Honda Civic 2006 News

The suggestion that, in some months at least, Corollas would outsell Commodores would have got you locked up. Back then, of course, oil was but $30 a barrel.Although the VE Commodore is set to remain Australia's single, top-selling model range (see pages eight and nine) at least for the time being, the ground on which the passenger-car market is played has shifted seismically.The immediate consequence is the ever-increasing popularity of relatively economical, four-cylinder, petrol-engined vehicles. Beyond that, cars powered by alternative fuels are with us in a way that's only going to get bigger.Although diesel power comprises but a fraction of private-vehicle sales, that fraction has expanded this year to the point where "alternative" is too flighty a term.Diesel has long been the dominant fuel in Europe, where tax incentives make it affordable. But even its comparatively heavy price at the pumps, and the premium Australians are obliged to pay for diesel cars, haven't curtailed the segment's growth.At mid-year 12,182 diesel cars and SUVs had been bought by private owners. That's about one-twentieth of the number who bought petrol vehicles.But twice as many diesel cars had been bought by June 30 as had been by mid-2005.Volkswagen, now the best-selling German marque in Australia, sells more of its direct-injection, turbo-diesel models than its petrol variants.The oilers available in cars of other marques — notably Audi, Peugeot and Citroen — make their near-equivalent-capacity petrol cars redundant.VW's Polo Match diesel ($22,990) and the Citroen C4 1.6 HDi ($29,990) are just two diesels easily capable of more than 1000km on a tank.The counter-claim that this superior-to-petrol economy barely compensates for a higher purchase price is diminished by two factors.The first is that petrol equivalents of these cars demand costly premium unleaded. The second is that, increasingly, purchase prices are coming into line with those of petrol-driven cars.Although hardly the most affordable example at $86,500, the recently launched Audi A4 3.0 V6 TDI Quattro literally drives home the point that diesel doesn't mean forsaking fun.This A4 is a legitimate sports sedan that provides greater torque and superior dynamics to the $130K Audi S4 with its V8 petrol engine.The A4 TDI benefits from essentially the same technology that powered twin Audi R10 diesels to victory and third place at Le Mans in June.So, too, does parent group VW, whose range of 1.9 and 2.0 TDI Golfs starts from a less exotic $30K.If diesel provides the most readily available and popular petrol alternative (VW has an oiler model in every range, including the forthcoming Eos drop-top), petrol/electric hybrids are coming hither.If the most notable, Toyota's Prius, is a platform to showcase technology rather than a decent car, then the cheaper Honda Civic Hybrid shows that petrol-electric combinations need not mean complete compromise.And the superb GS450H by Toyota's luxury subsidiary, Lexus, points to a future where V8-equivalent performance can be had for four-cylinder fuel economy, although an affordable way of accessing something so seamless (the GS450H costs $122K) is some way off.Hydrogen vehicles are up and running, but not thus far as practical, mass-produced units.BMW has been involved in hydrogen-cell research and development for 15 years, as product chief Burkhard Goschel told CARSguide last week."It will grow up, but how fast I don't know," Goschel said."The issue is storing hydrogen. You need about 10kg for a good range. It should be in liquid form, but some issues over storage in cars has to be solved."Expect BMW to reveal a major development on this front later this year.Once omnipotent in Aussie family-car dominance, Holden and Ford Australia are belatedly getting hip to a world where unleaded petrol costs $1.50 a litre.Both manufacturers' parents have access to first-rate diesel engines. The prospect of a Falcon packing the superb 2.7-litre V6 bi-turbo diesel that also powers Citroens and Jags, is intriguing.More immediately, Ford Australia has been galvanised to harness a readily available technology.In an elaborate 23-day, 13,000km trial, an LPG-equipped Falcon is travelling around Australia for about $1000 in fuel. Lexus GS450hPrice: $121,900Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol & 147kW electric hybridPower (total): 253kW/368Nm plusO-100km/h: 6.0 secs (est)Fuel consumption (urban/open road combined): 7.9 litres per 100kmThe first practical rear-wheel-drive luxury hybrid sedan makes Lexus's petrol V8s obsolete.The hybrid Lexus betters the performance of the latter for fourcylinder economy. Only the lack of boot space - compromised by the RWD and battery gubbins - detracts from the package. Toyota Prius IIPrice: From $37,000-$46,500Engine: 1.5-litre hybridPower/Torque: 57kW/115Nm0-100km/h: 10.9 secsConsumes: 4.4L/100kmOutstanding economy doesn't mitigate a prohibitive price tag, laughable looks and appalling driving experience.You can have a petrol/electric hybrid without too much compromise, but not in this, the model that is unfortunately - synonymous with the technology.Honda's Civic Hybrid is not only cheaper, it also looks like a car. Peugeot 407 HDiPrice: From $61,990Engine: 2.7-litre V6 bi-turbo dieselPower/Torque: 150kW/440Nm0-100km/h: 8.5 secsConsumes: 8.4L/100kmThe Ford/PSA joint venture twin-turbo diesel engine has won friends and influenced people since making its local debut in Jaguar's S-Type.Available now in Pug's medium sedan and wagon, the thing can be accessed for $40K less. Ignoring the usual French-car caveats, these models render the V6 petrol irrelevant. Ford Territory TurboPrice: From $53,990 >Engine: 4.0-litre six-cyl turbo petrolPower/torque: 245kW/480Nm0-100km/h: 7.0 sec (est)Consumes: 14.2L/100kmAustralia's favourite SUV just got more go. Only problem is that it won't go as far - between refills, that is.The all-wheel-drive Territory Turbo is an immensely accomplished SUV that really does have car-like handling, and a superb ZF six-speed auto gearbox.Not only is the Tezza Turbo's claimed consumption figure considerable, however, it's also optimistic. Holden Commodore OmegaPrice: From $34,490Engine: 3.6-litre V6 petrolPower/torque: 180kW/0-100km/h: TBAConsumes:10.9L/100kmAustralia's favourite fleet and government hack is finally here and it's pretty good (see page 24).But is it too little, too late? Or, rather, too much, too late? Holden have made much of the fact that the incoming VE range drinks no more than the VZ series it replaces. Still that translates to almost $100 to fill from empty. Mazda 3 Maxx SportPrice: $28,500 (auto)Engine: 2.0-litre four-cyl petrolPower/torque: 108kW/182Nm0-100km/h: 9.0 secsConsumes: 8.9L/100kmIt's Australia's favourite fully-imported car and with reason - combining bullet-proof Japanese quality, strong performance, driver-orientated dynamics and good economy.Recently upgraded, the 3 comes as either a five-speed auto or six-speed manual gearboxes (another economy fillip), improved refinement and Euroequalling safety packages.The 3 range starts from $21K, but punters typically go for the upperechelon models.  COMPARING FUELS  PetrolBy degrees of magnitude the most common fuel used in passenger vehicles.PROS: Ready availability, almost infinite choice of capacity, relative affordability.CONS: Petrol prices are going in only one direction - north. DieselDiesels comprise a rapidly growing segment of the passenger car market.PROS: Economy (more than 1000km per tank in some models). Performance.CONS: Most diesel pumps are filthy. Diesel contains higher levels of sulphur. Biodiesel is rare and expensive. HybridRefers mainly to vehicles which use a rechargeable electric energy storage system and a fuelled propulsion power source.PROS: Low-polluting and low-consuming. Increasingly affordable. Near silent.CONS: Far too expensive (Prius). Dangerously silent. LPGEmission reducing and half the price of petrol, liquid petroleum gas is most commonly used in dual fuel large sedans, especially taxis.PROS: Much cheaper and much cleaner than petrol.CONS: LPG provision can eat boot space. Do you really want to drive a cab? HydrogenIn combustion variants, hydrogen is burned in much the same method as a petrol engine. In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is converted to electricity through cells that then power electric motors.PROS: A BMW internal combustion hydrogen car has attained 300 km/h. Mazda has developed rotary engines to burn hydrogen. General Motors is investing in fuel cells.CONS: Making hydrogen a practical fuel is proving very difficult with no infrastructure at fuel stations to support it. EthanolWhile the grain-derived stuff is "greener" than pure petrol, by no means is it so certain that all cars will run happily on the 10 per cent recommended ethanol mix.PROS: Nice for Manildra. The Liberal Party loves it.CONS: By no means nice for your car. The Liberal Party loves it.

But picking up the keys for my new car, little did I know that within days I would be $333 out of pocket. And that's not counting the cost of my humiliation. The exorbitant fee was not a hire cost. Nor was it the cost of petrol or any other hidden costs. It was the price of my mistake that saw me reluctantly handing over my credit card to unsympathetic Adelaide City Council bureaucrats. It all started two days after one of The Advertiser motoring writers handed me the keys, telling me to enjoy my new wheels. Pulling up in an on-street car park, I was impressed at how smoothly the Civic glided into place. Never before had parallel parking been so easy. Returning two hours later, I was a little bemused to not recognise my car anywhere. Don't panic, I thought. These new cars all look the same. And for some reason, many of the cars in the street had Victorian numberplates like mine. Clinging to hope, I walked along the line of parked cars pressing the alarm button on my key waiting to see those familiar flashing lights. But there was no flashing. My bemusement quickly turned to panic. "It's been stolen," I cried to my equally panicked companion. "I can't believe it. I'm sure I parked it right here," I said, pointing to a vacant space. It was now his turn to look bemused. "Um, that's in front of a garage roller door," he said. That's how I ended up in the council offices the next morning – paying the costs of my car being towed from the front of a serviced apartment block's roller door and stored overnight, plus a $48 parking ticket. But even in my short time with this stylish vehicle, I learned there were many things to love. For a so-called "small sedan", this baby has plenty of room to move and a large boot which means adequate space for all those shopping bags. And for a girl whose usual mode of transport is a 1.2-litre two-door hatch, I loved the grunt of this 1.8-litre "beast". One touch of the accelerator and off you zoom. The interior light that automatically turns on when you turn the engine off is a nice little touch. It fades out when you shut the door. There really wasn't much not to like. Only a couple of little nitpicks – the dash gear display and tacho were partially obstructed by the steering wheel, at least from my position, and the handbrake got a bit in the way of the gear shift. So, towing ordeals aside, this beauty surpassed my expectations and was a pleasure to drive – from what I can remember of our few hours together. LOVE IT LEAVE IT Honda Civic VTi Auto Price: $22,990 LOVE IT The power. The roominess cleverly combined with a sleek design. Electric seat adjustment. Automatic interior light. Digital speed display. LEAVE IT With the seat adjusted, I found it hard to see the front left-hand side of the car. Dash gear display and tacho partially blocked by the steering wheel. Handbrake a bit in the way of gear shift.

The first petrol-electric hybrid cars have really drawnonly greenies, people who want to be seen driving an environmentally friendly car andfuel misers.The Toyota Prius has led the way, with Honda also chipping in with its Civic hybrid.But the floodgates are about to open.Carmakers are now developing spicy hybrid models for performance fanswho want a thrilling drive as well as good fuel economy.The first such sports hybrid vehicle is the Lexus GS450H.It runs a 3.5-litre V6 hooked up to an electric motor, which Lexus saysgives it the performance of a 4.5-litre V8 but is aseconomical as a 2-litre four-cylinder engine.Lexus says the GS450H is abl e to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.5 secondsand refers to the car as "good clean fun".The hot Lexus Hybrid will go on sale in Australia in April andwill be joined by a petrol-electric version of the Lexus RX all-wheel-drive, the RX400H, towards the end of the year.Further into the future, Lexus will have a hybrid version of its LS flagship and Toyota - its parent company - believes it can sell more than a million hybrids each year with a petrol-electric version of each new model.The hybrid push will pick up pace over coming years andLexus is not the only brand with green hybrid power on show in Melbourne.Honda is revealing the second-generation Civic hybrid sedan.The Civic IMA hybrid is based on the new Civic sedan that is also making itsAustralian debut at the show. It runs a 1.3-litre petrol engine linked up to an electric motor.The Civic IMA can run purely on electric power, up to 40km/h in someconditions, before the petrol engine is fired up to provide extra assistance.Honda says the electric motor now has 46 per cent more power than theprevious model, while the power output of the petrol engine has been boostedto 85kW.The carmaker also says the IMA is remarkably aerodynamic and uses just 4.5 litres offuel for every 100km travelled.Toyota will show its current Prius hybrid model, the current choice ofHollywood celebrities who want to go green, as one of the hero cars on its stand inMelbourne.The Prius, which is a hybrid-only model rather than a hybrid version of anexisting model, is selling strongly around the world and there is a waitinglist for the cars in Australia.

Honda executives say an unrealistic price tag of $35,000 has put an end to immediate dreams of a hatch in the current line-up."I really want to have the five-door hatch," Honda Australia managing director and CEO Toshio Iwamoto says. "We are currently investigating the feasability of importing the Civic hatch."The hatch is made in the UK exclusively for the European market. "I think we will get the hatch but it may take some time. It takes time to develop a suitable product for each market," Iwamoto says. He says the lack of a hatch will limit sales potential.The Civic is available in a 1.8-litre VTi and VTi-L, a 2.0-litre Sport and a 1.3-litre Hybrid, with sales to start at the end of the month.The entry-level VTi starts from $20,990 for the manual with the VTi-L from $22,490 and the Sport from $29,990. Add $2000 for the automatic. The Hybrid is $31,990.The new car is longer, wider, lower and heavier than its predecessor. The front is aggressive and sporty with redesigned headlights, front grille and bumper.The sporty look flows across the whole car, with a sleek side profile highlighted by smaller windows and the swooped roofline and short rear end.The 103kW, 174Nm 1.8-litre SOHC engine is an all-new powerplant, replacing the 88kW, 150Nm 1.7-litre of the previous model.The new Civic has a standard five-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic.Standard features include four-wheel disc brakes, drive-by-wire throttle, airconditioning, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, ABS brakes with EBD, driver and front passenger airbags, three-point seat belts for all occupants, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, adjustable front and rear head restraints, drive and passenger covered vanity mirrors, CD player, fold down rear seat and full-size spare wheel.The VTi-L adds a six-stack CD, 60/40 split fold rear seat, driver and front passenger side SRS airbags, 15-inch alloys and climate control airconditioning.The Civic Sport is the "gruntiest" Civic ever, with a 114kW, 188Nm 2.0-litre DOHC engine.The Sport model adds front and rear curtain airbags, 16-inch alloys, electric power steering, front fog lights, leather interior, sunroof and steering wheel mounted paddle shift for the auto and steering wheel mounted audio controls over the VTi-L.The Civic retains the front strut and rear double wishbone suspension, albeit with a few changes. The Sport and Hybrid have electric steering, similar to that of the S2000.Rigidity has been increased by 35 per cent. Engine noise is down by two decibels, while interior cabin noise is down by six decibels.The civic also comes with a six star Japanese crash rating.FIRST DRIVEFor a small car, the Civic feels solid on the road. The 1.8-litre is capable through the tight stuff and the steering feels nicely weighted. It suffers from bumpsteer through rough corners, but only momentarily. The manual box is smooth, albeit with a longer throw than most.Under acceleration, with the airconditioning on, the manual suffers a slight acceleration hesitation. But this was absent with the A/C button switched off.The manual allows the driver to take it right to the 7000rpm redline, bouncing on the limiter until a higher gear is selected.The automatic is sprightly off the line and holds gears longer than expected. Changes are quick and smooth and inside, the Civic feels very futuristic.It's almost like a mini four-door Odyssey.The Civic has small front-quarter pane windows to stop the A-pillar blocking vision. The long panoramic-style windscreen provides good vision and an open feel.The dash layout is very driver focussed. The high-mounted digital speedo means the driver's eyes don't leave the road.The two-tone interior is stylish and hides numerous storage compartments throughout the cabin, including a dedicated mobile phone holder.The 2.0-litre is similar inside to the 1.8-litre, and has a fair bit of grunt. The five-speed auto with full-time, sport and sequential modes (controlled by F1-style paddles) is not a bad choice, although there was no manual. The automatic is responsive.Using sequential mode the box will hold gears up to the 7000rpm redline, bouncing off the limiter until the driver acts. The 2.0-litre auto feels a little more planted on the road (probably the extra 110kg), although not being able to change gears (sequentially) using the gear shifter is a bit disappointing.