Test drive Honda Civic sedan 2003 - 2005 sedan

Civic stands up in spirit

Honda injected a little adrenaline into her mass model
 
Only a lazy automobile journalist after meeting with a new generation Civic, that is, a 2000 model, did not complain about the loss of a sports highlight. They wrote there is no previous acuteness in it, the body is too appreciated, the salon without mood, the engine is so -so. In a word, too correct, unpretentious machine, designed for very correct people, unquestioningly observing high -speed restrictions. In those words there was a reason: a drop of healthy aggressiveness has not yet damaged a single model, designed for the widest circle of buyers. It seems that these comments were heard, and the Honda Honda presented the restyled version of Civic in the Frankfurt Auto Show.
 
All claims to the now old Civic were especially relevant in Russia, where versions with a 1.6-liter 110-horsepower engine were delivered. It would seem that quite decent power, plus a system of changed phases of gas distribution of VTEC, but in fact, the car behaved rather sluggishly, like a sprinter, which was suddenly forced to reach a styer distance. The Honda engine has lost its main charm from 4500-5000 rpm, it seemed to save strength, not allowing jerks, although providing even and confident run.
 
Back to the origins
 
After Frankfurt Civic became different. Let not too many changes in the car, but they are all aimed at reviving the sports image of the brand. Take, for example, appearance. The front part looks completely different: new wings appeared, for the sake of fashion, slightly swollen in the area of \u200b\u200bthe wheeled arches, the hood differs a slightly different embossed stamp. However, only a great connoisseur will notice these innovations. But the original radiator grille, huge headlights and a bumper are striking right away. Together, they made Civic's nose more rapid and formidable. An unusual air intakes also work on a sports image. In addition, the car received a new rear bumper.
 
Even at the first glance at the Civic, which flaunted at the exhibition stand, I caught myself thinking that he reminds me of some kind of car. And only now, on the test, how to see him, I realized which one. I’ll make a reservation: Honda still looks quite original, but barely perceptible notes appeared that make the Infiniti G35 look, especially if you look at the edge of the front wing from the wheel side. There can be no talk of copying, just cars of two Japanese brands are slightly similar.
 
Catching myself thinking that I was soon completely freezing, I will gladly climb inside the cozy salon. With a light iron cord, I cover the door. Now the main thing is to mobilize equipment designed to fight a cold. First of all, I include climate control, noting to myself an ergonomic, slightly sticky coating of rotary levers and excellent selectivity of mechanical adjustments. Greek switches in the seats in the extreme position, plus heating of the mirrors and rear windows. After a couple of minutes, I begin to feel the life -giving warmth, which seems to envelops me from all sides. Well, with the distribution of air flows in the cabin, everything is at the highest level. And what about this outside? Slowly, I taxi on the ring road, which is covered with snow-gryaz porridge. What is not a check similar to an aerodynamic pipe? In general, Civic made me happy with the Moscow Ring Road. Especially what leaves the rear -view mirrors clean. For such cleanliness, the Honda aerodynamics I want to say special thanks.
 
Skills are welcome
 
So, now to find a piece of pure asphalt and check other changes in the car other engine and suspension settings. In the meantime, I look back in the cabin. Civic after plastic surgery is interesting in that it was designed with the departure from the classic canons of the company that built the technical filling of models at the forefront. First, the designers created the interior of the machine, and around it they sculpted the body. Therefore, inside Honda it has become much more spacious. Moderately hard chairs with sufficient lateral support and a mass of settings, a grip steering wheel, which does not get out of the back and forth adjustments, a simple but laconic panel of instrument lighting. In general, ergonomics is worked out for sure. The only complaint is a thin and inconvenient knob of the lever of a mechanical gearbox. He does not lie in his hand, made of pipe plastic, although there can be no complaints to a clearly configured mechanism for switching the speeds of claims. In general, I wanted to touch it as little as possible. But the new settings of the old 1.6-liter engine did not work out a little sports in nature, so I tried to maintain the momentum in the range from above 3000 on the tachometer. Not because the engine does not pull on the bottoms, just so it was much more pleasant to control the traction. And I wanted to listen to the sound. Despite the good sound insulation of the salon, the voice of the power plant penetrates inside. It is unobtrusive and only helps to feel the car.
 
Civic’s dynamics remained at the same level, but the driver's sensations became precisely more acute thanks to the easy picking at the turn of 5000 rpm. Of course, they are far from the feelings that you experience the models of the past generation, but at least something aggressive in the behavior of the car appeared.
 
Another fact that added adrenaline during the test the complete absence of electronic active security systems except ABS with the distribution of brake efforts between the wheels. That is, all responsibility for the car lies only with the driver. A serious mistake and is guaranteed expensive repairs. True, the Civic chassis is trying to help the driver to the last and even forgives small mistakes with an overdose of gas. As far as I understand, the changes in the suspension were precisely affected by ensuring security. Honda has become a little more rigid on the go, and is less fired in corners. However, this medal has the flip side of a thoughtless excess of speed in a steep turn causes a very deep skid, which also begins quite unexpectedly and sharply. You can adjust it with skillful actions of the steering wheel and accelerator pedals. Fortunately, the feedback on the steering wheel and pedals is good enough to constantly feel the car, the angle of rotation of the wheels and traction.
 
From a philistine point of view, traveling on Civic may seem a little scary, but this is not at all so. The car is quite reliable and easy to control. With the only difference, which is more suitable for not a novice driver, but a person with experience and skills in the front -wheel drive model.
 
Market ups and downs
 
The Honda Civic, which visited our test, will cost $ 20,900. So much is worth a Japanese assembly sedan. The equipment mentioned in the text is included in the standard equipment. In addition, cast discs are regularly installed on it, an electric hatch (its buttons are a little unusual: on the front panel to the left of the steering wheel), alarm with an immobilizer, four airbags, a fabric interior and audio training, consisting of two pairs of speakers and antennas , built into the rear window. Other modifications are not supplied to Russia, and only an automatic gearbox is available from the options that raises the price of the car to $ 21,800.
 
It is then that the most interesting begins. The three -door Civic hatchback is estimated in the same amount, which differs not only in the shape of the body, but also with the design of the front of the cabin (another dashboard with a tide on which the gearbox lever is attached). The five -door, the priori is less popular in the Russian market, costs more than $ 2000 more. In theory, everything should be the other way around. The same just evokes such a strange pricing policy that the hatchbacks gather in the UK, and their pricing scheme is slightly different.
 
In conclusion, I recall that the guarantee on Civic is 3 years or 100,000 km of run. The list of main competitors Nissan Almera, Toyota Corolla and Mitsubishi Lancer. Of these, only the latter can be compared with the Honda settings of the chassis, engines and transmission. However, Civic loses to him at a price, remaining a machine rather not mass, but oriented on sophisticated drivers and fans of the brand.
 
Sergey Ilyinsky
Photo by the author
 
Brief technical characteristics of Honda Civic
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 1590
The number of valves for the cylinder: 4
Power, l. With. at about./min.: 110/5600
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 152/4300
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p.: 9.2
Maximum speed, km/h: 195
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 6.5
The volume of the fuel tank, l.: 50
Dimensions, mm.: 4460x1715x1445
 

A source: "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 3 (49), 2004]