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Friday, February 7, 2014 - SAANICH
NEWS
Welcome to the driver’s seat
Honda knows how to make a good, solid car—and for 2014—things just got a little more interesting. Zack Spencer
Visit the 2014 Honda Civic gallery at DrivewayBC.ca
From rather ordinary to rather extraordinary Tampa, Florida – Being the best at something is an achievement, and doing it repeatedly is impressive. The Honda Civic’s 16-year streak as the best selling passenger car in Canada is nothing short of astounding. For the introduction the 2014 Civic, Honda chose usually sunny and hot Tampa, to introduce their latest update. It was sunny but anything from hot, with overnight temperatures near freezing. Honda has been improving the Civic continuously since the 7th generation model was introduced as a 2012 model. Last year, for 2013, they updated the styling, handling and interior of the 2013 model and now for 2014 they are at it again. Looks The styling focus for 2014 is on the coupe. Roughly 15 per cent of all Civics are sold as a coupe, the most dominant player in the small coupe market. Last year, this sedan received updates to the front and rear styling to help make it look more upscale and sophisticated, and this year the coupe gets a similar update to the front and back, but the changes are meant to provide a sportier look with a bit more aggression. The most aggressive version of both
addition, the front seats are very supportive and the steering wheel is low and small for a racy feel. What is new for both the sedan and this coupe is the introduction of Display Audio system that is available From fuel on the EX and Touring economy to reliability, models. This is a large iPad-like touch-screen resale value, cost design that lets the driver of ownership and access many functions Inside sportiness the 2014 from the radio to apps One of the reasons that Honda Civic is a good that piggyback off your the Civic is the best iPhone. (No Android apps selling car in Canada is choice yet but they are working the practical, yet sporty Zack Spencer on this.) This taps into the interior in both the sedan power of your phone, in and coupe. Many people, the big screen, with full including me, didn’t integration. I liked the speed and funcinitially like the split dash with the tion of the design but really missed a speedometer on the top and the tarotary dial to adjust the volume over a chometer on the bottom, but over time touch screen volume design. Yes, there this design has proven to be a winner. is a volume control on the steering I was wrong. The split design now wheel but one next to the radio would incorporates more information to see complete the package. without having to take your eyes off the road. The trip computer and other Drive functions like radio station information Honda has made one small change are just below the front window. In and one big change to help with fuel the sedan and coupe is the SI model that gets an even more forceful grille and front bumper design plus a rear spoiler and lower air diffuser. Wheel sizes have also changed with the regular coupe receiving 16-inch wheels, up from 15-inches, and the SI now bumps the size from 17-inches to 18-inches.
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economy. The small one is the exhaust system has been adjusted in both the sedan and coupe to let the engine breath better, improving horsepower slightly from 140hp to 143hp. The big change is the introduction of an inhouse continuously variable transmission (CVT), replacing the old 5-speed automatic. This actually makes this little car more drivable and might be the best CVT on the market. The car snaps away from a stop and cruises with ease on the highway, with quick changes
in the gear ratio that helps mimic a conventional automatic design. In addition, there is a sport mode and paddle shifters on the steering wheel to help liven things up. Honda has done a first rate job here and their efforts have been rewarded with a six per cent improvement in city fuel economy and an overall drop from 6.2L/100km combined to 6.0L, something very hard to do with such a small car. The driving dynamics of the Civic has always been very good due to a fully independent suspension and willing engine. The 143hp is a nice match for this car and the CVT is a great complement. The 5-speed manual is a blast to drive but it could use a 6th gear on the highway, as the high-revving engine can get noisy. The steering is crisp and the car overall instills a high level of confidence. Verdict Honda admits that their Civic might not be the top choice in every reason to buy a compact car but they are near the top in all categories. From fuel economy to reliability, resale value, cost of ownership and sportiness this car is a good choice. The many improvements made to the car over the past three-model-years, has taken the Civic from rather ordinary to rather extraordinary. They know how to make a good, solid, reliable car and for 2014 things just a little bit more interesting. The Lowdown Power: 1.8L 4-cylinder with 143hp or 2.4L with 205hp Fill-up: 6.7L/5.0L/100km (city/highway) Sticker price: $15,690-$26,655
Question OF THE WEEK:
Should all new drivers be required to take a course with a driving school before taking a road test? Please explain why you have made that decision.
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK!
Go to drivewayBC.ca to submit your answer.
Safety Tip: B.C.’s Family Day offers many of us the first chance of taking a long weekend away. If you’re taking a road trip with your family, it’s a good idea to plan your rest stops ahead of time to avoid feeling fatigued behind the wheel and to give the kids a chance to burn off their energy.
Find more online at
drivewayBC.ca
zack.spencer@drivewaybc.ca
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