The engine start/stop button is in an easily accessible and viewable place on the dash. When on a cold start-up at idle, it will rev high, and it does sound a bit buzzy when squeezing out its 127kW of power and 220Nm of torque, but it is much quieter when at cruising speed. It’s a fun car to drive, and while it isn’t amazingly quick, it handles a tight corner quite well.
We got close to the claimed fuel economy. On the freeway, we achieved 6L/100km (the claim is 5.2L), and around town we got 6.8L (claimed 8.3L). It can take 91 unleaded, so it shouldn’t cost you too much to run.
It does have a sport driving mode by selecting it via the gearstick, but all it does is hold onto the gears of the CVT transmission. At least the nice rubber-backed plastic shift paddles provide a little more fun. After pressing a few buttons to figure out how to turn on the cruise control, the adaptive cruise control worked well, but entering a tunnel, for example, it would not hold the speed on a decline.
Auto high beam is handy to have, but it was less than perfect. It wouldn’t turn off when cars were parked on the side of the road with their headlights on, or even cars turning right when the Civic was making a left turn. It was quickly turned off.
Vision around the car when driving is great, and with the Honda Sensing suite not including blind-spot monitoring, the left-side mirror camera that displays on the 7.0-inch touchscreen when the left indicator is used can help with those lane changes.
The Civic was last tested in 2017 by ANCAP and received a five-star safety rating, with front, side and full-length curtain airbags, and other safety gear, including ESS and EBD.
It has a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with service intervals every 12 months or 10,000km.
While the Civic does most things well, it battles to outshine its competitors. However, with the addition of the Honda Sensing suite in the 2019 update, it brings it closer into line with others in the segment. If you’re after a practical sedan with a bit of style and flair, it’s worth giving the Civic RS a look.
Drive Rating
Overall – 8.0
Performance – 7.5
Ride Quality – 8.3
Handling & Dynamics – 8.1
Driver Technology – 8.4
Interior Comfort & Packaging – 8.0
Infotainment & Connectivity – 7.0
Fuel Efficiency – 8.6
Safety – 8.0
Value For Money – 7.9
Fit For Purpose – 7.8