume model: the hatchback variant with 180 hp.

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