Space, style and reliability come with a price worth striving for writes Geraldine Herbert
What is it? The Honda Civic Tourer is a compact estate version of the Civic Hatchback and as a result you get many of the benefits you’d expect from an MPV, like flexible seating and extra space.
Who is it aimed at? If you need a car that can accommodate a young and growing family, the occasional school friend and from time to time a grandparent or two, then you need a bigger car than a regular hatchback.
Styling? The Honda Civic Tourer is 235mm longer than the five-door hatchback on which it is based. The wedge-shaped profile and sweeping roofline is certainly eye-catching and it is one of the most distinctive cars on the road. Inside is also is packed with clever ideas, including a centre fuel-tank layout which sees the tank located under the front seats.
Under the Bonnet? There are only two choices when it comes to engine options, a 140bhp 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol or as powering our test car a 118bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel. The diesel offers a good combination of performance – with 300Nms of torque there is for plenty of low-down grunt – with a combined fuel consumption of 3.8 litres per 100km or 74.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of 99g/km when fitted. It’s pretty refined as well, thanks to the smooth and precise six-speed manual gearbox. There is an automatic option available with the petrol.
What about inside? The interior is carried over from the hatchback and is radical and distinctive however it is a little on the cluttered side and some of the controls are very small. Space and storage throughout is excellent and inside the boot there is a double floor in addition, the Tourer has the biggest boot in its class at 624 litres, to put this in perspective Volkswagen’s Passat Estate has 650 litres. Drop the rear seats and this expands to 1,688. In the back there is more than enough space for three adults but Honda’s trump card is their ingenious “Magic Seats”, which fold in a variety of ways and add an extra dimension and flexibility to the interior.
On the Road? On the road the Tourer accelerates with ease and the steering is light, quick and responsive and the car feels agile and nimble. The handling is not the sharpest but in this market this aspect is far from a deal breaker.
And Safety? Safety is well catered in the Civic Tourer but for added peace of mind you can opt for the Dynamic Safety Pack, a suite of advanced active safety features such as City-brake active system, Forward collision warning, Cross traffic monitor and Blind spot information. This extra level of protection comes at a price and it is an extra €1,200 for this pack.
Options? There are three trims to choose from, Comfort, Sport and Executive. Standard equipment is good and includes Bluetooth, Climate control, 16” Alloy wheels, Magic Seats, USB Connectivity and daytime running lights. Our test car came with the highest spec Executive that adds goodies such as Leather and heated seats, Sat Nav and a full colour touch screen display.
Will it break the bank? At €25,995 for the entry-level 1.6 diesel model however the Honda Civic Tourer is not cheap and our test car came in at €32,245. By comparison a 1.6 diesel Ford Focus Estate will cost you from €22,295 while the Volkswagen Golf Estate starts at €22,495.
Verdict? The Honda Civic Tourer is pricey but it is also a really good estate. It is a spacious, economical and comes with a huge boot that will easily swallow three large suitcases. Inside there is plenty of room, lots of equipment and if you opt for the diesel it will prove cheap to run. Plus if you factor in Honda’s excellent reputation for reliability that high price tag becomes a lot more competitive.
Why you’ll buy one? Great Diesel Engine; Reliable; Practical
Why you won’t? Pricey; Could be a little more refined
Rivals
Ford Focus Estate – Priced From €23,445
Volkswagen Golf Estate– Priced From €22,280
Watch our video review below (Video Filming by Kyran O’Brien)
Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 I-DTEC
Engine: 1597cc, 88kw (120bhp) @4000, 300NM @2000
Max speed: 195km/h
0-100 kph: 10.1 seconds
Emissions (Motor Tax) : 99 g/km (€180)
Model price range: €25,995 – €32,795 (test car €32,245)
No of Doors: 5 doors
Euro NCAP : 5 stars
Fuel type: Diesel
Fuel Economy (combined cycle): 3.8 litres per 100km (74.3 mpg)
Boot Capacity Seats up (Seats down): 624 litres (1668 litres)
Car Seats: 2 Isofix fittings in the rear
Length: 4535mm
Width: 1770mm
Height: 1480mm
Wheelbase: 2595mm
For more information check out Honda.ie or the Honda Ireland Facebook page
Geraldine Herbert
10th March, 2015
