2012 Honda Civic EX sedan ReviewA lot has been said about the Civic since its 2012 model-year redesign. The media criticized the car for not having changed enough compared to the last-generation model, especially since the competition is coming up with much-improved machinery.
The Hyundai Elantra is one of them. In a cat fight with the Civic since last spring for the bestselling car in Canada title, the Elantra is a total departure from the previous version, and Canadians quickly adopted its striking bodywork and well-appointed interior. Yet despite the earthquake in Japan and the flooding in Thailand, which have both taken a toll on the Civic’s production in Canada and in the US, it’s still ahead by a couple of thousand units, and should retain its bestselling crown for a 14th consecutive year. Why? Because even though you won’t be buying the most exciting car in the compact category, purchasing a Honda Civic is a no-risk choice. Don’t look for direct injection, blind-spot monitors or a complex infotainment system; the Civic delivers on what counts: reliability, high resale value, low maintenance costs and great fuel economy. Comfortable and airy cockpit If you have a successful car on your hands, you shouldn’t mess it up, and Honda didn’t. As with the previous-gen Civic, occupants benefit from a cockpit that feels bigger than it actually is. You sit low in the Civic, while the expansive use of glass allows a great view of the road ahead and excellent rearward visibility, too. While most manufacturers are switching to a rougher, more rugged seat fabric, Honda continues to offer mouse-fur upholstery, which is a nice touch. Said seats are supportive, perfectly bolstered for long rides and despite their minimal adjustment possibilities, they prove comfortable for just about anyone.
Trunk space in the 2012 sedan increases slightly compared to the 2011 car, from 340 litres to 353 in DX and LX models, and 344 in EX, EX-L and Si trims. The cutout between the trunk and the rear-seat area is pretty narrow, which reduces the versatility of the fold-down seatback.
How many people designed the dashboard? What’s arguably a downgrade in the 2012 Honda Civic is the dashboard’s design and material quality. True, the centre stack is logically angled towards the driver, and the control layout is still as straightforward as it used to be. The dashtop display with its digital speedometer readout is great for figuring out how fast we’re going without taking our eyes off the road ahead. However, what bugs me a little is the half-dozen different textures spread out on the dash: rough, semi-rough, grainy, smooth… they’re all there clashing against each other. I know, a single texture covering everything would be monotonous, but this is a bit too much. In addition, the dash of our tester has 3 or 4 different shades of grey; again, too much. The right side of the dashboard blends in with the door panel, but the left side doesn’t. As for those door panels, they feel hollow and flex-y, something I have never gotten used to in a Honda. A little too conservative, perhaps? The new Civic is also drawing negative comments for its exterior styling. It looks a lot like the old model, and compared to the recent efforts from some rival automakers (the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra come to mind), the Civic is rather bland. Keep in mind what I said earlier, though; you shouldn’t mess with success, and Honda didn’t. And this raises a question: which car will age more gracefully between the Elantra and the Civic? In my humble opinion, it could swing either way. We’ll see in a couple of years. From the front, it’s not that easy to distinguish a new Civic from last year’s edition. Will this bother Civic buyers looking to trade in? Maybe.
The 2012 Honda Civic gets the same 1.8L 4-cylinder engine found in the previous-generation model, albeit with a few tweaks to improve fuel economy. Output remains unchanged at 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. Connected to a 5-speed automatic, our Civic EX tester strolls to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. Although some competitors sport an extra cog in their automatics, the Civic’s gearbox does a good job of keeping the engine under control; at 100 km/h, the 4-cylinder spins at 2,000 rpm. Fuel economy over the course of the week is averaging 8.2L/100km. If you’re looking for driving excitement, however, you might have to consider the Mazda3 or Mitsubishi Lancer instead of the Honda. The Civic can handle itself, no problem, but it’s not as nimble or playful as it once was. That’s what happens when you grow up. The consumer has spoken With a base price of $20,690 for the automatic Civic EX, Honda is within range of its similarly-equipped rivals, such as the Mazda3 GS ($20,590), the Toyota Corolla LE ($20,665) and the Hyundai Elantra GL ($20,909). By the way, you can only get a manual gearbox with the base DX, which means the cheapest automatic Civic will set you back $18,690; odd strategy here. Whether the automotive press likes the Civic or not, it will continue to sell like hotcakes. We can argue that it’s not our personal favourite for several reasons, but almost 5,000 buyers a month in Canada can’t all be wrong or risk-takers. I guess it’s “mission accomplished” for Honda.
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