By Clive Funizwe

Many may not see the updates that Honda has made in the refreshed Civic 1.5T CVT Sport. There could be several reasons for this, and amongst which is the fact that sedans are hardly the first choice for car buyers. Secondly – the Honda Civic is not as popular as something like a Toyota Corolla. This is something Honda needs to fix because this is one sensible offering in many areas.

Looks and interior

More important than the revised piano grille and the new black-coated 17-inch alloy wheels is why this is a top contender that’s knocking on SUV’s doors. For starters, this is a very spacious and practical car. 4 tall adults can sit comfortably with virtually no leg and head-room constraints. Ergonomics are typical Honda, which means infotainment operation is intuitive everything around the cabin like charging points and cupholders are within easy reach.

We could fit a 27-inch bicycle with one seat folded down – which makes this one of the biggest boot by depth. The actual boot opening can be better – but there are few items on the daily that will require a wider opening. Quality is also very good. The switch gear feels reassuringly solid and there is a fair amount of soft touch materials with only a handful of places where hard plastics are used.

Drive

A surprising aspect about this car was how it felt to drive. CVT’s always fall victim to car reviewers’ slander – but we found ourselves without any complaints as far as negatives are concerned. It goes about its business very well and the pairing to the 1.5Turbo engine is a job well-done. Power is more than generous, and we averaged around 7.0l/100kms. The sport mode also adds an unexpected level of excitement. Generally, the Civic Sport handles very well and the suspension is well damped without hindering on cornering ability.

Final word

Overall – we found that the Civic 1.5T Sport offered superb value as a car that is built well and feels like will be durable and reliable for a long time to come. Its biggest issue lies in how its packaged. Aesthetically – its not for everyone and this means there is little to entice buyers in looking into the brand and stumbling on a quality product.

The Honda Civic 1.5T Sport is priced from R513,300 and comes standard with a 5-Year 90,000km Service Plan.