For ten generations, the Honda Civic has represented a bet won by the Japanese company for the benefit of the entire automotive industry.
It was the benchmark, in terms of handling but also of power with the Type R, among front-wheel drive sports sedans.
Factor that helped to overcome the milestone of 27.5 million units sold in 170 countries.
The eleventh Civic will try to emulate it in the new terrain of electrification, already traced in Europe by the rest of the range consisting of Jazz, Jazz Crosstar, CR-V and HR-V.
The edgy look of the past has given way to a more mature style, flanked by growth in length and stride for greater stability.
It measures 4.55 meters in length and is 1.80 m wide, while the height has been filed down to 1.41 meters as suggested by the inclination of the front pillars, very thin to reward visibility from the inside.
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New Honda Civic and: Hev
The curvature of the roof gently bends towards the new tailgate, made of resin fiber to achieve a weight reduction of 20% compared to the past.
It hides a trunk with a capacity increased to 410 liters.
Space also increases for the occupants, especially in the rear area, where 3 adults can comfortably fit.
To stand out even in the era of performance generally uniformed by electrification, Honda has developed an unprecedented Full-Hybrid architecture for the new Civic e: Hev, especially when compared with that of the Japanese brand that was the first to believe in this technology.
The Civic's powertrain is made up of the Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, flanked by two electric motors and a high-capacity lithium-ion battery.
Transmission is fixed ratio.
Power and torque are at the top among the full-hybrids: 184 horsepower and 315 Nm. This is confirmed by the performance on the 0-100 km / h sprint covered in about 7.5 seconds, but even more by the behavior on the road.
The multifaceted nature of the new Honda Civic e: HEV emerges right from the start, quiet and smooth as often happens with hybrids.
While driving, you can appreciate the perfect synergy between the electric units and the 2.0-liter thermal, which in most cases intervenes without making its voice heard inside the passenger compartment.
It makes itself felt, however, by pressing hard on the gas especially after selecting the Sport mode, which brings out the genetic heritage of the Civic on performance, decidedly convincing even in the hybrid era.
The progression is marked by the e-Cvt at an acoustic level (the gearbox has a fixed ratio), while the 315 Nm of torque are discharged without pauses along the entire delivery curve.
The solidity of the suspension is perfectly matched to the liveliness of the powertrain, with the precise and pleasantly consistent steering that is appreciated for the maximum precision between curves, where there is no trace of roll.
The Adas equipment included in the Honda Sensive package is good and rich, even if the control of the lane keeping system is sometimes a bit invasive.
In the mixed route of about 150 covered in the test, with motorway sections alternating with other more tortuous ones with some ups and downs, the consumption recorded indicated a minimum of 5.2 liters / 100 km up to a maximum of 6 liters per 100 km.
The new Honda Civic will arrive in Italian dealerships in October, available in 3 configurations, with a starting price set at 35,300 euros.
