Civic wins comparison test in Car and Driver

[TimberWolf]

In April issue, the Civic Sport hatchback goes up against the Mazda 3 2.5, VW Golf, and Chevy Cruze hatchbacks, all equipped with manual transmissions. Honda came first, followed by VW, Mazda, then Chevy, although the scores were very close between the top 3.

They liked the driving dynamics of the Civic, but hated the styling.

Unfortunately, they were unable to get a manual transmission Impreza for the test, which is another car I'm interested in.

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[mno86]

Never been a hatch kinda guy no matter how hard I've tried.

I wasn't wowed by the Civic hatch in photos. Gaudy plastic cut outs in front and back. Then I saw one in traffic yesterday in white and I thought it was absolutely stunning.

It looks so much better in person.

 

[kritz]

7 flat to 60 and 15.2 in the quarter mile. I thought the Sport with a 6-speed would be quicker in all honesty.

 

[TimberWolf]

7 flat to 60 and 15.2 in the quarter mile. I thought the Sport with a 6-speed would be quicker in all honesty.

The Civic was the only car that required two shifts to reach 60. All the other cars could hit 60 in second gear. That extra shift from second to third would cost about half a second in time.

It's possible that the CVT might be quicker.

 

[kritz]

Glad to see it win the test though. They really heaped the praise on it except for the looks(which I like anyways)

 

[omigulay]

Is there a link to this? I can't find it on their website!

 

[omigulay]

Is there a link to this? I can't find it on their website!

Edit: NVM, I found it on google play store.

 

[UberCivic]

Edit: NVM, I found it on google play store.

Much thanks, didn't want to wait for this to hit the website. Looks like they tested at a higher elevation, all the cars had slower numbers than usual. Hopefully at sea level the 5-speed should be a 14 second car then.

 

[Shinkansen]

C&D kind of banged on the hatch's looks putting it about only short of the Edsel or the Aztek. I think it is a color-dependent design, looking menacing in black, where the trim pieces just blend in, but it has the best character in the Polished Metal or (my preference) Lunar Silver colors, and maybe Sonic Gray, where the piano black is a contrast that adds character, but not so much as on the white. In the medium gray colors, the cut lines and flares on the bodysides stand out and the piano black trim isn't quite so in-your-face as it looks in red. Yet, in every video I've seen by testers, and in the magazines, it seems Honda is supplying just the Rallye Red as the test fleet color. I guess I'd love to know how they pick the color to supply as the test fleet color. The brochure, I note, features Sonic Gray (though it doesn't quite photograph like it looks in reality). Your thoughts on color on the hatch and the sedan and the coupe (I love the Energy Green coupe color!) BTW, I came from a 2014 Cruze and just didn't think its new hatch looked as modern as the Civic in side by side photos (see YouTube Honda Laura's video, )

 

[ACG12]

7 flat to 60 and 15.2 in the quarter mile. I thought the Sport with a 6-speed would be quicker in all honesty.

That's .1 second slower in the quarter mile than the previous Civic Si. Not bad considering it's down on power and wasn't designed to be a fast car.
https://www.edmunds.com/honda/civic/2012/road-test-specs2.html

 

[BarracksSi]

The Civic was the only car that required two shifts to reach 60. All the other cars could hit 60 in second gear. That extra shift from second to third would cost about half a second in time.

That's the same issue that the EP3 had when it was tested way back when. Second gear topped out at 58 mph (proven many times in my own EP3). It really didn't matter in the real world anyway since 3rd was enough for almost any highway passing.

BTW, hi all, first post on CivicX; got my Sport Touring hatchback last weekend.

 

[CIVICSPORT]

Yep I knew the sport hatch with manual felt a bit sluggish. I'm surprised they went as fast as 7.0 Seconds 0-60 it feels closer to 8.0 Seconds which is what other magazines have gotten.

 

[VarmintCong]

Yep I knew the sport hatch with manual felt a bit sluggish. I'm surprised they went as fast as 7.0 Seconds 0-60 it feels closer to 8.0 Seconds which is what other magazines have gotten.

Not mine, at least with 93 octane, it pulls, feels like 6.5 sec, which it would be if 2nd gear were a bit taller.

 

[LongRun]

In April issue, the Civic Sport hatchback goes up against the Mazda 3 2.5, VW Golf, and Chevy Cruze hatchbacks, all equipped with manual transmissions. Honda came first, followed by VW, Mazda, then Chevy, although the scores were very close between the top 3.

You can read this online (several pages to click through) at http://www.caranddriver.com/compari...s-chevy-cruze-mazda-3-vw-golf-comparison-test

 

[sibanez]

As a side note, I think with a slightly taller tire, you could hit 60 in second. One autocross guy I spoke with, who is planning to run his Sport Hatch in H Street is going to try a 245/45/17 or a 245/40/18, both of which are slightly taller and should put you in the ballpark of 60. You'll lose a little off the line, but with the car's gearing and lighter wheels, there should be time saved from having to hit third gear.

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