EVEN travelling at five mph, the Honda Civic SR bristles with technology designed to keep you out of scrapes.
An array of sensors, a colour camera and warning beeps ensure only the truly idiotic can get themselves into trouble.
Increase your speed and even more equipment – from collision warning to blind-spot alert – silently kicks in to help ensure safe travel.
The refreshed version of the Swindon-built Civic hatchback has been modified to enhance handling.
Engineering changes are subtle, but on the road the Civic feels more agile and responsive, thanks to retuned front and rear dampers. Meanwhile the electronic power steering has been tweaked to improve high-speed stability and the rear suspension has been realigned to further improve handling.
With manufacturers working ever harder to squeeze more power from much smaller engines, the pokey power plant in the test car is becoming something of an endangered species.
The firm-riding test car’s engine was a 1.8-litre unit with bags of punchy power. Its downside was increased fuel consumption and higher emissions.
Priced from about £17,000, other engine choices are a 1.4-litre petrol and the new star of the range, a fuel-efficient 1.6-litre diesel.
With the styling changes, Honda has succeeded in its aim to produce a more sports-inspired look and feel.
The external styling tweaks focus on the rear of the car, with the introduction of privacy glass on the rear windows, along with smoke-coloured rear lights and a new tailgate sporting a piano-black finish.
Its front end also has a new piano-black insert, matched by darker wheelarch finishes and new 17-inch aluminium wheels, finished in silver and black.
Honda is offering a comprehensive care package covering servicing, warranty and roadside assistance for five years for the fixed price of just £500. Not surprisingly more than 90 per cent of buyers have taken up the offer since it was introduced at the start of the year.
As a £780 option on all SE Plus, SR and EX Plus models, the 2014 Civic also offers a comprehensive range of advanced safety systems known as the ‘driver assistance safety pack’ – introduced recently on the new Civic Tourer.
Using a combination of cameras, sensors and radar, features of the pack range from a city braking system, forward collision warning and automatic high beam to traffic sign recognition and blind spot warning.
Also included is a ‘cross traffic monitor’ that uses rear-side radar sensors to warn of vehicles approaching from the side when reversing.
So whether travelling at low or high speed, the Civic is designed to deliver real peace of mind.
AT A GLANCE
- Insurance group: 15E (1-50) s Fuel consumption (combined): 46.3mpg s Top speed: 134mph
- Length: 431.5cm/170in
- Width: 177cm/69.7in
- Luggage capacity: 16.8 cu ft
- Fuel tank capacity: 11 gallons/50 litres
- CO2 emissions: 145g/km
- Warranty: Three years/90,000 miles
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