A new Honda Civic is usually a controversial subject that keeps fans up at night. All of them have obvious flaws, but people still buy these "Japanese" hatchbacks, perhaps because of them.
At a glance, the all-new 2017 Civic hatchback, based on the Civic X platform from America, is perfect. However, the first European reviews which have been carried out in Spain, suggest that's not the case.
You see, when a company flies you to a sunny location in the middle of the winter, you tend to fall in love with whatever they are launching. But two UK publications found issues with the 2017 Civic.
Mat from CarWow says outward visibility is a problem, which you is something the last two generations suffered from. A VW Golf looks boxy and dull, but you can see out, and the mirrors are more cleverly positioned. Likewise, the quality of the seat material leaves something to be desired, even for a car that's as cheap as the Civic.
The 1-liter 3-cylinder turbo engine is a little rough and doesn't rev out like all Hondas used to do. That's something What Car? also discusses in its shorter video review.
If you don't like the base engine on a VW Golf, there are plenty of others to chose from. However, the Civic only has one other choice, a 1.5-liter turbo, which might be too thirsty for most people.
Honda is rumored to discontinue the diesel engine in Europe. They might say that there's not enough demand, but last time I checked, most people ordered the outgoing Civic with the 1.6 i-DTEC.
The styling is not a problem for me. Fake plastic intakes made from cheap plastic is something you see on a lot of cars, including the BMW M235i and Audi TTS. But a much longer hatchback that doesn't have any headroom in the back makes absolutely no sense.
A fun, bold hatchback with a 1.5 turbo and independent rear suspension is a fun combination, but it's also very niche. Has Honda forgotten its proletarian roots?
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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