Four hundred. That’s the number of 11th generation Civics Honda Cars Philippines has been able to sell so far since its launch in November. That may not seem like a large number, but putting things into context, that’s about four units a day; not bad for what the Japanese carmaker has recognized as a market reduced to a mere sliver of what it once was during its heyday.
Now, if you think that the majority of the sales figures is down to the top-of-the-line Civic RS, think again. Thanks to a tighter than expected supply and the arrival of the mid-range Civic V just this month, the best-selling model is actually this: the entry-level Civic S.
Suffice to say, it doesn’t get as much attention as its flashier, slightly handsomer siblings. But, the fact of the matter is: at P 1.290 million, it is, in principle, a great alternative for those who don’t want a crossover or SUV. Moreover, because it has the same main ingredients as the higher-end Civic V and Civic RS—the VTEC Turbo engine and Honda SENSING driver assist system—some may think, why pay more to play? It’s basically the same car, right?
Well, stripping everything down to the basics, yes, that is true. It has the same platform. It has the same turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. It makes the same sort of power and torque—178 horsepower and 240 Nm. It even has the same CVT gearbox. Yes, the Civic RS does have flappy paddles and an additional Sport mode, but in the greater scheme of things, it’s the same 11th generation Civic.
In short, despite being a base model, the Civic S lives up to its nameplate’s reputation of being an approachable, yet sporty everyday car. Things start the moment you settle into the driver’s seat. The seating position is low; lower than even the 10th generation Civic. If you’re used to driving something taller, this feeling will strike you as odd. However, a few minutes in, and you quickly get used to it. Only then, do you realize the genius behind Honda’s madness. It sounds like a cliché, but the low-set driving position feels like you’re one with the car—like you’re wearing a pair of stretchy pants. The visibility works out great too with the hood in full view; the thinner A-pillars and re-positioned side mirrors also work to cut down the blind spots. The tall rear parcel shelf obscures the backend, so thankfully, a rear-view camera is standard.
The Civic also scores high in terms of ergonomics. All the controls—from the basic driver controls to the most obscure of buttons are positioned excellently, and in places where you expect to find them. With Honda SENSING standard even on this base Civic S trim, the steering wheel contains no less than 13 buttons, and a scroll wheel on the left-side. It looks overwhelming at first, but Honda’s done their homework here. The left bank of buttons controls the infotainment—volume, hands-free commands, next/previous track and the multi-information display, while the right bank is exclusively for controlling Honda SENSING functions. Meanwhile, in front of the driver is a partial digital instrumentation with the speedometer being analog.
Towards the center, the Civic S gets a 7-inch touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The layout is simple and straight to the point (it doesn’t even have a home screen) making it easy to learn and master. The graphics, and more importantly, the response times is a clear upgrade from the slow and laggy system from before. Kudos to Honda for programming the right knob to double as a scroll wheel too—perfect if you don’t want to get that touchscreen all too grimy with Cheetos fingers. Additional 10 points for keeping the climate control functions as large, easy to decipher knobs.
Like its excellent ergonomics, it’s also hard to question the Civic’s driving qualities. Despite the small bump in power, Honda engineers worked to reduce the turbo lag and improve mid-range punch. It has 100 percent worked. The engine never feels stressed, and it always feels like it’s got power in reserve. Trying to overtake on an uphill bend? No worries. Just squeeze the throttle, and the VTEC Turbo engine delivers the goods. It won’t shove or dig you into your seat; it’s not that sort of sports sedan. Instead, it’s all about having power and torque whenever you need or demand it.
Then, there’s the gearbox. Admittedly, the previous generation Civic’s CVT needed some prodding just to get it to work in sync with the engine, but not anymore. Thanks to a built-in shift logic, it’s surprisingly responsive. Flog the accelerator, and the kickdown is near instantaneous. And despite being a turbocharged engine, it actually loves to rev. Believe it or not, you’re not missing the paddle shifters or a Sport mode here. And even after a day of maniacal driving it still managed to reach 13.33 km/L (average speed of 42 km/h).
As a daily driver, the Civic also has impeccable road manners. Despite running on skinner, taller tires (the Civic S runs on 215/55R16s), the steering has this feeling of immediacy that the chassis can cash in. Honda says its down to some trick with the suspension geometry (it requires a special kind of alignment—so take note, aftermarket peeps), but whatever the case, it works. Throw it into a series of sweeping bends, and it’s got copious amounts of grip from the chassis. Not once will you hear the tires screech in protest. On straighter pieces of road, the NVH has been improved as well, though some road noises do manage to penetrate into the cabin. In terms of ride, it’s also mighty capable of absorbing all sorts of cracks and potholes. The low 134 mm ground clearance was never an issue, but the longer front overhang does result in some scraping if you take steep driveways too fast.
Great and solid as the all-new Civic’s foundations are, this “Standard” (yes, the “S” variant means “Standard), by and large, feels like a fleet car. It’s as if the turbo engine and Honda SENSING system cost them a pretty penny that to meet the advertised list price, they had to make big sacrifices along the way. Need to open the doors? Sorry, no smart keyless entry for you. Instead, you have to fumble for the key fob (and that’s despite having a push-button starter). Do you like impressing your friends? Well, they won’t like the hard door plastics and scratchy fabric seats. They might even call you out for the halogen, yes, halogen headlights (there are no fog lamps as well). Do you regularly bring family along for the ride? Hope they don’t mind sweating at the back because there are no AC vents or even USB chargers at the back.
There’s no doubting that the all-new Civic’s a great compact sedan—perhaps the best one out there—but the Civic S just compromised too much. Even if it’s at a P 208,000 premium (P 1.498 million), the mid-grade Civic V seems to be at the sweet spot. Ultimately, the Civic S will still appeal to those who’re on a tight budget, but still want a sporty sedan to drive every single day. Or maybe, to those who want to come up with their next aftermarket project car. Whatever the case, because this market’s shrinking in favor of SUVs and crossovers, those aren’t big numbers. And Honda Cars Philippines knows that too. As the Civic V grade starts to arrive at dealerships, they see that as their bread-and-butter model in an increasingly disappearing compact car segment.
Keyword: Just How Good Is The Base 2022 Honda Civic S Turbo?