Many of you have probably noticed my lack of attention towards Japanese cars. The reason is simple, I often find them lacking character. In most cases, they feel like very good machines for people who don’t particularly care about cars, but still want to have one.
As a result, RoadHunter has featured Japanese cars only once in its early days… well, and a few Infiniti models, but those are heavily Americanised.
Recently, however, one “Japanese” car caught my attention, the tenth-generation Honda Civic Sedan.
And what drew me in was the design. An elegant silhouette, combined with distinctive styling and a clear American flavour. On top of that, I’ve always had a soft spot for Honda. My most memorable moment being my first distant encounter with the Honda S2000 more than 17 years ago on the streets of Tokyo.
So I decided it was time to find out whether my scepticism towards cars from the Far East is actually justified.
Design
A few months ago, while wandering through the chaos of the Geneva Motor Show, I found myself stopping at the Honda stand… not next to the Honda NSX, but next to something far more modest.
That alone surprised me.
As I said, I don’t usually follow Japanese cars closely, partly because I often find their design either bland, boring or overly exaggerated. So I didn’t expect to be impressed.
But I was.
The car that caught my attention was the tenth-generation Civic, in its less typical sedan form.
First of all, it looks like a car from a higher class. That impression comes from the proportions, the wide stance and the long bonnet. What impressed me most, however, is the silhouette.
The gently sloping roofline gives the Civic Sedan the appearance of those modern four-door “coupes” (which, let’s be honest, are not coupes at all) like the Audi A5 Sportback or BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
The result is a long, elegant body that genuinely stands out.
The overall design is also interesting and distinctive. The lines are sharp and modern, but without going into extremes like the Toyota C-HR.
What’s particularly interesting is the American feel. A quick check explains why, the lead designer, Jarad Hall, is American. That influence is reinforced by the heavy use of chrome, the large grille, the thick window trims and the door handles… everything is shiny.
The end result works well, and I genuinely like it, aside from a few minor details.
Interior
The interior of the Civic is more conservative, but in a relatively elegant way.
One of the first things that stands out is the low and compact dashboard. On one hand, it reminds me of cars from the early 1990s, before airbags and oversized storage compartments became the norm. On the other, with a bit of imagination, it also fits into modern minimalism.
The integration of the infotainment screen is well executed, as is the layout of the buttons on the centre console.
Speaking of the screen, I had a strange moment during my time with the Civic. Several times I was shocked by how dusty it looked. Each time I reached out to clean it, only to realise that it wasn’t dust at all, but a night-sky screensaver. So the “dust” was actually stars.
The system itself is reasonably intuitive. It doesn’t impress with anything groundbreaking, but it works as expected.
The same cannot be said for the digital instrument cluster. The main functions are clear and well displayed, with good graphics and resolution. However, the onboard computer controls felt unnecessarily complicated. Maybe it’s something you get used to, but I struggled to access the information I wanted.
Now, what didn’t I like?
The lack of attention to detail.
This is something I notice across many Asian cars, priorities are simply elsewhere. In the Civic, this shows in odd elements like the plastic reset pin for the trip counter, which looks like it could poke your eye out, or some of the buttons, which feel unfinished. The rear-view mirror also looks like it came straight from the 1980s.
None of this affects usability or safety, but personally, I value well-executed details, and their absence is noticeable.
Another weak point is the fabric upholstery at this trim level. It feels somewhat retro and not particularly premium, even if it might actually be durable.
Back to the positives.
Space and practicality are where the Civic shines.
Front space is more than sufficient, but what really impresses is the rear. For a C-segment car, the legroom is excellent. The seat base is slightly low, but overall comfort is good. The only limitation is headroom for taller passengers due to the sloping roofline.
Then there’s the boot, 519 litres.
That’s a huge number, especially considering the elegant rear design. It’s a very clever use of space.
One last highlight is the front centre armrest. It’s adjustable and underneath it hides a massive storage compartment with modular inserts, for cups or even a 1.5-litre bottle. Very practical.
On the Road
The car I drove doesn’t surprise in terms of powertrain, simply because there’s only one option.
A 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with either a six-speed manual or a CVT.
It produces 182 hp and 240 Nm, available across a wide rev range. Performance is solid, 0–100 km/h in 8.4 seconds, top speed 210 km/h and claimed consumption between 4.8 and 7.4 l/100 km.
On a very hot April day, I started the engine and headed towards the southern Black Sea coast… or at least tried to.
It took me quite a while to figure out how to reset the trip computer and adjust the steering wheel. Typical brand-specific quirks, I suppose.
Once moving, something immediately stood out. The lightness.
Everything, clutch, gear lever, steering, feels incredibly light. Almost unnaturally so. It makes driving in the city very easy and pleasant. But that same lightness takes away some of the connection when driving more dynamically.
Soon I was on the Trakia motorway.
I activated the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, both standard on the Civic Sedan. Along with traffic sign recognition, they form a surprisingly comprehensive safety package for a base model.
And they work well.
The cruise control doesn’t get confused in corners and reacts properly even to last-second lane changes, usually without indicators, because apparently using them requires effort.
At motorway speeds, aerodynamic noise is well controlled, but road noise is more noticeable than it should be. The engine remains quiet unless pushed hard, which you rarely need to do, thanks to its strong mid-range performance.
Fuel consumption is impressive.
I reached Burgas with an average of 6.6 l/100 km, and later managed 4.8 l/100 km on secondary roads, matching the official figures, which is rare.
The more interesting part came later, somewhere in Strandzha.
After some searching, I found an empty, twisty road with good asphalt. Time to push.
The engine is one of the Civic’s biggest strengths. It’s powerful, very flexible and delivers strong acceleration in almost any gear. Turbo lag is practically non-existent, and the sound at higher revs is quite приятен, for a four-cylinder.
The suspension is surprisingly comfortable in normal driving. But push harder and body movements start to appear. There’s a slight floatiness that makes it harder to judge the limits.
Still, grip is excellent.
The car feels very neutral and I couldn’t provoke understeer. The only loss of traction I managed resulted in all four tyres slipping simultaneously.
Overall, the Civic is capable and stable when driven quickly, but not particularly engaging. The suspension and steering simply don’t deliver enough feedback.
If you want excitement, you go for the Honda Civic Type R.
Conclusion
The Honda Civic Sedan is a very attractive car in the C-segment, and in my opinion, the most stylish four-door option in the class.
It impresses with an excellent petrol engine, low weight and a precise gearbox. The result is strong performance, low fuel consumption and overall ease of use.
Space and practicality are also major strengths, especially the rear seat and the large boot.
The downsides are mainly in the interior, where attention to detail and material quality could be better. The lack of engine options is another limitation, competitors offer more variety, while here you get just one choice, albeit a good one.
Pricing and equipment levels are also somewhat unusual. The Civic Sedan comes in three fixed trims, all well equipped, with small price differences. The logic behind what’s included in each trim is a bit odd.
For around €27,000, the Elegance trim offers the best balance and is the most sensible choice.
Overall, I’m impressed by the Civic.
And slightly annoyed by the small details that hold it back, because they really are just that, small things.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
Comments are closed.