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So elegant and cohesive
is the styling of Honda's five-door Civic that you might think
there to be a very real chance of the three-door variant having
to live in its shadow. So Honda has been forced to put in the
overtime developing three-door models that'll make you sit
up and take notice.
The Type R sporting flagship has a cult
following, but if that car is a little too full-on for your
tastes, fear not, for the more affordable Type S offers a
decent quota of fun, packaged at a more manageable price.
Sharing the same platform as the five-door
car, the Type S features retuned suspension for sharper cornering
and a younger image. The styling is well judged, with a decent
array of sporting cues without appearing too over the top.
With side skirts that flare outwards to the wheel arches, the
Civic's flanks now get a more voluptuous Coke-bottle look and
the front and rear spoilers give the impression that the Type
S is absolutely bonded to the tarmac. The lower body structure
is finished in gun metal grey. The side windows of the three-door
are probably the easiest way of identifying it, with an upwards
kick to the rearmost pane giving a wedgier look than the five-door.
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Powered by either a 1.8-litre iVTEC petrol
engine or a torquey 2.2-litre diesel unit, both engines good
for 139BHP, the Type S also comes with a slick, wristy six-speed
manual gearbox that will have you punching up and down the ratios
just for the sheer fun of it. Honda's automated manual i-SHIFT
box is also offered on the petrol car.
The suspension is one of
the things that make this car special. For a start, the
steering has been sharpened to give a more direct feel. The
spring and damper settings have been revised to offer a decent
ride quality with the standard 17-inch alloys coupled with
beefy roll resistance through corners. The rear track has been
widened by 20mm to give the Type S an even more planted appearance,
the car almost appearing to sit foursquare on the tarmac.
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The detailing is very neat, with a repeating
triangular theme appearing on the front fog lights, exhaust
pipes and rear trim. Many manufacturers have tried to combine
sharp angles with rounded curves and the results haven't always
been very happy. The Civic shows how it should be done. The
adventurous styling doesn't stop on the outside either. Where
the old car introduced a lot of new ideas when it came to packaging,
the eighth generation Civic again offers a novel approach.
The dashboard is designed on two levels, the main instruments
housed on the nearer one with a surrounding 'tier' that includes
auxiliary functions like stereo, heating, ventilation and trip
meter. This sophisticated, three-dimensional feel to the fascia
is backed up with quality materials and interesting textures.
The Type S is fitted as standard with silver-stitched black
alcantara seats and a leather trimmed steering wheel. Peer
into the footwell and you'll spot a natty aluminium pedal set
too.
Two model grades are offered — standard and GT. As well as the big alloys
and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), the Type S is fitted with air conditioning,
a cool box, remote audio controls and curtain airbags. The GT version of the Type
S adds dual zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof, cruise control, front
fog lights, retractable mirrors and automatic wipers and headlamps.
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Now comes the
bit that may well have you scratching your head. Although the
latest Civic is significantly smaller than its predecessor
on the outside, the room inside is just as generous as before.
Instead of trying to understand how Honda have warped the time-space
continuum, it's easier to spot the simple engineering solutions
they've employed. Like the Jazz, the Civic features a fuel
tank that's centrally mounted along the cross member below
the front seats. This means that the seats in the rear can
fold flat and there's no intrusion into the cargo bay floor.
Just because you opt for a three-door model doesn't bring any
penalty in luggage carrying ability, the 485 litres of loading
space identical to the more family-friendly five-door car.
Honda's one motion dive down seating system creates a flat
loading floor.
The Civic Type S will appeal to those who require a sporty, advanced and distinctive
3-door hot hatch which will more than likely, just like the Type R, establish
a niche for itself.
If you'd like to read some independent reviews
of the new Civic Type-S please click on the links below:
The head-turning Type S is available NOW
for a test-drive at Southern Counties Honda, Crawley. Please
click below to arrange your test-drive.
Read
about The Hondacare after-sales package »
Click
to see the latest Honda price list  » |
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