Jul 18, 2006 12:40 AM
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With Japanese arch-rival toyota making hay by selling the Corolla like ice-cream on a hot summer's day, Honda Siel decided that they too wanted a piece of the Rs11 lakh pie, a hot running segment deemed "just right" by Indian customers because opulence, practicality and economy are maximised to the limit in this segment. So, after many false promises and starts, Honda has finally launched the Civic in India. So, was Honda's latest offering worth waiting for? Does it meet the challenge posed to it by the Corolla? Is it way ahead of its times? I did some research to find the answers.
HOW THE CAR LOOKS
This one was clearly a no-brainer. The Corolla's design, even when it was launched, did not meet with the "Oh My God- its a beauty" sort of comments from the experts or users. Now, around three years later, the design is still pleasing but not exciting. Comapre this with the Civic, which can simply make the hair stand on end on your body when she passes you on the street. The Civic's rear-end design looks more robust and her rakish front-end is simply to die for. The chrome-plated grille with the Honda logo adorning the nose is the icing on the cake. The Chevrolet Optra and Skoda Octavia look decidedly unexciting when compared to the Civic. In addition to all this, the Civic benefits from a better street presence and it stands out in a crowd with ease, the radical styling catching the eye of almost everyone within a couple of blocks. While some people may disagree, I simply love the alloy wheels on this beauty. They really suit her!
INTERIORS
Like the Ford Fusion, Honda has paid attention to the interiors and come up with a classy and sporty effect that will appease both- the comfort based buyer as well as the sporty buyer. The information display is simply out of this world- a digital speedometer and a classy feul gauge complete the svelte look. The dashboard is decidedly more appealing than its immediate competition- although the switches seemed to be a bit on the smaller side when I first saw the interiors of the car. An in-dash CD changer is also a good feature but is also found on the Corolla. The steering wheel is on the smaller side and the driver's comfort is somewhat compromised; as the driver is not greeted with a very comfortable driving position. What you do get though is a modern and overall exciting layout.
WHAT TOYOTA & SKODA DEALERS WON'T TELL YOU
I doubt if the information I am typing now will be provided by Toyota and Skoda dealerships. The Civic is a whole generation ahead of the OCtavia and Corolla, a fact which is immediately obvious but still covered up as far as possible. After all, both the Corolla and Octavia were on the roads by 2002, and the Civic was launched only in 2005. This is the eighth-generation Civic and the Honda feels decidedly "newer" than the somewhat jaded competition. The Civic is also nearly half a second quicker than the Corolla in the burst to reach 100 km/hr, by accomplishing the feat in 9.6 seconds, a good figure.
PASSENGER & DRIVER RELATED ISSUES
The rear seats are relatively low-slung, as a result of which, under-thigh support is compromised. But I think it is not as bad as the old Honda City. Reader lights are smartly positioned at the rear, allowing executives to complete their work and kids to read their comics. Also, the stereo controls are asmartly located in the rear arm-rest, giving the rear passengers full control of the stereo. The cup-holders are simply an awesome additional feature, and Honda has really exceeded expectations in the detailed enginering of the interiors. Oh, if only the seating position all around could have been better. This is the only flaw in the Civic, otherwise it is perfect. The Civic is more driver-centric and is a more sportier car to drive because of its low-slung nature while the Corolla pulls back valuable ground by offering better ride quality. The low center of gravity and longer wheelbase make the Civic a true driver's car.
PADDLE SHIFT GEARBOX
Apart from the normal manual gearbox, Honda has also offered an f1-style paddle shift gearbox with the Civic. And, for a Rs 12 lakh car, it is an awesome feature. After all, this gearbox is found on way more expensive cars like the Ferrari F430. Normal gear lever is also there and this combination amounts to a explosive experience for the driver- any chauffeur would love to ferry around his emplyer across highways in the Civic.
QUICKIES
Price- Rs 11.5 lakhs (approx)
Top Speed- 200 + km/hr.
Mileage- Around 11 km/l.
Feul Tank Capacity- 50 litres
Safety Features- airbags, EBD, brake assist.
All in all, the Civic is a driver centric car that is great for the highway. If you are going to be spending most of your time in the backseat, then the Corolla is a better buy. But the Civic looks so much better!! I cannot stop drooling.
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