Honda Civic Hybrid - Review

It was back in this reporter’s days as a youth, when the band Linkin Park first burst on to the scene and generated plenty of waves with their mix of metal, rap, a lot of screaming, and a hint of teenage angst.
However as time passed, their music gradually adopted a more melancholic tone, with a reflective mood rather than one that is charged, and with a lot less screaming.
Art is often a reflection of the era of the artiste and that shows in how their music has steadily evolved through the years.

In similar fashion, Honda’s Civic sedan has shifted from the futuristic shape of its eighth generation, to the angular shape that bears plenty of design cues from the current City and Accord.
Many have lambasted its shape for being too conservative, contrived, and unimaginative.
True, the Civic isn’t as ‘ahead of its time’ in the looks department as many had come to expect, but this writer will stick his head out and defend the new model by saying it is better looking than its predecessor.

Where its predecessor’s slanted ends and lack of lines gives it the look of a melted slab of butter, the rising centre line on the current Civic lends it an athletic look with a slight forward leaning posture.
Aficionados will immediately recognise that this model here is the Hybrid variant with the small blue fitments on its headlights and taillights, and this is the variant which gets the biggest step-up from its predecessors.

No longer does it use the miniscule 1.3-litre engine, which had trouble carrying its own weight, instead a bigger 1.5-litre engine takes over propulsion duties with a bank of lithium-ion batteries packed at the back.
Boasting a 33 per cent higher output and 9kg weight saving over its predecessor’s nickel-metal hydride battery, the lithium-ion battery does allow the engine to stay off while feeding enough power to keep the audio system, lights, and crucially air-conditioning system operating for minutes on end.
Like its predecessor, the Civic Hybrid is a mild hybrid as its electric motor is not powerful enough to provide zero-emission propulsion by itself, and is limited to merely assisting the engine under acceleration.

Though the engine’s automatic stop-start system does send some shudders into the cabin when starting up, we have to say that it is a lot more refined than the optional stop-start system on non-hybrid cars we have experienced, as there is no sudden lurching from the drivetrain when the engine kicks in.
No matter, the electric motor delivers plenty of low-down low-speed kick from the get-go, and the bigger engine finally gives the Civic Hybrid enough thrust to push the car easily beyond highway speed limits.

Our high-speed interstate run between Malacca and Selangor with four occupants on board, yielded a fuel consumption figure in the region of 16km/L.
An admirable figure considering that it also included lengthy stop-go traffic situations while jostling with Singaporean tourists in Malacca, but needless to say it is not especially exceptional for a hybrid.
That said the Civic Hybrid is considerably more expensive, now it sits as a middle rung model amongst the Civic's variants.
If you are planning to buy a Civic on a budget, the 1.8S variant is RM4,000 cheaper and very nearly as fuel-efficient.
Between the 1.8S and Hybrid variants, the Civic Hybrid does come with added garnish such as its chrome door handles, leather upholstery, front side airbags, and keyless ignition, but if you aren't sold on the idea of a hybrid, the 1.8S is a better option.
With a CVT meting out the power, acceleration in the Civic Hybrid  isn’t what you might call exciting or adrenaline pumping, sure enough after the initial kick from the electric motor assistance, the Civic Hybrid takes off with a smooth and linear progress.
The driving experience doesn’t feel that different from before.
The Civic’s electric power steering does transmit direction changes quickly and accurately at low speeds and gradually weighs up as you build speed, while the damping in its ride feels more absorbent now to poorly surfaced roads.

While the handling characteristics might not have changed, the level of refinement inside certain has.
Sure the curvaceous shape of the cockpit has made way for one that looks plain and blocky, but with the button count slashed, it feels much easier to operate the cockpit controls.
Furthermore the bright blue backlight which lit up the previous cabin like a disco ball has been removed in favour of a black background with subtle hues and tones that are less garish, and more pleasing to the eyes.
But the biggest improvement on the Civic is its NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) suppression, as external noises are notably absent even at high speeds, with the exception of a hushed roar from the tyres.
For many years the Europeans have boasted about high-speed refinement, and we were equally surprised to see that Honda has delivered something to match the new competition.
In many respects the Civic Hybrid is a huge improvement over its predecessor, yet it retains some of that identity of being the driver’s choice.
After a weekend with it, we felt that the criticism it received is undeserved as the Civic feels grown up now, less boyish exuberance but more evergreen qualities.
Much like how Linkin Park changed their tune as the years progressed, maybe it isn’t them getting old, but they realising that tastes change and nobody stays young forever.
Maybe Honda has woken up to this fact, and maybe we should too.

Specifications of the Honda Civic Hybrid
Engine: 1,497cc 4-cylinder i-VTEC with IMA
Combined max power: 110hp (82kW) @ 5,500rpm
Combined max torque: 172Nm @ 1,000 – 3,500rpm
Transmission: CVT, front-wheel drive
Safety features: Four airbags, ABS, vehicle stability assist( VSA), and ISOFIX child seat anchor points
Price: RM119,980 OTR with insurance