2015 Honda Civic EX-L
MSRP $22,840.00
“The Honda Civic remains the epitome of practical transportation, for better or worse.”
Average
-
spacious interior
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Extremely easy to drive
-
Good technical package
-
Competitive prices
Against
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A numb handshake
-
Moaning, weak power plant
Something weird happened when I went to return my 2015 Honda Civic press demonstrator. When the fleet rep asked me what I thought of the car, all I had to say was “well, it’s a Civic.” He nodded knowingly, as if he understood exactly what he meant. Whether or not he was just being polite says a lot; the Civic tag carries so much weight that it’s enough to say that the car lives up to its name.
For better or worse, living up to the name is exactly what the 2015 Civic does. It has traditional Honda qualities like practicality, efficiency, comfort, and even a pleasurable driving experience. That’s not to say it’s perfect: It lacks the styling of the Mazda3 and the general refinement of the Volkswagen Golf. Still, even as the Civic enters the second half of its life cycle, it remains a compelling choice for discerning buyers.
Relaxation from A to B
First let’s talk about the driving experience. The average Honda Civic buyer isn’t an enthusiast looking for sharp turns and brutal acceleration, and that’s a good thing: The Civic lacks both. However, Honda’s engineers clearly paid a lot of attention to the car’s driving performance; they just focused on a different goal. They wanted the Civic to be easy to drive.
This approach is most evident in the way the driver interacts with the car. The controls are all light and smooth. Steering trades a bit in precision for ease of movement, and brake and throttle response is smooth rather than jerky.
The Honda Civic remains the epitome of practical transportation, for better or worse.
Even the powertrain, a 143-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), delivers consistent, unwavering performance. Under hard acceleration, the engine revs up to around 4500rpm and just sits there while the CVT changes gears. As with most CVTs, its loud soundtrack and lack of drama frustrates the keen driver, but it’s better than average by CVT standards. More important to the average Civic driver, the transmission does most of its work in a completely invisible way.
Even the way the cabin is arranged contributes to driveability. The Civic’s instrument panel is split into two layers, with the top layer raised and positioned closer to the windshield. This instrument panel contains the most important elements, such as the speedometer. At first glance, this setup may look like nothing more than futuristic styling, but it’s actually surprisingly useful. The position of the key instruments high on the dashboard means the driver does not have to take their eyes off the road. It’s a small change, but it really makes a difference to the driving experience.
Good job or not?
My Civic press model was the $25,130 top-of-the-line EX-L model. At first glance, that’s quite a reasonable price, especially considering what customers get for their money. The EX-L comes with leather seats (emphasis on trim), a seven-inch infotainment screen, navigation, and best of all, Honda’s Lane View Camera mounted in the passenger-side mirror. (another feature that contributes to stress-free driving).
These features for 25K are a pretty solid win, especially when buyers pay a small premium to get one of the best in the business. The problem is that while all the features add to the Civic’s overall nice and comfortable feel, they don’t change the car’s essential utilitarian character. Competitive cars in this segment offer more interesting and luxurious looks for less money, even if they can’t compete with the Civic in terms of features. The Mazda3 and the Golf in particular stand out as far more charismatic and fun-to-drive options. Meanwhile, the Kia Forte and Hyundai Elantra get closer to the Civic, but for less money.
Honda Virtues
The challenge for the Civic is that what it does best is a little of everything. When building a Honda case, it’s all about the little things. The styling may not be spectacular, but the Civic is a nicer place to spend time than any of the competition.
The average Honda Civic buyer is not an enthusiast looking for sharp cornering and brutal acceleration.
The large raked windshield, moonroof and relatively low waistline make the cabin light and airy. Not only does this stand out as a nice contrast to the dark, cave-like competition, but it also makes the big cabin feel even bigger.
The Civic offers truly usable rear seats, something that is far from universal in its segment. It also avoids the claustrophobic closeness that can turn long drives in comfortable cars into stressful ordeals. These factors don’t make the Civic stand out in the comparison test, but for a car that will spend most of its life stuck in traffic or boring suburban commutes, these factors are important.
In fact, when you look back at how stress-free this car is to drive, it’s easy to see why the Civic has built such a lasting positive legacy with consumers. It may not be sexy, but if someone asks you what you drive and you answer “Honda Civic,” no one will wonder why.
High
- spacious interior
- Extremely easy to drive
- Good technical package
- Competitive prices
falls
- A numb handshake
- Moaning, weak power plant
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn