Car Test
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R0221 | |
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See also
R0148
March 2002 |
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| First Drive | Honda Civic | |
| Printer Friendly Page | Featured Model: 1.7CTDi diesel | |
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HONDA DOESN'T HAVE A LONG AND honourable history of diesel engines, but if a motor maker is serious about selling into European countries such as France and Italy, it simply must have a diesel in its line-up.
Refined, super-economical diesels are becoming increasingly important in the UK, too, and look set to become even more so, once the full impact of the company car, benefit-in-kind taxation begins to bite. So Honda has decided to do more than just dabble with diesels, and has chosen the Civic as the worthy recipient for its first serious delve into derv. On sale from May, at £1000 more than petrol versions, the 1.7TDCi uses an off-the-peg cylinder block from new diesel-partner Isuzu, but just about every other component is either made, revised or recalibrated in-house. The result is a 1686cc "common-rail", direct-injection, intercooled turbo-diesel, serving up a respectable 100bhp, but more importantly, a wall-to-wall wealth of 162 lb ft of torque, peaking at an early 1800rpm. A Honda wouldn't be a Honda, however, without an oversized helping of high-tech, precision engineering. So the new derv-burner incorporates all the latest technical trickery, such as a variable nozzle turbocharger and variable-intake swirl control, in pursuit of state-of-the-art economy and minimised pollution. It also curbs the direct-injection diesel's inherently higher noise levels. There's a hint of clatter betraying the engine's origins at start-up, but after this, the oil-burning Civic produces hearty responses to prodding its nicely weighted, "drive-by-wire" accelerator, which change to relaxed, effortless refinement once up to speed. Aided by relaxed, long-legged gearing, the new diesel won't be doing the taxman many favours, though. Its 56.5 combined mpg, together with 134g/km C02 output not only eclipse those of all major rivals, but ensure an easy place in the lowest diesel tax band, too. To coincide with the launch of the new diesel, Honda has given the range a mini-makeover. So five-door versions now share the thicker, smaller-diameter steering wheel, silver door handles and black facia of the three-door introduced late last year, while the lighter, more fashionable matt silver centre dash panel has also now been adopted across the board. The SE spec also gains an upgrade to an RDS radio/CD unit instead of the radio/cassette fitted previously. There's abundant passenger space and generous equipment levels, while dropping a diesel under the bonnet has had little effect on the Civic's grippy neutral cornering, other than taming its slightly choppy rough-road ride a little. |
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