Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC ES-T, 6 Speed Manual Road Test Review
So
the driver from Honda got me again, before I could take
him back to the train station I had to start the car, I searched around
for the
start button but it was a good old fashioned key in the ignition
job, the driver didn't say a word but he must have been dying to laugh J . The car he had delivered
was a Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC ES-T Manual in Milano Red I had been waiting to
test this car as it has a claimed MPG is 78.5, the road tax is free. It has an
excellent specification, and what started off as a girls car in 1972 has evolved
into a car whose target market is predominantly 45 year old males, if you
add VAT that includes me too, erm nearly.
The good folk at Honda are obviously big Doctor Who fans as
the last car I tested was the CRV and in the information they referred to its
Tardis like interior and their “Man maximum, machine minimum” philosophy, they have
applied the same philosophy to the Civic, although it just seems common sense to
me that as engineering advances, components get smaller in size and can handle
more operations, this means they can be crammed into tighter spaces leaving
more room for the driver, passengers and luggage. Granted that could be an over
simplification as the latest Civic is 30 inches longer,10 Inches Wider and 5
Inches higher than the Mk 1 which first graced the roads in the UK 30 years
ago.
Whilst I’m on the subject I can’t help thinking that
the new Civic bears a striking resemblance
to Doctor Who’s most fearsome enemy “The
Daleks”. Even though the Daleks appeared to be equipped with a gearstick
and a couple
of indicators on their heads, and armed only with a toilet plunger and
an egg whisk, they still gave me nightmares when I was a Kid. I use to
wake up screaming, but I
consoled myself with the fact that Daleks couldn’t climb stairs, and
even if
they could they would get my Sister first, as she slept in the bottom
bunk bed.
I just thank God that the task of creating the Daleks hadn’t been given
to
Hondas design team, as there can surely be no place to hide from Asimo
the World’s
most advanced Humanoid Robot.
Whilst I’m on the subject I can’t help thinking that
the new Civic bears a striking resemblance
to Doctor Who’s most fearsome enemy “The
Daleks”. Even though the Daleks appeared to be equipped with a gearstick
and a couple
of indicators on their heads, and armed only with a toilet plunger and
an egg whisk, they still gave me nightmares when I was a Kid. I use to
wake up screaming, but I
consoled myself with the fact that Daleks couldn’t climb stairs, and
even if
they could they would get my Sister first, as she slept in the bottom
bunk bed.
I just thank God that the task of creating the Daleks hadn’t been given
to
Hondas design team, as there can surely be no place to hide from Asimo
the World’s
most advanced Humanoid Robot.
The new Civic is being built only as a 5 Door, as they feel that it
fulfils the need of “5 door utility and 3 Door styling” I can confirm
they have succeeded in this as when I went to pick my mate up, he tried
to get in the back seats via the front doors. When I told him it was a 5
door he still couldn’t figure out how to get in (the handle is
incorporated in the rear window frame) to be fare my mate is an ex pro
footballer and he did used to head the ball a lot.
Don’t ask me how,or indeed why? but using inspiration taken from the
beauty of a droplet of water on top of a leaf, an Airplane and low resistance
swimsuits, Hondas design team came up with the external shape for the Civic. I
must admit it is a great looking car and It’s obvious that a lot of thought has gone into making
the car as aerodynamic as possible. Sadly I dont think the Bright Red colour does it justice.
Enzo Ferrari famously said that “Aerodynamics are for
people who can’t build engines” however when you look at the specification and
improvements that have been made to their “Earth Dreams Technology” 1.6 i-DTEC Diesel unit it’s clear
that Honda CAN build engines, and they counter with “Aerodynamics have only
advantages” if you improve aerodynamics, it improves fuel consumption, driving
performance, dynamic performance. Honda have taken their theory to the N’th
degree by enlisting the help of engineers who had firsthand experience in
Formula One. Like race cars the Civic is now fitted with a full length undertray to manage the
flow of air under the car, adding to its stability.
They have also introduced a shutter grille on the new diesel
which is controlled by the water temperature, wheel speed, and outside air
temperature, the shutter opens and closes to optimise cooling and reduce drag
wherever possible. “Generally speaking the shutter is closed at medium speeds
to ensure maximum fuel efficiency. At low speeds, where Aerodynamics are less
critical the shutter remains open (I assume to improve cooling ie traffic jams
etc ) To ensure the best possible aerodynamic balance and reduce front end lift
the shutter also opens at high speed.
The interior is spacious, futuristic, well set out and
very comfortable, it has been designed to have two “Control Zones” the Driver
Interface Zone and the Information Interface Zone. The LED Digital speedometer
is visible over the top of the steering wheel, and the less important
instruments are in a cluster below, which you may have to adjust your position
if you need to keep an eye on them. I love the blue glow of the “Driver
Interface Zone” (Instrument display), although at night on a badly lit road I
found it necessary to seek out the dimmer switch, as the steep rake of the
front windscreen reflects the glow and casts a kind of Northern Lights/Mirror
Image Heads Up Display effect in front of your eyes which can be quite
distracting.
The Civic has a claimed range of 863 miles on a tank of
fuel, and I must admit that after a while you start to think that the car is making
its own diesel and you don’t need to put any in, that is until the fuel warning
“lights” come on, yes “lights”, not 1 but 3 illuminate. In my video I stated
that anyone that runs out of fuel in this car must be a moron, I nearly managed
it! So you can draw your own conclusions from that.
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| 78.5 MPG, Expect to see more Fuel Stations Fall Into Disrepair |
