The Malaysian automotive industry may have been overshadowed this year by the new Perodua Bezza, but the launch of the new Honda Civic is still one of the highlights of 2016. The talk of the town until a couple of weeks ago, the tenth-generation FC model carries Honda’s hopes to propel the Civic nameplate back to the top of the C-segment after the disappointing outgoing FB.
Today, we have here the range-topping RM135,800 1.5 Turbo Premium variant for your perusal – it’s the most expensive of a three-level range that also includes the RM113,800 1.8S and the RM127,800 1.5 Turbo. All prices are inclusive of insurance and a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
Visually, the new FC Civic marks quite a departure from the FD and FB models that came before it. The distinctive “monoform” design of previous generations has been substituted for a sleek, sporty fastback design, with a glasshouse that swoops elegantly towards the rear of the car.
At the front sits Honda’s Solid Wing Face, with slit-like headlights (full-LED here, halogen projectors with LED daytime running lights on other models) linked by a full-width chrome bar. The sporty front bumper has three air intakes low down; fog lights are fitted as standard, with the Turbo Premium gaining LED units.
Moving back, the teardrop shape of the glasshouse is accentuated by a rising shoulder line and a sweeping line above the front wheel arches. After two generations of having the mirrors mounted on stalks on the door tops, the FC reverts back to traditional A-pillar-mounted items. This Turbo Premium variant receives chrome door handles, while the others make do with body-coloured units.
At the rear, there are distinctive C-shaped tail lights with LED light guides, although the rest of the functions (brake, indicators, reverse) still use bulbs. The rear bumper design mirrors the one at the front, and hide dual exhaust tips on turbocharged models – these variants also gain 17-inch machine-finished alloy wheels instead of the 1.8S’ smaller 16-inch items.
A legacy of the FC’s US-led development are the side markers located on the sides of the tail lights and ahead of the front wheels, which are compulsory in America – these indicate the length of the vehicle.
Speaking of length, the new car measures in at 4,630 mm long and 1,799 mm wide, making it a full 105 mm longer and 44 mm wider than the ninth-gen FB it replaces. The larger footprint is coupled with a 19 mm reduction in height (1,416 mm) for a sleek appearance.
Inside, the FC moves from the FD and FB’s dual-tier dashboard design to a more conventional one reminiscent of the current City. Instead of a small speed readout above the traditional analogue rev counter, the new car has a regular instrument cluster, although all Malaysian-spec models come with a full-colour LCD screen for the rev counter, speedometer and multi-info display.
There’s a very HR-V-esque tall transmission tunnel, with storage space underneath and HDMI and USB ports, as well as a 12V power socket. An electronic parking brake (with an auto brake hold function) frees up space for twin cupholders and a massive console box underneath the armrest.
Standard kit on all models is very comprehensive and includes keyless entry, push-button start, Remote Engine Start (starts the engine and air-con within a 10-metre radius) and Walk Away Auto Lock (locks the car in 30 seconds, or once you are beyond two metres away), cruise control, single-zone automatic air-conditioning and an eight-way powered driver’s seat.
Also fitted on all models is a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with a touch-operated slider for controlling volume, as well as a Display Audio seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a multi-angle reverse camera and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.
Turbo models gain leather upholstery (with a Mazda 2-esque carbon-effect centre stripe), an auto-dimming rear view mirror, paddle shifters and brushed aluminium trim, while the Turbo Premium also adds navigation and dual-zone auto air-con.
Safety kit is also top-notch, with all models gaining six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and ISOFIX child seat anchors. Unfortunately, none get the Honda LaneWatch blind-spot monitor that is fitted on the Thai-spec 1.5 RS.
Under the bonnet, buyers get a choice of two engines. The cheapest 1.8S variant gets a 1.8 litre SOHC i-VTEC naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that has been carried over from the previous-generation Civic. Outputs are rated at 141 PS at 6,500 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm, sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Higher-end models receive the new 1.5 litre direct-injected VTEC Turbo mill – related to the engine in the Jazz – that develops 173 PS at 5,500 rpm and 220 Nm of torque from 1,700 to 5,500 rpm. Honda claims combined fuel consumption figures of 6.3 litres per 100 km on the 1.8 litre model and 5.8 litres per 100 km for the 1.5 litre; the latter will also do 0-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds, versus 10.4 seconds for the 1.8.
Want to know how the new 2016 Honda Civic drives? You can read our review – all the way from Chiang Mai, Thailand – here. You can also browse full specifications and equipment of all Civic models, as well as compare them against its competitors, on CarBase.my.
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messy engine. overheating. lousy car.
Oh sohai CVT=EarthDream; = all cars can be EarthDream. WTH dinosaur vtech cannot be revolution, end of max of its capable.
Japanese always like to recycle. But this Civic really not nice. You barely notice it among the crowds. Now already stock overflow and doing discount already.
no wonder not much people want … ready stock and discount started
Seriously, after checking this car, the interior design doesn’t match with the exterior so called “futuristic” design. Don’t mention about the weird looking rear design.
The old fashioned interior design is getting worse when I touched and feel it. It’s all hard plastic and even fragile thin plastic! “kok kok”. Alamak
So, you can go for Proton Perdana bro..
The rear seats can’t be folded down. Test drove it, the turbo lag kicked in when accelerated.. Plus with cvt, no feelin at all. It’s like drive a buggy. With tiny rear headroom.. Hmm.. A Big NO for me. Plus, the steering buttons feels like cheap toy! ! Hmm.. Looking forward for new accord with normal 5 speeds auto.. Hopefully it’s not cvt as well..
Zack you are absolutely right on the comments you made. The back seat cant fold and that sluggish lag … gosh ! what a disappointment !
I have seen the car, the welding really got problem.
Comeon Honda, we have Hyundai Veloster, Kia Cerato Coupe, bring in the civic coupe.
…. And Hatch back as well…!!!
Why the mid rear seat hump so high? Will there be a AWD model soon?
I wonder why some people dislike John’s sincere question..
Becoz blind bashers dun like when I persoal their jepunis overlords, including RBA john that is hard selling his Bisa.
because it is powered by a camel.
I would guess provisioning for hybrid drive train.
Otherwise just it’s just bad design.
Ugly rear..use cheap plastic in the car..the rear seat side bolster is plastic???..seriously?…and not to mention,engine is a total mess
how much will it cost for honda to make the engine cover? the cover is what we can see, what if something that we can’t see under the fancy shell?
Bit disappointed for the interior quality and looks. it feels and look cheap and . the grey-ish color seems unsuitable and makes it look like base variant specs. and the back look very-likely a sportback. Same like Audi A5.
Until now.., I still feel that there is something wrong with the design.. humm..
Someone says its the camel hump at rear seat woh
This is what happen if give us make design of Civic than Japan
You see too many of these on the road these days. Yes, it is a testament to brand recognition.
But somehow, it doesn’t feel exclusive anymore.
Familiarity will erode exclusivity, regardless whether it’s a car or a supermodel girlfriend.
A Civic no matter how dressed up, is still a Civic. It will never be exclusive.
It’s trying to, I give it that. But will fall short.
Jonathan Lee: Clean the floor mats & door sill before photography. This is after all, a car blog.
that’s why you call it a sports back/fastback.. by the way it looks like an Audi A5 Sports back from the side & form certain angle really
!..
I have seen at least 6 new Civics on the road while the new Perdana is nowhere to be seen
balum apa2 lagi sudah recall engine failure.
#turbobocor
Saw 1 on the road, and that is fooking ugly looking car. Honda might brought in the Turbo, but the design wise really failed big time. With that pricing, there is much more better and nicer option available.
Care to share what are the much better and nicer options available?
Asal bukan Honda
I agree. It looks weird on the road. It’s only passable in black. Any other colour – forget it!
Dear reviewer
Useless car review or unnecessary gallery review . What we want is for you to actually test drive the car here in Malaysia not in Thailand. Our road conditions are different from Thailand. Nonetheless, your writing is improving… Good job. You are a fast learner.
Dear Reviewer
Useless car review or pretty much unnecessary verbose gallery review. We can actually see all the pictures. What we need is for you to test drive the car here in Malaysia. The road conditions here are different from Thailand. Anyway your writing has improved slightly.Good job.
Honda Puchong branch (next to HSBC) sales person is really cocky.
I visited the showroom today between 11.15am to 11.30am with the intention to test drive the new honda civic turbo version.
i was asking there is a 2k discount for raya promotion? (I’ve seen several promo on honda malaysia site and thought there might be one for civic)
His reply was, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A 2K DISCOUNT, YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. WTF, is just a question! the sales person getting cocky nowadays with this new model.
Why Civic? There are choices out there with this price.
Is that a new variation of IF YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH, YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT? Jokes aside, that was unprofessional of the said Honda salesman. Maybe earned too much already…
He implied u to pay him 2k service charge from the discount u gonna get before he can allow u to test drive.
Then the salesperson does not deserve your money . It is his loss .
It’s your money, so take your business somewhere else. Having said that it’s a typical Malaysian sales person way of working, when business good they play hard to get, when business bad they throw in the kitchen sink also.
Is the wheel arch signals turn on all the time? Cuz the one I saw is very bright at night and annoying others
why so curious? civic is ah beng car who likes bling bling modification…lol
It is also way too low – a new Civic was approaching close to me on the left side (partial jam situation), felt like he want to cut into my lane, normally I would drive smoothly and also let it get in if there were signal lights. But too bad, there were no right signal to be seen and he still approaching like forcing his way. “No way” for me.
But once I passed certain angle, only I noticed the signal is blinking right, it was just not visible. Stupidly placed low hanging side signal light – those light should be on the wing mirrors got damn it. I used to have this same issue on Waja, now this Civic follow stupid Waja.
The wing mirrors comes default with LED turn indicators across all spec.
Yeah, I noticed it too. Is it always on by default? Or the driver can switch it on and off? Perhaps Paultan can confirm this?
it copied lambo…lol
Do you know many other cars has this type of lighting at the wheel arch? For example the GT86/BRZ and GTR35… go figure…
The side marker lights are not indicators, so they don’t blink and are on when the headlights are switched on. The usual indicators are on the headlights, side mirrors and tail lights.
Odd looking rear end, very auntie type of look… pondan car..
Definitely damn odd looking.
Sort of like make a cool looking car front with red front light, then slap it flat.
This plastic grey interior colour looks cheap compared to the price.. Boo
The interior looks cheap, the grey dashboard.. All cheap compared to the price.
I wonder if a lot of people actually buy this Civic.. in here seems like a lot of admirers but I dont recall seeing one on the road yet…
Wow, so many Toyota salesman writing negative comments here. But that’s also because they have nothing much to do these days seeing their sales have dropped massively losing to Honda in every segment except the pick up and van
The design looks too mess up and the interior just not appealing, I prefer the 10 years ago FD interior oppose to this one…also the car look so unfinished without bodykit.
the front & rear direct view dont look quite nice…front does remind the old version especially the overall proportion
btw, i notice no visible antenna on this car? not even shark fin type? hidden?
The antenna is printed on the windscreen.
Honda has been imprinting the antenna on the rear windshield for ages now. Suspect this is the same.
Only on paultan or other malaysian car websites u see people bashing the honda civic like its the worst car ever produced. Try reading some comments on youtube and you’ll see a totally different and honest review of the civic. It gets 4.5/5 (caranddriver), 4/5 (carbuyer), 4.5/5 (edmunds) ratings from all these websites and they are all reliable car websites. I’m starting to wonder if all the commenters here are just sales guys from other manufacturers. C’mon guys, be a better malaysian and be more ‘civic’ minded. ;p
I guess Asian preferences and taste are different. That’s the reason some car manufacturer have different designs for US, Europe and Asian market. A good example is Toyota. In spite of alli the high ratings given to the car, sales in US are only slightly better than the aged Corolla. I always take car reviews with a pinch of salt. It’s better to take extensive test drive yourself and thereafter make your own conclusions.
the white one looks awesome.
The Civic’s current design is one that you either like or loathe. I am the latter. It looked out of proportions. In my opinion, the tail lights are too large and don’t gel with the overall shape of the car. Dark colors would suit the car better. It tried to be an A6 but failed. Not many can be seen on the roads too. Potential buyers would be wise to hold on and sit it out for time being as I believe discounts are coming soon.
The car looks ok to me but after test drives it, it feels light and despite the turbo, I just couldn’t connect with it.