It takes a lot of money to shoot a person up into space and then bring them back down again safely. And then there’s the expensive problem of developing a way for astronauts to write postcards from orbit.
Rumour has it that the American Nasa program spent an absolute fortune in the ‘60s developing a “space pen” that would write in zero gravity because your standard ballpoint wouldn’t. Meanwhile, those crafty Russians saved some bucks by sending ordinary pencils up with its cosmonauts.
In the motoring world today, we’ve got a similar costly dilemma in an ongoing mission to make cars as efficient as possible.
There are all kinds of ways to tackle the problem: Lithium-ion batteries coupled to Atkinson cycle engines as in your average hybrid; electric vehicles with range-extending ancillary motors; compressed hydrogen; and some carmakers have even experimented with compressed air technology. All very expensive ways of achieving a seemingly simple objective.
Enter Honda’s new 1.6-litre turbodiesel Civic.
Like the Soviet cosmo-pencil, it takes a much more straightforward approach to the task at hand. With four cylinders totalling 1597cc, and a turbocharger to add some punch, this is, by today’s standards, a very conventional move in the sometimes overly complicated quest for greenness. Hi-technology here is limited to low friction internals, a variable nozzle turbocharger and fancy inlet ports in the cylinder head. But it works.
Its power output of 88kW is nothing to go shouting from the rooftops about, but the very usable 300Nm of torque means this diesel Civic calmly pull itself up to speed with low and efficient revs.
There’s also very little turbo lag compared to other turbodiesels we’ve tested, and what little there is can be overcome with clutch control. This Civic only comes with a six-speed manual gearbox.
IMPRESSIVE FIGURES
We averaged a very impressive 4.9 litres per 100km, even with the aircon on and Honda’s throttle sensitivity-reducing “Eco” button switched off. I reckon with some more effort it’s possible to edge it even closer to Honda’s claimed average of 4.1l/100km. Hybrids, eat your hearts out.
Admittedly, our driving style during this period was pretty light-footed, but the car’s computer indicated that it had averaged a still impressive 5.5 litres/100km over a 4500km distance. Numbers like this make hybrid tech seem a bit questionable now, don’t they?
Against the clock, the Civic 1.6 diesel recorded a best Gauteng 0-100km/h time of 10.8 seconds and the quarter-mile in 17.6. Interestingly, hybrid rivals such as the Toyota Prius and Auris, are not only slightly thirstier but also slower in these performance tests. Not to mention, they’re more expensive too.
This Civic comes in one spec level and is priced at R300 000, but for the money comes generously equipped. Bluetooth phone connection, leather upholstery, a rear-view camera, six airbags, and heated front seats are all included. The price also includes a three-year/100 000km warranty and a five-year/90 000km service plan.
WELL DESIGNED
Besides the efficiency factor, the Civic is also a very well designed car. The floor plan is special in that the fuel tank is underneath the front seats (you can sometimes hear the fuel sloshing), which frees up tons of space at the rear.
The boot is especially deep, even with a spare wheel under its floor; and the rear seats can fold flat like in most hatches, but also upward to create a clever and very spacious cavern where rear passengers would normally sit.
The Civic’s ride, even with low-profile 17” tyres, is comfortable but without dulling the handling.
Build quality is also up to Honda’s exacting standards, and you’ll notice it every time you close a door by its rubbery thud. Not a single squeak or rattle inside the cabin either.
The gearshift action is typical Honda with a short, precise throw and the steering too gets the directness this brand’s known for. Would I go so far as to say sporty? Yes.
I do wish though that Honda would change its new style double-tier dashboards. With the steering column and driver’s seat adjusted to my liking, I couldn’t see the digital speedometer through the wheel’s rim, and it’s not a problem isolated to this model. I’ve noticed it in the Insight and Civic sedan as well.
VERDICT
The Civic 1.6 diesel flies pretty low under the very marketable “green car” radar. But the numbers don’t lie, and in terms of real world efficiency is right at the frontline of fuel sippers. Whether intentions are for planet or pocket, this car must be considered. And it’s a great drive too. Few hybrids can say that.
lThe story of how Nasa pumped a lot of money into developing a space pen is actually a myth, as the pen was funded privately. Nasa did spend major dough on a space pencil though – which was too complicated in the end, and astronauts preferred using cheap, normal pencils like the Russians did. Lesson learned. -Star Motoring
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