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2023 Honda Civic e:HEV Performs Surprisingly Well in the Moose Test

Over in Europe, the long-running Civic is exclusively available as a hybrid for the 2023 model year. As to why it performs surprisingly well in the moose test, let’s say that it’s reassuringly agile for a heavy compact.
2023 Honda Civic e:HEV slalom test by km77.com 18 photos
Photo: km77.com on YouTube
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First things first, the previous-generation Civic with the 1.0-liter turbo three-cylinder engine tipped the scales at 1,356 kilograms (2,989 pounds) in European specification. This fellow has a curb weight of 1,533 kilos (3,380 lbs), which is also heavier than the CTR (1,430 kgs or 3,152 lbs).

On the upside, Honda didn’t cheap out on the tires. The 235/40 by 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber boots play a vital role in how the car handles the moose test. Our friends at km77.com took it up to 77 kilometers per hour (47.8 miles per hour) without hitting a cone, with the test driver noting the precise steering, good turn-in reaction, and a bit of body roll.

You can also tell the electronic stability control doesn’t intervene too aggressively to upset the five-door hatchback’s balance in the moose test. The slalom, on the other hand, isn’t this vehicle’s forte. Although it feels agile for its weight, the Civic e:HEV couldn’t do better than 24.3 seconds. That puts it on par with the lighter Ford Fiesta ST-Line X 1.0-liter EcoBoost MHEV and Jaguar F-Pace 2.0-liter PHEV. The fastest car tested by km77.com thus far in the slalom is the Polestar 2 liftback-style sedan.

Turning our attention back to the hybrid-assisted Civic, the European version isn’t cheap. Over in Germany, which is the largest new car market in the European Union, the Japanese automaker wants 32,900 euros at the very least. Converted at current exchange rates, that’s 34,160 U.S. dollars.

But hey, prospective customers do get plenty of standard kit, starting with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Heated seats up front, parking assistance front and rear, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, and keyless entry also need to be noted for the most basic grade.

Regardless of trim level, Honda offers the same full-hybrid system. The ICE is a 2.0-liter N/A four that runs the Atkinson cycle for improved efficiency to the detriment of power. Connected to a fixed-gear tranny, said lump is joined by two electric motors and a high-voltage battery. All told, it produces 181 horsepower and 232 pound-foot (315 Nm) of twist.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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