By Rebaneilwe Semakane
Honda has had a strong heritage in South Africa that extends over 50 years, giving locals an array of vehicles that they have become accustomed to. Stalwarts such as the Jazz, Accord and Civic, to name a few. We recently attended the launch of the eleventh generation Civic RS, and it promises to retain that traditional Civic DNA, but with a more modern and refined agenda.
The Honda Civic RS looks absolutely phenomenal from every angle, with an immensely sporty design that’s exciting to look at, yet very simple – elegant even. It has a low and long stance and large glass areas to let in copious amounts of light. The LED headlights and taillights are connected by a sharp crease line that carries from the front bumper to the rear. The vehicle sits on 18-inch alloy wheels, finished in matte black. A notable feature is the fin antenna and rear boot spoiler – adding to both its sporty and executive appeal. The interior is stunning, with quality finishes in and around the cabin. The controls and surfaces felt great to touch. It has a 9-inch HMI Display Audio screen that protrudes from the dash, further boasting Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. The graphics are impressive, and the infotainment system is easy to maneuver around. The Civic RS has a 12-speaker BOSE sound system fitted and all the aforementioned features are standard – which in this economy, shows great value for money.
The route we took was simple and short to sample the vehicle, from Midrand to just near Hartebeesport, which is about an hour away. With these horrible Johannesburg roads, the Civic RS carried itself gracefully, smoothing out bumps as best as possible. We did, however, experience a lot of turbo lag from this vehicle and the engine sounded strained when you put your foot down, even when overtaking. The Civic RS is powered by a 1.5L VTEC turbocharged engine that produces 131kW/240Nm. When in motion, the car’s power retention is good, and offers a quiet drive overall. You have three driving modes to choose from, namely ECON, Normal and Sport. Honda claims a fuel consumption figure of 6.2l/100km, impressive. Safety features include Vehicle Stability Assist, Anti-lock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Hill Start Assist (HAS), parking sensors, blindspot monitors and a reverse camera. There’s also forward collision warning, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, so ultimately this car is jam-packed with features.
With regards to its rivals, it’s sort of on its own here. The Toyota Corolla could at best take on the Honda Ballade now, but the Civic RS aims to provide a premium experience at an affordable price. Ultimately, it is an outlier and sits alone in this C-segment. At R669 000 with a full house of features, that pricing is what most German premium marquees would price their base models. The Civic RS comes with a 5 year/200 000km warranty, and a 5-year/90 000km service plan.
