2021 Honda Civic: A fun-to-drive, practical compact for everyday use

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan is a fun-to-drive compact car with refined handling, a clever functional interior, class-leading acceleration, and good fuel efficiency figures. There are just two engine choices, but they are peppy and efficient. Besides, Honda adds to its appeal with the offer of plenty of driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan is accessible in three variants, namely Comfort, Elegance, and Sport. Powering these models is either a 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC or a 1.5-litre DOHC VTEC Turbo. The 1.8L engine generates 104 kW and 174 Nm of torque, while the more powerful 1.5L Turbo churns out 127 kW and 220 Nm of torque. Both engines exclusively mate to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), sending power to only the front wheels. Honda isn’t offering a stick shift here in South Africa, but it does present a performance-oriented Civic Type-R hot hatch with 6-speed manual gearbox.

The automaker claims the 1.8L models can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds while the Turbo completes the same run in 8.2 seconds. The maximum speed is limited to 200 km/h.

The estimated fuel economy of the 1.8L Comfort and Elegance is rated at 6.3 l/100 km. The 1.5L Turbo is more efficient at 5.9 l/100 km.

While building the cabin, Honda focussed specifically on comfort. It comes with plenty of high-class, soft-touch surfaces as well as advanced tech features such as dual-zone climate control (available in the top trim only) and push start button for a comfortable drive.

The interior is spacious, though it has started showing its age. Both the tachometer and speedometer are digital, and you get a choice between two infotainments. The entry-level model gets the basic system featuring a small display and physical buttons with no Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility. The other 7.0-inch touchscreen isn’t very efficient either, but it does offer Apple Carplay this time.

The 2021 Civic has achieved an overall 5-star safety rating from the NHSTA thanks to the advanced active and passive safety systems. Moreover, the compact sedan comes with the latest driver-assistance features, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Following (LSF), Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Forward Collision Warning.

Below is the list of Active and Passive safety systems.

The base Comfort starts at R419,500, and the Elegance goes for R470,100. The top-of-the-line Sport sets you back R546,200. Honda offers 5-years/200,000km standard warranty and a 5-years/900,00km service plan along with 3-years roadside assistance. (Prices correct at time of publication.)

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Please note the imagery supplied in this blog was taken off www.automobiles.honda.com