DRIVEN: 2016 Honda Civic 1.5L VTEC Turbo in Sabah – is the latest tenth-generation FC the best Civic ever?

Honda Civic review-ext 1

The Honda Civic is one of the world’s most recognised nameplates, which dates back to the 1970s. In your daily commute, you will see at least one Civic from any one of its nine iterations on the road.

However, Honda hasn’t always made every generation of the Civic perfect. While some proved to be highly memorable, and even coveted (fifth-gen EG, eighth-gen FD), others just felt a little lacklustre (seventh-gen ES, ninth-gen FB) by comparison.

Therefore, to bring the Civic into its tenth-generation, Honda has decided to revitalise its best-selling model of all time from the ground-up. Forget about the FB because everything’s new here, from the platform to the engine, even the design, which is now led by a North American team this time around.

Touted as the best Civic ever, it is a very bold claim, one that could certainly fluff up the expectations of the masses. Adding to this hype is the fact that Honda benchmarked its new Civic against makes from BMW and Audi, rather than its Japanese counterparts. We’ve already had a go in the new Civic in Thailand, and were left impressed by it there. Now, it’s time to find out if the tenth-generation model meets the hype on Malaysian soil – Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – specifically. Read on.

Honda Civic review-ext 7

There’s no running away from the fact that the Civic FC’s design will draw more than a few eyeballs to it. Park it beside the New York concept from 2015, and you’ll notice the many attractive lines and angles have made their way to the production car.

Eye-catching details include the coupe-like roofline that is paired with a fastback style body. Elsewhere, there are the sculpted engine cover and prominent wheel arch lines, character line that intercepts through the door handles and the Solid Wing Face.

If it appears long, that’s because it is. At 4,630 mm long and 1,799 mm wide, the new Civic sees 105 mm tagged on to its length and 44 mm added to its width when compared to its predecessor. Combined with the 19 mm height reduction, the Civic cuts a wide and low stance that certainly looks good, at least to my eyes.

Some spiffy kit accompanies this fresh new look on our Malaysian edition as well. The top-spec Civic 1.5TC Premium we drove gets full-LED headlamps (with DRLs), crab claw-style LED tail lights, chrome door handles and 17-inch five-spoke wheels (wrapped with 215/50 ContiMaxContact MC5 tyres).

For the non-Premium Turbo and NA variants, halogen projectors will provide illumination and body-coloured door handles are fitted instead. The NA model also receives smaller 16-inch alloys, but with larger profile 215/55 tyres.

Much like the exterior, the Civic’s cabin also receives a total overhaul, starting with a dashboard that appears to be influenced by the smaller Jazz and City. The driver-focused two-tier layout is also gone here, replaced with a single instrument binnacle and an upright centre stack that is no longer angled towards the driver.

From the driver’s seat, you can position yourself to sit pretty low with the eight-way powered seats. The materials used and finish quality is improved as well, with soft-touch plastic covering the dash, while other areas feature stitching and metallic elements to enhance their visual impact.

Plenty of toys to play with too, like the virtual tachometer and a digital speedometer, which can be customised by way of the seven-inch touchscreen factory head unit. Said unit is an Android-based one, and allows users to access media and navigation functions, as well as being a display for the reverse camera.

Honda Civic review-int 1

It also gets the usual set of inputs – Bluetooth, AUX, USB and HDMI – with nice additions being Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The latter however, will require you to source the app from a third party as the Android marketplace in Malaysia doesn’t officially serve it up as of yet.

Functionality-wise, the unit is pretty intuitive and easy to navigate within the first few minutes. However, Turbo owners who prefer to manually-operate their air-con fan speed will need to do so via the touchscreen and ‘Climate’ button. If you’re content with the dual-zone air-con system being in ‘Auto’, it isn’t much of an issue.

In terms of day-to-day practicality, the Honda Civic has all its rivals beat thanks to some impressive packaging. I’ll just detail some of the nifty things that I liked, starting with the tunnel below the centre stack (like the HR-V), which features the car’s charging ports and HDMI input. You could leave your phone charging in that slot or have it placed in the small slot along the sides of the centre tunnel.

If your phone is serving as a navigator, and is mounted on the windscreen, there’s also a small hole above the tunnel, allowing you to snake a charging cable through it. Aside from phones, there’s also no shortage of space to put your other items – SmartTAG, keys, wallet, etc. That big gaping hole in the centre console is deep enough to swallow almost anything, including two cup drinks if needed.

Within the cabin of the Civic, regardless of variant, you’ll be surrounded by six airbags (dual front, side, curtain). Since we’re on the topic of safety, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), ABS, hill start assist and an electronic parking brake with auto brake hold form some of the standard kit.

Now we come to the headline act of the new Civic – the new 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engine, which apparently 70% of buyers had a preference for, according to Honda CEO, Katsuto Hayashi. The L15B7 direct-injection turbo unit produces 173 PS at 5,500 rpm and 220 Nm of torque from 1,700 to 5,500 rpm, and replaces the previous 155 PS/190 Nm 2.0 litre NA engine. Also, the previous five-speed auto from before is replaced with a CVT.

On the road, the powertrain is ideal for cruising around the city of Kota Kinabalu with relative ease. The early arrival of low-end torque is certainly appreciated to assist with overtakes, and the CVT, despite the stigma, is quick and responsive if you’re gentle with the accelerator.

During our drive, we were led to two locations that required going through several uphill sections to Kokol Haven and Mount Kinabalu Park – a good test of the engine’s pulling capabilities. Suffice to say, once the turbo kicks in from 1,700 rpm upwards, the Civic just pulls and pulls its way, with minimal fuss and the sound of an engine being strained. Some CVT noise is still noticeable but not overly intrusive.

For the lead-footed, it’s a different story as the response of the powertrain is a tad slow. Put your foot down, and the CVT will take a moment to virtually “step down a gear,” before delivering the turbo engine’s power in one big lump. Efficiency is the priority here, but there’s no shortage of performance on hand, if needed.

Our drive around Kota Kinabalu included a mix of highways as well as a several towns. Across all of them, the Civic delivered a comfortable ride that managed to isolate occupants from the road deformities. NVH levels are also kept in checked, with just a hint of tyre roar.

As mentioned earlier, winding uphill roads were also part of the agenda, which allowed us to let the Civic off its leash a little. No beating around the bush here, this thing handles very well, and was confidence-inspiring as we carved our way up and down the roads.

Understeer here is kept in check, and arrives progressively rather than in one fell swoop, even with the sound of the screeching tyres. Steering feel is also pretty good, although the variable “gear” ratio may make it a little too artificial for some. Still, it does have its place for in the daily drive, which is much welcomed.

Honda Civic drive-official 74

For a bit of perspective, the organisers even brought along a Mazda 3 and a Toyota Corolla Altis for us to have a go at the pseudo “hill rally.” To keep things short, the Mazda certainly does well when it comes to focusing on driver appeal, but lacks the uphill oomph the Civic can provide.

The Toyota meanwhile, suffered from the same issue as the Mazda, but with a lot more noise from its powertrain (CVT whine), as it tried to pull itself along. However, it did provide for a slightly more comfortable ride when compared to the Civic.

Swapping from the driver’s seat to the rear ones, the seating position is pretty low, possibly to accommodate the reduced vehicle height and sloping roof. However, for this 170 cm-tall writer, this isn’t much of an issue, as there were still ample amounts of room for my head, legs and knees.

Additionally, the seating position is a little slanted at the back, and there is a plastic panel between the door and rear bench, which made for some awkward arm placement on the door armrest. As such, you will need to adjust your posture to be firmly seated here.

No split-folding seats either as there is a back brace in the way, which we were told by Hiroshi Ito, assistant large project leader of the all-new Civic, is there to provide extra rigidity for the car. For a bit of info, the new platform is 25% stiffer compared to its predecessor. Not to worry as there is up to 519 litres of boot space by default already, up from 460 litres.

The Civic FC is a triumphant return for Honda, being one of the best all-rounders in the segment. With a highly capable powertrain, coupled with impressive driving dynamics, a good ride, robust design and impressive day-to-day practicality, it is no doubt the Civic FC does live up to the hype.


Honda Civic media drive official photos

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Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard’s strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • dragonball on Sep 07, 2016 at 5:56 pm

    Mazda 3 > all

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 81 Thumb down 101
    • Untested Biza > all tested cars

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 18
    • Operation Manager on Sep 07, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      The title really joke, about fuel saving on 10th gen Civic … Not performance…? Even fuel save not class leading, performance worst among all competitors. B4 lauch compete BMW Audi, AFT launch compare nothing (design failure product).

      Why…
      CVT-earthdream – can’t perform?
      Dinasour vtec sohc – can’t perform?
      1.5 turbo-vtech – design failure can’t perform?
      Noise level highest – can’t perform?
      Ketuk sound – design failure can’t perform?
      Interior design – worst CHEAP can’t perform?
      Price – LOWEST torque 1.8/1.5t can’t perform?
      Front-Rear – mismatch can’t perform?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 32 Thumb down 88
      • Operation Manager on Sep 07, 2016 at 7:49 pm

        Only sohai will buy overpriced *milu (expensive ciplak copycat low quality Dinasour sohc vtec/1.5t low torque failure product)

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 62
        • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:28 am

          Hello OP, if everything cannot perform, why so many Civic sold in M’sia & around the world?!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 7
          • Because there is always customer like you. Remenber vios J?

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 23
          • lao yee on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:19 pm

            ANSWER: 1. Too many lala boys in Ipoh.
            2. Malaysian taste problem.
            3. Too many followers that not having self-analysis practice in Msia.
            4. Malaysians are made of boring people.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 19
        • troll on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:34 pm

          don’t feed the troll

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
      • trimmtrabb on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:18 am

        Direct Injection…hmmm….wait till you see carbon deposits in your intake valve as early as 30k km…

        For those in doubt, please go google “direct injection carbon build up”. And please do not naively think that a normal decarbon service will solve this issue.

        Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 75 Thumb down 4
        • DPCraft on Sep 09, 2016 at 9:24 am

          Honda didn’t give Direct Injection= ppl say old Engine
          Honda give Direct Injection= ppl say Carbon build up
          Mazda give Direct Injection= ppl say wow modern engine…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 26
          • trimmtrabb on Sep 09, 2016 at 11:05 am

            I bet 9/10 who bought a mazda are unaware that skyactive is a DI engine.

            Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 52 Thumb down 2
      • Orang Timur on Sep 08, 2016 at 6:41 pm

        @Operation Manager: what did you mean by “The title really joke, about fuel saving on 10th gen Civic”?

        The “FC” in the title is not referring to “Fuel Consumption.” The FC is the name of the 10th generation Civic, i.e. Civic FC.

        Just like how previously it was Civic FB, Civic FD, etc.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 40 Thumb down 2
        • Bashing like mad Dog on Sep 08, 2016 at 9:31 pm

          This Operation Manager is just a keyboard warrior.. everything also complain, talking like a rich people..

          I doubt he even own any car above 100k.. He don’t even aware that FC here is the model not stands for “Fuel Consumption”..

          omg.. *face palm

          If you are that “Rich” and sought-after “Perform” car.. you would not even bother with fuel consumption, you would not even bother to look at this article and type all this nonsense..

          I support for true reviews and critics as no car is perfect, meanwhile yours is just bashing blindly.

          Just my 2 cents + 6℅

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 45 Thumb down 1
    • For those who has the experience driving on the road to Mount Kinabalu Park is fairly easy to drive because is not exactly twisty and sloppy. Should test it on Karak-Genting to let the CVT growl

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 17
      • Civic not that good afterall on Sep 08, 2016 at 11:32 am

        Let the CVT growl lol wtf
        You really know nothing about fun car or just being sarcastic ?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 8
      • Lutau on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:28 pm

        Try drive on keningau-kk laa at kimanis hill. Haha

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • jonn dol on Sep 07, 2016 at 8:41 pm

      Mazda 3 wins on handling and dashboard quality, but it’s a bit cramped of coz and the engine power delivery is peaky.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 5
      • Hunter Zolomon Hunter Zolomon on Sep 08, 2016 at 2:12 pm

        Have to wait few years. Get cx9 2.5 turbo engine, put it in my 3. Those mazda engineers said it will definitely fit.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
        • Mikey on Sep 09, 2016 at 9:23 am

          Bro Hunter, why wait when U can buy a Mazda3 MPS 2.3 Turbo now ?!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Lee Kum Kee on Sep 07, 2016 at 11:01 pm

      Agreed. Mazda FTW. Its a joke to compare N/A with 1.5 turbo.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 13
    • Bob_B78 on Sep 08, 2016 at 11:35 am

      Don’t understand why never test with turbocharged C-segment. Comparing uphill with Mazda 3 n Altis is like comparing Preve with Persona, 100% sure win condition.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 1
    • Ben Yap on Sep 08, 2016 at 1:46 pm

      mazda 3 is good in specs and if they have 1.4 turbo, delivering 160hp, 250Nm, it will beat the civic flat.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 4
    • Redidiot on Sep 09, 2016 at 2:46 am

      Agreed!!!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • spongewai on Sep 07, 2016 at 5:57 pm

    8th gen Civic, stunning design
    9th gen Civic, running out of idea design
    10th gen Civic, totally game changer

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 59 Thumb down 32
    • Turbocor on Sep 07, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      faulty 1.5 turbo

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 36 Thumb down 47
      • Potong Steam on Sep 07, 2016 at 8:10 pm

        Failed combination la. Throw the CVT out of the window

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 29 Thumb down 12
        • Best In Segment on Sep 08, 2016 at 9:45 am

          Ford Focus 182PS turbocharger + 6 speeders are better

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 23 Thumb down 5
          • Guys go google Civic’s Turbo la. It may not function after a while. Honda confirms no solution at the moment. Owner need to disconnect battery to reset manually.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 2
        • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:33 am

          Potong Steam, you mean Honda should replace it with a dual-clutch or a six speeder auto!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • DonkeyKong on Sep 07, 2016 at 7:02 pm

      Too bad its excessively adolescent-appealing design makes any owner of the new Civic hard to be taken seriously..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 10
    • don’t like the back. front is nice though.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 2
      • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:37 am

        haha, agree with you. Everything about the Civic is an improvement except the back light. The hatch back looks better when they integrate a spoiler along the back lights. Hope they bring that here.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • Hunter Zolomon Hunter Zolomon on Sep 08, 2016 at 2:15 pm

      Wait? 9th gen stunning??? It is the most boring civic

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  • lilytan on Sep 07, 2016 at 6:00 pm

    Hows does the NVH fare compared to premium brands like the BMW n Mercs which it was benchmarked against?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 6
    • Lot10 on Sep 07, 2016 at 6:30 pm

      Perdana lagi murah, besar & senyap. Best NVH^^

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 47
    • Compare Mah! on Sep 07, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      I’ve a W212 hybrid, Camry Hybrid and this TC Premium. And I’ve Hypersensitivity Disorder, so you should tone mt review a few notch down. Note the TC-P is only a week old, has only 480 mileage, the others are 1yr old with >20k mileage.

      Noise;
      W212 is refined but there are still audible wind & tyre noise. Without aircond my phone measured it at 75db on the highway at 110kmph. Camry on the other hand measured a 98db, and the TC Premium out performed the Camry at 83db. The Camry has a lot of wind noise, as in loud audible wind noise even with music turned on.

      Vibration;
      The TC-P is very new so I cant honestly remark on it’s Vibrations. Testing was done with aircond on a standstill and the worst was the Camry, followed by W212 and finally TC-P, most likely because the others has more than 20k mileage.

      Harshness;
      TC-P has the harshest ride, could be it’s weight or it could be it’s suspension, either way if you are looking for comfort + sportiness then if memory serves me right the citron DS3 fairs much better than the TC-P. Surprisingly the Camry Hybrid was much more comfortable than the W212, i’m not an expert so I couldn’t really point out why, it’s just my feeling and I’ve Hypersensitivity Disorder, so bad that I avoid cinemas because I’ll vomit every time the sound is too loud.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 30 Thumb down 2
      • goodBuy on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:56 am

        Civic is benchmarked against the C-Class & 3 Series !

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
        • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:48 am

          Ha ha ha, comparing a below 150k with a more than 200k car. I like your logic bro

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
          • well, no harm if comparing jack to giant once in a while. see there is comment that camry is more comfortable than E-class? another solid proof that “more expensive” doesn’t always mean “better”.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
      • Comepare Mah! on Sep 08, 2016 at 5:48 pm

        With a stroke of luck, my brother in law brought his 2014 316i over for our work trip to cameron highlands. I decided to compare the TC-P to his 25k mileage F30.

        Noise;
        The TC-P got up to 90db this time round, the 316i got up to 88db on the same road at 110kmph. So the difference is actually very little. Wind noise comes in from the side windows, near the B pillar of the TC-P, maybe the sealing rubber is defective? Brother in law was driving the F30 so I don’t know the source of the noise.

        Vibration;
        As mentioned before the TC-P is very new compared to his F30, but when we stopped at Tanah Rata we did a quick comparison and it felt very similar. So now the big question is when the TC-P reaches 25k mileage, would it still be this refined?

        Harshness;
        TC-P is still harsher than the F30, much harsher in fact I had motion sickness on the test road of Tanah Rata – Brinchang. As I’ve mentioned before, I have Hypersensitivity Disorder, the journey back was in the F30 and since I didn’t have motion sickness back, I could say it’s far less harsh than the TC-P.

        Hope this review helps you to decide if Honda’s claim is up to point. IMHO it’s close but not as close as I initially thought it would be.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
    • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:41 am

      lilytan. The fact that you know BMW/Merc are premium, you cannot compare an apple with an orange.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
      • lilytan on Sep 09, 2016 at 3:22 pm

        Pls read the article. We all know that honda NVH has always been terrible. So when the new civic NVH was developed and benchmarked against those premium sedans, it is interesting to know whether they have succeeded or not. Apparently they have not.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • policeman on Sep 07, 2016 at 6:05 pm

    Yuck, the interior quality. Same nasty plastics like Bezza.

    Worst of all, this car has lost the usual Japanese reliability with its overheating engine, leaking turbo system and failing transmission.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 55 Thumb down 51
    • How u know? U own 1?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 25 Thumb down 17
    • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:51 am

      Mr policeman, I take off my hat to you man. The car just launch & you already know how it will perform.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 8
      • Anonymous on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:11 pm

        Bro Mikey, for the record I’ve seen several new Civic 1.5 Turbo being towed near my neighbourhood in Seksyen 8 Shah Alam for this past couple of months. There’s truth in Mr. Policeman’s claim.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 15
        • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 4:20 pm

          So Anonaymous, how is your Civic?! Do U have the same overheating problem after 2 months? I drive to work everyday from Shal Alam Sec 27 to Puchong & Subang Jaya. I did not see any new or old Civic being toll due to overheating.

          It is not easy to overheat a car or any car for that matter unless the fan belt is not working or there is no water in the radiator or the radiator is clogged up due to blockage.

          I have 2(Altis/Rio) 12/13 years old car that i’m still driving. It’s still in very good condition & I do not have any issue of overheating. If the Civic overheating is true, it will be in the Honda Civic complain forum.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
        • Toyota Salesman on Sep 09, 2016 at 12:24 am

          Haha dont talk rubbish here lar… if several civic turbo being towed just at seksyen 8 area.. then will have over few hundred units Turbo towed in Malaysia. Definitely picture will be shared in FB or massive recall by Honda Msia. But i dont see 1. R Toyota Salesman? Civic owner forum with about 75+ owners driving turbo non of us have issue with engine and gearbox. Next time you see one pls take pic and share in FB. Thanks

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 1
      • lao yee on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:23 pm

        Same as some people don’t own any GTI and yet complaining about DSG gearbox since 2007.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  • Please compared with new accord, 2.0,because price is almost the same. Which is better for a long trip and family car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • kairys on Sep 07, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    only one cupholder at the center console in the front?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
  • Test drive it last week. Interior space same as City, centre console too huge. Nice seats. Cheap plastic, even my Jazz far more better. CVT delay just like my Jazz. Overall, if u looking for a fun drive, Suprima better…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 43 Thumb down 19
    • For the powertrain, my neighbour CFE Exora more syiok la

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 16
    • Dol Pak on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:45 am

      Good comparison and perspective… btw, I m not owning supprima.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
    • Hunter Zolomon Hunter Zolomon on Sep 08, 2016 at 2:18 pm

      Sad to admit but you are right. Suprima does have nice handling.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
  • Jobless on Sep 07, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Civic 5th gen which did not sport any front grill was quite a handsome design during its time. Of course with advancement in technology the later models are expected to be better in other departments.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • CSegmentWars on Sep 07, 2016 at 8:50 pm

    Instead of bringing an Altis, they should have brought a much the new Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoboost for direct comparison.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 3
    • proness on Sep 08, 2016 at 4:18 pm

      if you know the other guy will tapao you or snatch your gf away, would you invite him?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 1
  • KgBoy on Sep 07, 2016 at 9:13 pm

    The hard plastic inside the cabin feels a tad cheap of compared to Altis. And the “squatting” rear seat is a little discomfort on long rides. Getting out from the rear is a tad difficult especially for senior folks. And I’m not sure why the writer didn’t mention that the rear floor is not flat. There’s a big jump in the centre. Altis has a flat floor. That helps when you’re sitting 3 adults at the back. For comfort and practicality go for Altis. For looks and oomph, go for Civic.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 4
  • anonymous on Sep 07, 2016 at 9:46 pm

    I have this for 2 months already… it is really as good as this article writes. I believe all the owners feel the same.. but of course there are few thing are not well refined… such as opening the doors, you will find it is quite heavy..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 6
    • anonymous on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:27 am

      As for the doors, just tell the SC. They will lubricate and problem will be solved.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 7
    • proness on Sep 08, 2016 at 4:17 pm

      salesman or honda staf detectd

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 7
    • Huawei 00 on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:48 pm

      Its not heavy, its more akin to some resistance to open it. Heavy and solid feeling will be like Focus (similar price segment).

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Sep 07, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    honda bribery?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 10
  • the con on Sep 07, 2016 at 10:33 pm

    aiseh….u guys should try the kimanis road….turbo will be tested there….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
  • Lee Kum Kee on Sep 07, 2016 at 11:07 pm

    ‘No split-folding seats either as there is a back brace in the way, which we were told by Hiroshi Ito, assistant large project leader of the all-new Civic, is there to provide extra rigidity for the car.’
    This is odd since Civic in US and Canada does not have this back brace – hence split folding rear seats. Not being able to fold rear seats is a big no-no.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 4
    • Apernie on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:49 am

      Probably the brace is cheaper compared to the split-folding mechanism. Or Malaysian drivers kinda need it (the brace) the most vroom vroom… :-P

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • camtakpro on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:06 am

      Remove the folding seat just to score +1 in Paultan “this thing handles very well”, but didn’t really -1 for practicality because shadowed by mentioning “back brace” and project leader name.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • They could’ve installed the rear brace in a higher position and added split folding back seats together. Win win for all

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • there he is on Sep 08, 2016 at 10:19 am

      only nuub will believe this japanese.
      it’s obvious they cut cost on the body steel structure.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
    • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 11:05 am

      Agree with you LKK. Maybe the people in USA/Canada use the Civic for shopping in Ikea where they need to load long items. In M’sia, the roads & car parks are smaller thus we buy City/jezz to load the items. Different country different marketing I think besides the price.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • This new Civic Turbo all round is good BUT what disappoint me most the front headlights and the CVT transmission.

    The headlights should use the same with the Civic 1.8 type (HID clear type) and the CVT transmission should be replaced with a conventional automatic transmission.

    CVT does not match with turbo engine.

    CVT acceleration not as quick as a conventional automatic.

    Because of this, I am not buying this Civic!

    Thats IT !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 17
    • typer on Sep 08, 2016 at 9:53 am

      Get yourself a type R.. Drive a stick if you wanna go fast. Not getting a normal car and rice it out and say its fast. The transmission works fine.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
    • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 11:32 am

      Bro HS. This new Civic with CVT is suppose to make the transmission of power more pleasant. The headlights with LED is the new generation of lighting.

      The HID/Zenon lights U are referring to are probably outdated or will be replaced by car manufacturer in future. Am sure U noticed our gov have replaced most highway with Led lighting’s for obvious reasons.

      If U want a performance car, I suggest U buy a ‘specific’ turbo charged car with a manual transmission that will give U the acceleration U are looking for.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
      • DPCraft on Sep 09, 2016 at 10:09 am

        The 1.8 doesn’t come with HID, it is halogens sadly. Would have been better looking if HM offer HID for base specs

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Mikey on Sep 09, 2016 at 2:26 pm

          This is their try & tested strategy to offer you different levels of trims. Most people will always buy the higher specifications be it Honda/Toyota. I guess U can kiss goodbye to HID by the way Honda market their products.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • malaysian on Sep 14, 2016 at 9:37 am

      Civic 0-100 in 8.2sec. Ford Focus turbo with 6 speed gearbox goes 0-100 in 8.6sec. CVT can be fast depending on the mapping. It actually gives you best ratio at any given input. Balances well for power and economy. Its just the feel that is less engaging than a conventional auto or manual gearbox.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Think smart on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:36 am

    Pls install 60:40 rear folding saet for our honda civic pls! Tq…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
    • camtakpro on Sep 08, 2016 at 8:14 am

      They have a model for the split folding rear seat, it’s called Altis.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
    • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 11:43 am

      Mr Think Smart, I think Honda (M) probably did their study B4 launching this Civic. They think if M’sian want a rear folding car, they will buy a City/Jazz. I is obvious that they failed in this occasion. Am sure they will come with your request when they face lift this version & come up with a better rear backside.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Think smart on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:38 am

    Pls install 60:40 rear folding seat for our honda civic pls! Tq…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • A turbo engine with CVT transmission and expect CVT to handle powerful engine. What a joke! Honestly, the rear view is ugliest civic i ever seen and side view somehow looks like Panamera while pretty from front view. Somehow I hope there is neutral review which not only stated good things but provide information of bad things. Unfortunately, business rule won’t allow criticism even though is a real fact.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 4
  • Mikey on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    IMO, Honda & Toyota have done a good job in quality wise but you still can improve it to become better. I know what I’m paying for when I buy a Honda/Toyota.

    No need to benchmark your quality bcos you are selling at a different price. You should instead make your quality better for your competitors to emulate & not other wise.

    The Germans are inventing itself by coming out with ‘smaller’ & ‘cheaper’ models like X1/2-series/A/Bclass to compete with Altis/Civic/Jazz/Vious.

    They will eat you up if you are complacent so please show the Germans that you can still come up with affordable & good quality cars for the masses B4 it’s too late.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • sabahan on Sep 08, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    errmm…… should go to Keningau from Kimanis to test on the pulling power.

    Sabah bah tu

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Bobby Chin on Sep 08, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    Hi Gerard, hows the ground clearance like if you are driving over a speed bump? Is there any issue if there are passengers sitting at the back seat and causing scrap at the unde carriage?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • I would like to know as well. ground clearance only 130mm, laden ground clearance is 105mm, which is pretty low.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • zoom zoom on Sep 09, 2016 at 12:07 am

        No issue at all. Often fetch 4 adults & one children. Bottom never hit any speed bump before. Been driving this car for the past 2 months.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • Leonardo on Sep 08, 2016 at 2:06 pm

    Have the Turbo issues been totally rectified? It twas first detected when Honda launched the Civic in Thailand late last year, If I am not mistaken.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • dengdengdeng on Oct 04, 2016 at 11:42 am

    Too bad, design follower, and failure turbo engine from iVTEC

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 10
  • Jayakumar on Oct 05, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    I am driving 1.5 Turbo Premium. I love my car, the design, performance, fuel efficiency. Don’t complaint it…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • I own 1.5 turbo…always wack it around 180-200…anybody notice loud wind noise from side miror area?…other than that no complain…just nice for new father if previously u ever own tweaked and waste a lot of money b18 and ej20.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Bash-tard on Jan 09, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    Bought an Civic EXL here in North Texas for the wife. Have owned it for 6 months already with 4k miles. This morning, temperature was -7C. When I bought the car it was summer and reaches Malaysia’s weather. It’s our main long distance car. No issues with the turbo at all. Only thing is you need to warm the car up first before high-revving it. But that’s a thing with all turbos.

    Only problem was a recall for a software problem with the e-brakes. But doesn’t affect us because we engage the e-brakes before switching off the engine.

    I am not happy with the fit and finish though. It’s an econo-car, I don’t expect luxury quality, but it’s a Japanese QA made in Indiana. I expected more. There are noticeable panel gaps around the boot area. Minor, but I didn’t expect such from a Honda.

    And yes, the NVH is not the best. There’s noticeable wind noise and the tire noise from the back does invade the cabin at high speeds.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Bash-tard on Jan 09, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Oh yeah…we do have split folding rear seats here. So the explanation by the Honda guy does not make any sense.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Undecided on Jan 18, 2017 at 9:10 pm

    Hi Danny or Gerard, I would like to know base on your experience in driving this car for the 1.5 tcp, how does it fare against the honda accord 9th gen FL 2.0vti-l in terms of NVH, and high speed stability (say >140km/h) in a straight line on highway and long sweeping bends such we can find on the highway. I know in terms of performance it surely can’t beat the turbos for the accord, but I just want to know in terms of stability and comfort level between these 2 cars. Tq for your feedback.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Undecided on Jan 18, 2017 at 9:13 pm

    Hi, Gerard or Danny. I would like to know base on your experience in driving this car for the 1.5 tcp, how does it fare against the honda accord 9th gen FL 2.0vti-l in terms of NVH, and high speed stability (say >140km/h) in a straight line on highway and long sweeping bends such we can find on the highway. I know in terms of performance it surely can’t beat the turbos for the accord, but I just want to know in terms of stability and comfort level between these 2 cars. Tq for your feedback.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • annamae1948 on Jan 30, 2017 at 1:12 pm

    I disagree.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • C. yuan on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    I owned TC-P, well. until now..I happy with it. especially accelerate. If from D swift to S, you will know the different.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • C. yuan on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:27 pm

    I owned TCP. It really nice like the articles mentioned. 0~150 just like not much afford. I very happy with it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
 

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