Striking a good balance

The Honda Civic, with its new 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine, promises an outstanding balance of high fuel economy, low emissions and dynamic performance. So has it achieved this?

The Honda Civic is the marque’s first car to house its much-anticipated 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine. It boasts strong power (118bhp) and torque (258lb ft/300Nm @ 2000rpm), but with CO2 emissions of just 94g/km.

The 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel is the first engine from Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology programme, which is the manufacturer’s term for its new series of clean, low emitting models, that are still enjoyable to drive. As Suehiro Hasshi, the Project Leader for Civic 1.6-litre i-DTEC, said: “The key focus of our Earth Dreams Technology philosophy is to balance environmental efficiency with the dynamic performance expected of a Honda,” adding that it remains important that Honda’s are “fun to drive.”

ENERGETIC
And the Honda Civic i-DTEC is fun to drive. You can feel the engine refinement in its performance. Energetic from the word go, it is smooth changing up the gears, grips the road well, is very responsive, blocks out road noise, and is all-together very comfortable. My only grumble is the position of the large spoiler, which covers some of the rear window, and restricts visibility.

The quoted combined mpg figure is 78.5. I was able to achieve an average of 63mpg during my week with the car, which involved a variety of roads and driving styles, which was very good. So with an CO2 value of just 94g/km, for me, the
Civic has indeed done an excellent job of balancing a strong performance, good fuel
economy, and low emissions.

LIGHTEST 
DIESEL ENGINE
The 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine is special for a whole manner of reasons. Firstly it is said to be the lightest diesel engine in its class, weighing 47kg less than Honda’s 2.2‑litre i-DTEC engine. Other developments and refinements include reduced mechanical friction, to a level similar to that of a petrol engine; a clever turbocharger; an efficient fuel injection system and engine air flow; and a newly designed lightweight and compact transmission system.

Externally the car has been designed in an aerodynamic manner which helps it achieve high-speed stability and further fuel efficiency. To help drivers get the best fuel economy out of the Honda, the ECO Assist function uses illumination on the car’s speedometer to advise drivers on how their driving style is impacting fuel-use. It lights up blue when the car is idle and stays blue during sudden acceleration and deceleration. It turns to green if the car is driven in an economical fashion. During gentle acceleration and deceleration when the driver is slightly exceeding the best level of throttle the speedometer illumination shows blue-green.

What’s more, drivers can press the green ECON button on the dashboard for even further fuel efficiency. It ensures a very smooth increase in torque when the throttle is pressed for greater fuel efficiency and also improves the efficiency of the air conditioning system, reducing the load on the engine. The Honda also has an Idle Stop system to cut out the engine when at a standstill.

Thanks to its low CO2 and excellent fuel economy, the Civic enjoys low running costs; it’s in the 13 per cent BIK rate, has no road tax, and is congestion charge exempt. What’s more, it is claimed to do up to 863 miles on a tank of fuel, which is the equivalent to two return trips to Paris from London.

In summary, the 1.6 Civic is more refined, more efficient and more dynamic than previous models, and looks sharper than ever. Good whole-life costs and reasonable purchase price, plus a dynamic drive, means this should catch the eye of business users

Honda Civic 
1.6 i-DTEC SE Manual

ENGINE: 1597cc, 4-cyl turbodiesel
CO2: 94g/km
MPG (combined): 78.5
VED: Band A, £0
BIK: 13%
PRICE (OTR): £19,400 (incl VAT)