Honda Civic 2008 News

The carsguide best green car nominations have done nothing, if not underscore the growing acceptance of modern diesel engines as an eco-friendly alternativeto petrol.

It would have been so easy for the Blue Oval team to drop the bundle as they worked towards producing a new car for a segment that was shrinking daily before their eyes.

We already have the imported Honda Civic and Toyota Prius, with a petrol-electric Camry on the local drawing boards for 2010, but any carmaker which is serious about a long-term future in Australian manufacturing must turn green.Holden has a plan for an alternate-energy Commodore, and has already begun the 'hybridisation' of Australia's favourite family car with moves to green its V6 and V8 engines - with much more to come for efficient petrol power.But the Federal Government's new strategy - and funding - probably puts the final nail in the coffin of a locally-developed Ford Falcon.The cost and complication will be too great for a car which is already in decline and only sells at home in Australia.And that is really the key to the announcement yesterday of the big- bucks 'New Car Plan for a Greener Future'.Australia's carmakers are being encouraged to take the next step into motorng globalisation by creating a significant, high-tech and well- funded point of difference for the cars which are created and built here.It is also a way of sucking investment into Australia from the global headquarters of the three remaining local makers - Ford, GM Holden and Toyota.Holden and Toyota are already well integrated into the worldwide plans of their parents and even Ford, which looks a little isolated, is doing a lot of development work for overseas products and moving rapidly towards a manufacturing future with the compact Focus which will become its Asian export spearhead.So there will be challenges - but nothing which cannot be overcome.There was all sorts of doom-and-gloom talk the last time the motor industry faced a change as fundamental as the one announced yesterday, with the Post-1984 Motor Industry Plan.The so-called 'Button Plan' - named after its architect, the late Senator John Button - re-wrote the rules for Australian carmaking. It reduced complication and duplication, provided incentives for exports and ripped down a wall of protection.Before 1984 the motor industry was insular and inefficient, over- subsidised and over-protected, but it changed and adapted. There were casualties, with Nissan dropping out of local manufacturing in 1986 and Mitsubishi following this year, but the general result has been positive.The history lesson is important because the new deal is the same again, with a leaner-and-greener twist which starts with increased subsidies for LPG cars - good news for Falcon and Commodore buyers - and takes the industry deeply into the sort of technology which will be needed in a world after oil.There is no single silver bullet for the future car, but the Federal Government has shown it wants Australia to be at the sharp edge as the global motor industry advances into the 21st century.There will be some pain and plenty of restructuring for Australian companies, but the $6.2 billion in funding from the government will ease everything from short-term dislocation to the long-term research- and-development programs needed to turn local green cars from a political dream into a showroom reality. 

The Honda Civic hatch was one of the most popular small fours in Australia, so the decision in 2006 to bring out the Thai-built sedan, and not the Euro-styled hatch (with the exception of the top-shelf Type R) was something of a mystery.Honda Australia has finally filled in the gap – not with the Civic hatch, but a different Thai-sourced small car called the City.Today saw the world premiere of the Honda City Concept, which is the final signed-off design car before the model begins production in early 2009.The futuristic concept is practically production. It runs an 88kW/146Nm 1.5-litre SOHC four-cylinder Euro4-compliant engine, and matched to either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission.The City sits on a stretched version of the Jazz platform with a 50mm longer wheelbase, and has a huge 500-litre boot.“We call it a smart new way – it will change the way people think about light sedans,” said Honda’s National Public Relations Manager Mark Higgins.“While it sits on a Jazz platform, its not a chopped hatch with a boot – it is an all new design for the platform, and it’s longer and lower than Jazz.”The production version will feature six airbags, electric power steering, drive by wire throttle, and should start below $20,000 when it launches here in the first quarter of 2009.But this does not preclude the Civic hatch – Honda is still considering the Euro Civic hatch for a mid-2009 release.Honda also announced a new safety initiative on the Civic range - standard vehicle stability assist from the base model upwards.And finally, one more premiere for Honda: a mini virtual car showroom in the palm of your hand.“The iShowroom is possibly the first virtual automotive showroom for the iPod and iPhone,” said Higgins.“It can be downloaded onto your iPhone and iTouch via iTunes. You can view specs, do 360 spins around the car, pick any colour, and find the location of nearest dealer, and on the iPhone, you can ring the dealer direct.” 

In a time of seismic change in the car industry, Honda has decided its refreshed Civic will soldier on with a light makeover. But Honda Australia is keen to push the refreshed Civic's hybrid credentials, spokesman Mark Higgins saying the current Civic hybrid has turned into the quiet achiever, with sales up 20 per cent this year. It has sold 603 so far this year, up from 501 last year and interest has increased in direct correlation to the rise in fuel prices. “In June we actually outsold the Toyota Prius in the private sector for the first time,” he says. “Toyota has done a great job of promoting hybrids, like we have, but most of their sales are to fleets rather than private buyers. “Our sales are mostly to private buyers.” Higgins says a positive in the Civic hybrid's favour was that it looked like the normal petrol sedan. “The critical thing is that our car looks like a normal Civic and drives like the normal sedan.” He says local dealers have been constrained by a lack of hybrid supply, he says. “The bottom line is that if we could get more we could sell more,” he says. “But in the past six to nine months there has been a huge demand for that car in America and they're taking most of the production now.” The upgraded Civic sedan will arrive in local showrooms early next year, sporting mild visual changes and the same 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre petrol engines as well as the 1.3-litre hybrid four-cylinder available now. The biggest improvement is expected to be the fitting of electronic stability control — Honda calls it vehicle stability assist — as standard. However, Higgins says final specifications are yet to be determined. “VSA is already standard on the Civic Sport,” he says. “We're hoping to introduce it across the range, but that is yet to be confirmed.” The Civic is a key car in Honda Australia's line-up and has benefited from a swing to smaller economical four-cylinder cars. Demand this year is up 15 per cent and the range is responsible for a third of total Honda sales. Honda's other ace up its sleeve is the natural gas Civic, which is selling in record numbers in the US but is unlikely for Australia. “It drives and rides just like a normal Civic,” Higgins says. “And it's the cleanest internal combustion engine in the world.”  

THE replacement for the Honda S2000 has been revealed in Britain. It's a new droptop built up from the hot Civic Type R. Officially, the next S2000 is known only as the Open Study Model and is being displayed at the British International Motor Show as a low-emission roadster. But it does not take much digging to discover the car's Civic roots and a production plan for late next year or early 2010. It is clearly related to the Civic, and Honda in Japan admits it is working on a front-drive two-seater to take over from the S2000 when production ends next year. The S2000 is 10 years old and its unique rear-wheel-drive mechanical package makes it very costly to make. A Civic-based successor opens the way for a more affordable replacement and has the potential for much higher sales. Honda Australia is not saying much about the potential for the Open Study Model. “It's purely a concept hyrid sports car. It shows you can be green and sporty as well,” Honda spokesman Mark Higgins says. “The car was designed by our R&D centre in Germany and is very much a European creation.” It is also a Civic-based creation, with a dashboard that could have come straight from the current Type R hatch. The car follows a stronger “green” direction by Honda, which previewed the CR-Z as a hybrid and has also put its FCX Clarity fuel-cell car into limited production. Honda says the design brief for the Open Study Model is “clean and dynamic”, an approach that means the rear of the body extends into the cabin between the seats. Much of the car is taken from the Civic — including its hidden front-drive mechanical package — and this runs right down to the gearshift in the centre of the dash and a Type R-style ignition start button.  

Car sales were at record levels for the first half of the year, but that isn't expected to last.As Ford and GM Holden struggle with their toughest challenges in more than 25 years, there is no sign of any overall slump in new-car showrooms.The Commodore and Falcon are doing it tough, but small-car sales are booming, compact four-wheel drives are going well and there is a growing trend towards work-and-play pickups by Tuppies - or Tradie Urban Professionals.The Tuppie trend is as obvious as the showroom total for the Toyota HiLux, Australia's No.2 seller in the first six months of the year. It even beat the Commodore, though the baby Corolla did best, to record its first half-year term as overall No.1.Toyota continues to power ahead and has experienced the best results in its history, helping to drive a string of records for the overall motor industry."We're up 9.4 per cent for the year. But we always want to do better and while we're running well ahead we're happy," the head of sales and marketing at Toyota Australia, Dave Buttner, says.The overall figures at the half-time break in this year's showroom battle include record sales figures for June, a record for the year so far and a record performance for a financial year of 1,068,301.But things do not look as bright for the second half of the year, even though all industry analysts are forecasting a full-year total of about 1,060,000."There will be a lot of competitive pressures. Prices are likely to stay where they are," Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar says."The June figures need to be seen in a broader context. We have come from a situation where the market was growing at about twice the rate of the national economy ... we have seen growth rates fall from 8.9 per cent to 3.5 per cent this year."This is much more in line with growth in the general economy and a much more sustainable position."So there are plenty of winners, but there are losers, too. Nissan and Honda trail last year's half-yearly totals. They have held their places in the top-10 sales chart but clearly need new models to compete with their rivals, as Honda's impressive effort in June - when it cracked 6000 sales for the first time in a month thanks to the new Accord and Accord Euro - prove.But what can we see in the results, beyond the inevitable stuff from Toyota?New vehicles are still up to 30 per cent less expensive to buy today than they were 15 years ago and strong competition, the growth of turbodiesels, improved safety and equipment levels are driving new buyer inquiry.June had a record 106,541 sales, up 1444, or 1.4 per cent, on the same month last year, and a record for any month in Australian motor-vehicle sales history.Toyota is now more than 60,000 ahead of its nearest rival Holden, with a tally of 127,440 sales.Last month it became the first company in Australia to sell more than 25,000 vehicles in a month when it recorded 25,600 sales.As it did in 2007, the Corolla is storming ahead, outselling the fleet favourite, the Holden Commodore, but it is the HiLux that has surprised pundits.In April the HiLux knocked off the Holden Commodore as the country's best-selling vehicle and end-of-financial-year deals helped push its sales to 4530 last month, with a yearly tally of 22,132.Toyota's success has a lot to do with its market clout and penetration in just about all vehicle segments.It has cars from the economical Yaris to the V8 turbodiesel LandCruiser off-roader and its split strategy of the Camry four-cylinder and Aurion V6 seems to be paying off, even if rivals refer to the Aurion as the Camry V6.Other Toyota strengths are its strong marketing, and knowing its buyers.But with rising fuel prices, tightening credit and interest-rate issues, it is not alone in predicting some softening in the run to December.But Toyota is buoyed by a strong order bank for many of its cars, including the HiLux and Corolla, and analysts say the company's pricepoints and reputation will hold up well against outside issues facing the car industry.The Corolla is the company's hottest property. It became Australia's best-selling car in the first half of the year, the first time Corolla, or any Toyota, has topped the country's new-vehicle sales chart at the half-way point of a year.Australian motorists bought 24,415 Corollas in the first six months of this year - an increase of more than 7.3 per cent on the same period last year.Corolla was the best-selling vehicle last month, with 5023 sales, followed by the HiLux, with 4530.The Holden Commodore was third last month, posting 4274 sales for a six-month total of 23,323 cars - 1092 fewer than Corolla.Yaris, 2770, Aurion, 2552, and Camry, 2261, were among the top 10 sellers last month. Prado, 1749, led the SUV market.Toyota's market share so far this year is 23.5 per cent, a slight gain of 1.3 per cent on the same period last year.Holden's overall share is down 2.1 per cent, which will be worrying the bean-counters.Despite having a strong sedan, ute and long-wheelbase line-up, the company's South Korean strategy has some holes in it.Sales of the Viva sedan and wagon are down more than 14 per cent, and the Barina is struggling.Only the Captiva and Epica seem to be working out.The Captiva has found 5633 buyers this year and even the lukewarm Epica has lifted numbers to 1332, up from 1096 for the same time last year.By contrast Ford's Euro small cars like the Focus and Fiesta have performed well, achieving sales of 8561 and 3866 respectively.Even its new mid-sizer, the Mondeo, has snared 2518, with Ford underestimatingd demand for the turbodiesel model.The late arrival of the new FG Falcon meant that June results of 3483 were about what the company expected.Ford's Broadmeadows factory is ramping up production of the G Series sedans after starting with the base XT model and dealers are reporting strong interest and growing orders for the G Series cars.Luxury-car sales, too, with the impending rise in the luxury-car tax, shot up last month.Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all report strong June sales in a pull-forward of sales before the new tax comes into effect.Mercedes-Benz sold 2054 vehicles, Audi 907 and BMW 2258.The arrival of the new Jaguar XF bolstered Jaguar's June result, with 124 cars sold; and even Land Rover shifted 491 vehicles. REPORT CARDSmall cars GOODCompact 4x4s GOODPick-ups GOODSedans POOR How the makes and models compareTOP 10 MAKES (June)1 Toyota 25,6242 Holden 11,9683 Ford 10,2864 Mazda 75245 Mitsubishi 83366 Nissan 53527 Honda 62178 Hyundai 54479 Subaru 411610 Volkswagen 3305 TOP 10 MAKES (YTD)1 Toyota 127,4402 Holden 67,1233 Ford 54,4694 Mazda 42,4935 Mitsubishi 35,1676 Nissan 30,8007 Honda 30,1688 Hyundai 24,4179 Subaru 20,80610 Volkswagen 16,407 TOP 10 MODELS (June)1 Toyota Corolla 50232 Toyota HiLux 45303 Holden Commodore 42744 Ford Falcon 34825 Mazda3 32866 Toyota Yaris 27707 Mitsubishi Lancer 26678 Honda Civic 26449 Toyota Aurion 255210 Toyota Camry 2261 TOP 10 MODELS (YTD)1 Toyota Corolla 24,4152 Holden Commodore 23,3233 Toyota HiLux 22,1324 Mazda3 17,4585 Ford Falcon 14,7816 Toyota Yaris 13,7047 Toyota Camry 11,7718 Toyota Aurion 11,3879 Honda Civic 10,89710 Mitsubishi Lancer 10,498 who's hotSUZUKIJune was the 19th straight month of cumulative increases for Suzuki, which has cemented a place as one of Australia's fastest-growing brands.A total of 2419 Suzukis were sold last month, making it the best month in the company's history with a 2.2 per cent gain over the previous high-water mark in June last year.Another record result confirms Suzuki is now being considered against the historical volume players in the Australian market, Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers says.Like so many others, Suzuki is cashing in on successful new models, including the SX4, though the baby Swift - a former CARSguide Car of the Year - is still the bedrock for the brand. It has also claimed a 21 per cent increase for Grand Vitara, and the tiny Jimny four-wheel drive, which has been relaunched in 2008, is up 35 per cent.Suzuki sold 12,140 vehicles in the first half of the year, an 11.3 per cent increase on last year."With rising petrol prices having a noticeable effect on customer choices, Suzuki is perfectly positioned to offer a range of vehicles offering great fuel economy, superb build quality and terrific value for money," Devers says. MAZDAMazda is well on track for an 80,000-plus year. Better than its most ambitious target.Last month it sold 7524 vehicles, up 8.5 per cent on the same time last year.The Mazda2's tally of 1540 is a record for the nameplate and even the ageing Mazda3 continues to perform well, selling 3284 last month.The Mazda3's year-to-date sales of 17,458 makes it the third best- selling car - not vehicle - in Australia behind the Corolla and Commodore. SUBARUAll-wheel drive continues to be Subaru's trump card.It achieved a record of 4116 vehicles last month, with an overall lift in sales of 6.4 per cent for the year so far.The new-generation Forester was a star performer, with 1668 sold, an increase of 13.2 per cent.Impreza continued its strong start with 1031 sales, up 16.0 per cent. The refreshed Tribeca also performed well, with 161 sales, up 47.5 per cent.Liberty and Outback sales of 788 and 468 respectively contributed to the impressive result. who's notSSANGYONGThis brand is struggling, with sales down 25 per cent this year despite a revamping of its model line-up.A lack of cohesive marketing, low dealer numbers and quirky styling continues to dog the brand. Only 920 have found homes so far this year. SAABWhat can we say?With only two models in the line-up, the 9-3 and 9-5, Saab needs an injection of product right away.It's coming, in the form of a new four-wheel drive and small model but they are some way off.With sales of only 806 so far this year, it makes you wonder why GM Premium Brands bothers with the Swede. RENAULTEven tough sales have improved 2.2 per cent overall this year, the French carmaker's typically arrogant attitude to the Asia-Pacific market is working against it.The new Laguna and Clio sports model give it some hope, but only if the French executives get out of their ivory towers in Paris and come have a look at our market for a better understanding of what it needs to survive and prosper. PEUGEOTThe model changeover from the 307 to the 308 may have upset Peugeot's strong run, but sales are off 17 per cent this year.The 207 is a strong card and once the 308 becomes more widely known for its quality and driving experience we suspect things will pick up.The 407 is in desperate need of some strong marketing. NISSANLook beyond the nameplate and there are some strong individual performers, like the the X-Trail and Navara.But the Tiida still mystifies people, a Pulsar by any other name really. The miniscule Micra is picking up some well-earned praise for its price and packaging, so there is some hope.The Dualis has fallen short of the mark, though, and essentially Nissan still has to climb out from its tag as a four-wheel-drive brand if it wants to improve.Sales have slipped 4.3 per cent this year. LEXUSTreading water a bit with sales up only 0.3 per cent this year, the six-model range is strong on quality but short on driver involvement. The IS and GS are perhaps the exceptions. They are competent, but not engaging cars, and the volume RX series is due for replacement soon. It cannot come soon enough. CITROENAgain, the French! Some perky little performers in the C3 turbodiesel and C4, but it seems Aussie buyers prefer Japanese.Citroen sales are off 13.5 per cent on the same period last year.The Grand Picasso is the only interesting one to watch. ALFA ROMEONothing wrong with the product but others do it better and more aggressively.Alfa importer Ateco Automotive has sold 717 Alfa Romeos this year, down 25 per cent on the same period last year.The arrival of the sexy Mi.To could spur things on for the brand. 

We live in strange times — or at least under a Federal Government that has some strange ideas about things on four wheels.A big, heavy luxury SUV cops less tax than a more efficient, cleaner imported car. Diesel is less expensive to produce than petrol yet costs more at the pump than premium unleaded. Diesel cars are more fuel efficient than petrol equivalents, yet continue to command a price premium.Perhaps the only surprise is that Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan hasn't stuck an import duty on the cars we present here for being too efficient. It would be in keeping with the logic of his budget.All cars listed here offer official or claimed fuel consumption of less than five litres per 100km (56 miles per gallon by the old measure) in ideal conditions.Fiat 500 1.3 JTD Pop$25,9904.2L/100kmSuch was the demand for diesel that Fiat Australia has expanded its availability to the top of the 500 range's Lounge trim.If the existing Pop lacks the Lounge level of spec, it has all its desirability and efficiency. In fact, official figures place this immensely cute and quite practical re-born 500 as the most fuel-efficient auto on the Australian market.The smallest of the Fiat Group's turbo diesel, the 1.3 is a shade laggedly but winds up nicely to provide a cruisability that belies itscapacity.The DINK's city car par excellence: if the 500 doesn't raise a smile, then it's you that's wrong.Citroen C3 HDi$23,9904.4L/100kmWhile the French marque's reputation for reliability gets nowhere near Japanese surety, Citroen does chic in a way that, shall we say, Toyota doesn't.That Prius-equalling consumption is achieved with 65kW/215Nm 1.6-litre turbo diesel that utterly erases the petrol C3s for efficiency and performance.It typifies the “downsizing but upspeccing” paradigm that has seen sales of light and small cars overwhelm the “Falcodores”.While we do try to be enlightened, we gotta to say that if the C3 is chic, it's also for chicks. Sorry.Toyota Prius II$37,4004.4L/100kmThe world's most successful automotive marketing exercise, one which has caused denuded whole forests for paper devoted to its praise, the Prius is synonymous with lean and green motoring.Another paradox is that being as visually appealing as a chunk of cheddar has enhanced rather than damaged its appeal. It's distinctive and that's what counts. What's the point of making an eco-statement if no one knows you're making one?The Prius comes into its own in commuter traffic, where the constant throttle needed to extract the best return from diesel is hard to maintain. If anodyne to drive in the Toyota fashion, it's by no means awful with quite responsive and reasonably direct handling. Too dear, though.Fiat Punto 1.3 JTD$25,4904.5L/100kmRather more practical than the 500, the larger Fiat achieves its frugal consumption via a robotised six-speed sequential manual; one that does without a clutch pedal and provides an automatic drive mode, minimising the emission spikes that occur when gear changing in a conventional manual.If you can do without the rear seat headroom and don't mind joining a queue, take the 500. Fiat have invested too much in this car for it to flop qualitively.The Punto's interior does not inspire the same confidence.Audi A3 1.9 TDIe$38,900diesel 4.5L/100kmThis hugely efficient and incredibly clean (119g of CO2/km) turbo diesel is absolutely a Prius rival, both in terms of its figures and mad pricing.An eco-conscience can come with a considerable cost but, in this instance, at least you get a decent badge for your splodge (never you mind that it's all Volkswagen Golf underneath).We've yet to test this particular car — that comes in a few weeks — but on the basis of other Golf/A3 diesels, the 77kW/250Nm provided by this unit promises to make being green slightly easier to bear.Citroen C4 SX HDi$30,990diesel 4.5L/100kmAgain you've got to go for the sequential/robotised transmission to realise this figure from the 1.6-litre 80kW/240Nm diesel — which is probably no hardship given how most of you bleat about having to change gears for yourself. Harden the frack up, Australia ...Anyway, this version of Peugeot's 307 in a smarter suit is a cleverly-designed number that manages to afford more usable passenger space than certain bigger cars.You'll not quickly tire of instruments and features that initially appear quirky but are indeed highly practical.Though not the most composed drive on RTA roads and never in danger of providing excitement, the C4 would probably be the family pick from those here.Honda Civic Hybrid$32,9904.6L/100kmThis Honda would run the Citroen close, though.A 1.3-litre petrol-electric hybrid that's much cheaper than the Prius, the Civic attracts infinitely less attention just by virtue of the fact it looks like a common-or-garden Civic, rather than an advertisement for itself.A good but almost forgotten thing, we'll be revisiting the hybrid Honda in depth in the coming weeks.Hyundai i30 SX CRDi$21,4904.7L/100kmCarsguide's Car of 2007, in case we haven't mentioned it recently, at least with the $1300 safety pack that includes stability control and the full complement of airbags.With its responsive 85kW/2455Nm 1.6-litre diesel, the i30 is a spacious, European-designed hatch that dispels any lingering notions about Korean cars. If such doubts do linger, there's always its five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.Steering feel and standard rubber leave something to be desired, but we liked it. So will you. What do you think about hybrid cars, bio fuels and all things green? Have your say.  

Australian car-makers have never quite grasped that many of us no longer live on quarter-acre blocks with white picket palisades in suburbs straight from Neighbours.But style, luxury, comfort and even performance needn't be sacrificed at the altar of practicality or forsaken in the pursuit of greenness.Only a decade ago, Volkswagen's Golf was considered a small car, but the current model is quite big enough for a family mobile.Beneath that, there's an emerging class of diminutive but dynamically pleasing, usefully spacious and (of increasing importance) eco-friendly city cars.It's the segment that shows less in terms of horsepower really can be more in terms of liveability and sustainability. In terms of luxury, too: you can downsize but up-spec - and cut quite a figure when you do.When a car weighs not much more than a tonne, low fuel consumption and low emissions are pretty much guaranteed.The Citroen C2 and C3 won't win any traffic-light derbies, but they do tick both those green boxes and the less tangible - but just as important - one marked “style”.In terms of reliability, it's said there's no such thing as French without tears, but it's hard not to be enamoured of the chic siblings.Our selections would be the C2 VTS with 1.6-litre petrol engine or the C3 Hdi with super-frugal, 1.6-litre turbo diesel (both from $23,990).The latter variant would also be the overwhelmingly popular choice in Paris.Italy gave the world the original city car, designed to provide affordable personal transport while being able to park on a postage stamp. It was the Fiat 500.The reborn, and instantly iconic, Fiat 500 fulfils that brief as a chunk of retro chic that's also fun to drive.Our choice is the top-spec Lounge variant, priced from $25,990 with a perky 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual. If the 500 doesn't raise a smile, you probably don't like sunny days, either.There's also the option of a robotised manual transmission with auto-drive mode. It dispenses with both a clutch pedal and the emission spikes that occur when you change ratios in a conventional gearbox.And, with seven airbags, the ESP-equipped top models in the 500 range have better crash-safety credentials than a Falcodore.The Honda Jazz has been around longer than any other car mentioned here but, in several respects, it remains the benchmark for city cars.Honda's build quality is world-leading; the Jazz's space, practicality and economy are class-leading.Although a small engine combines best with a manual gearbox, it's equally true that changing gears for yourself is a dying art.So try the range-topping VTi-S with continuously variable transmission and 1.5-litre powerplant at $22,920.In the next-size-up Civic range, Honda offers a petrol/electric model which has been submerged beneath the decidedly eco-unfriendly mountain of print devoted to Toyota's Prius.The Civic Hybrid ($32,990) is massively cheaper than the Prius and at least looks like a car rather than a self-conscious eco-statement.Anyone who equates Hyundai with its old $13,990 drive-away-then-chuck-it-away days is labouring under a mighty misapprehension.The new Hyundai i30 has won car-of-the-year awards both here and in Europe (where this, the best car ever built in Korea, was designed).The 1.6-litre diesel-powered models take it up to just about any supposedly more prestigious European equivalent you care to name.The name of our preferred variant, the SX CRDi (from $21,490, plus $1500 for the safety pack) is the only clunky thing about it.More Australians spent their own money on a Mazda3 last year than on any other car. It's the fourth-best seller overall but, unlike the top three, there are no fleet sales among them.Sales-wise, the newer, next-size-down Mazda2 will run its bigger brother close this year. And so it should, being, if anything, an even more convincing package.Diminutive in stance but capacious within, cute to the eye but perhaps the best-driving car here, tolerably rapid but easy on fuel and easy to park, the Mazda2 Maxx (from $18,710) is the ideal city car. Nor will it fall short when freeway trips are required.Frankly, it's brilliant - and a cheaper, lighter, more efficient coupe version will arrive in Australia shortly.Look out also for the Peugeot 107, due mid-year. It will slot under the 207's entry-level ask of $19,990.If you remember the Top Gear episode in which a game of five-a-side football was played using Toyota Aygos, the 107 is the same car, made in the same factory, but with different badges.Actually, it's cars like the 107 and the Fiat 500 that make us look askance at Smart's ForTwo (from $19,990).Yes, it's very clever, but Sydney isn't yet Turin, despite the epic ineptitude of the RTA and our Roads Minister.Besides, you've got an allocated parking space downstairs. So why go without a boot and back seats?Toyota's Yaris shows how a small car can fit a family, although you really need to ignore the base models and go straight to the YRX (from $20,790).Of course, it's the Prius that gets all the attention in Toyota's range; as such, it's the world's most successful automotive marketing exercise.Granted, the hybrid-powered Prius uses staggeringly little petrol in the city, but on the open road we'd take a diesel such as Volkswagen's Polo Match TDI ($22,990). 

New-car buyers are slowly warming to a website that allows them to assess the greenhouse emissions of all the latest models sold in Australia.The Green Wheels site has taken 14,000 hits in its first few weeks online and momentum is building.The joint initiative of Future Climate Australia, the RACV and EPA Victoria, ranks vehicles by their greenhouse-gas emissions and provides information about technologies and fuels and how these affect climate change.Not surprisingly, the Honda Civic and Toyota Prius hybrids perform well, but even light cars such as the Honda Jazz, Mitsubishi Colt and diesels such as the Peugeot 207 HDi rank highly, too.Future Climate Australia executive director Henry O'Clery says response has been good.“It's slowly getting under way, but once word spreads I'm sure it will snowball,” he says. “At present most people don't know it exists.”O'Clery says that though passenger vehicles contribute only about 8 per cent of greenhouse-gas emissions in Australia, a concerted effort to reduce emissions is crucial across all industry sectors.“In ratifying the Kyoto protocol, Australia has signalled its intention to get serious about greenhouse-gas emissions,” he says.Australia's average emission rating for new cars sold in 2006 was 230g a kilometre. In Europe it was 161g.“Clearly the market is out of control so we have a long way to go with getting this increasingly critical message about reducing emissions, whether its to the public or fleet managers,” he says.The website provides a guide to the best-performing cars and includes small, medium, and large cars, off-roaders, utes and light trucks.Vehicles in each class whose emissions ratings come within 25 per cent of the best performer in that class are illustrated with a low-emission-vehicle green tick, specially well-performing vehicles are clearly flagged.“Green Wheels is easy to use and in three simple steps shows users how to select a vehicle that complements their lifestyle needs without excessive greenhouse impact,” he says.O'Clery says the involvement of key players including vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders in the Green Wheels umbrella body, the Low Emission Vehicle partnership, demonstrates the strong level of support.Toyota, Honda, Peugeot, Renault, Holden, Shell, Michelin, VicRoads, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, the VACC and the Committee for Melbourne are behind it.