It seems, with every new model launched, it’s up to Baguio again, and it’s not a bad thing. A drive up to Baguio is always a welcome getaway from Manila especially since it’s a lot cooler this time of year. Getting up to Baguio has always been a yardstick for vehicles new or old. And we’ve been up there so many times, we can tell if the vehicle we’re driving is struggling or having an easy time of it.
The new Civic e:HEV is the newest variant added to Honda’s flagship sedan lineup and it joins the CR-V as the Honda’s second electrified vehicle locally available.
Before the Civic e:HEV was introduced, Honda had the Civic RS CVT and the V CVT, both of which held up to the Civic’s reputation of being fun to drive. How would a hybrid version of the Civic hold up? Is Honda’s hashtag, #DrivesLikeaDream marketing hype or does the Civic e:HEV live up to it? I’ve made it my hypothesis for this drive.
Exterior
On the outside, the Civic hybrid now comes with two new colors, Canyon River Blue Metallic and Crystal Black Pearl. The whole front end is updated with a sportier silhouette, a sharper, more aggressive face, and the lower air dam opening up wider and the edge intakes getting narrower. Prominent are the new Advanced Sport seven-spoke 18-inch matte grey alloy wheels wrapped in 235/40ZR18 95Y tires. This turns out to be very good spec for tires, which are performance rated for a maximum speed of up to 300-kilometers per hour, and have good load bearing performance per tire at speed.
Now for some more subtle changes, the doors get new glossy black chrome door handles and around the rear, the tail lights get black tinted lenses.
Google Built-in
You’ll find that when you enter, it’s identical to the Civic Turbo RS with some updates. The nine-inch infotainment touchscreen now has Google Built-in which is a full integration of Google Apps and services like Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. Google Assistant is accessed by pressing the voice button on the left controls on the steering wheels and saying “Hey Google!” Internet connection is required and not all apps will have a version for use in the vehicle.
There’s also Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. USB Ports are now all Type-C. One of the highlights for long drives is still the Bose 12-speaker system.
Powertrain
Under the hood is Honda’s e:HEV hybrid system, consisting of a 2.0L gasoline engine paired to an electric motor for a total output of 184-Ps at 5000-6000 rpm with 315-Nm of Torque 0-2000 rpm. This is mated to Honda’s eCVT (Electrical Continuously Variable Transmission) and drives the front wheels. There are three drive modes: – Eco, Normal and Sport. The electric motor is powered by a lithium-Ion battery.
The Civic e:HEV is also equipped with both Honda Connect and Honda Sensing offering a comprehensive suite of active drive and passenger safety, security and convenience features.
Drive to Baguio
The Civic’s hybrid system did some of it’s best work in rush hour traffic. With the drive mode set to Eco, and low speed travel, our stop and go movement was all electric, saving considerable amounts of gas. On the expressway, the hybrid system switched seamlessly between electric and gasoline, depending on the speed and state of charge, the electric motor takes priority, with gasoline engine coming on to charge the battery, working in tandem with the electric motor to combine efforts when power is needed.
The hybrid system was also well-suited for the upward winding Asin Road. This alternate route had less vehicles and this also allowed us to put whatever vehicle we were driving through its paces. And the Civic hybrid did not disappoint. Even on Eco mode the hybrid system worked in tandem to deliver power exactly when we needed it, at that instant.
How did it fare? To be honest, it performed better than expected. You’d probably expect that there’d be 2 or 3 of us in the car with overnight luggage — a medium load for a road trip. But there was actually four of us, big guys, overnight luggage, camera gear and snacks for two days. We also put leg room to the test as I was the only short one, with everyone else above 5’8” and one was 6’4”.
Were we comfortable? We all took turns driving and having a chance in all four seats and we were surprised that we were all able to set our seats to what was comfortable for our needs, whether as driver or passenger.
Luggage space wouldn’t have been a issue for a road trip among friends, but as this was a work trip, we had a lot of things and we pretty much filled the trunk and used up all of its 493 liters.
We did not bottom out. Not even once, despite the full load. Even through uneven roads, dips, twists and tight turns which would put the suspension through a workout.
Honda’s e:HEV hybrid system performed flawlessly, from rush hour traffic, where the electric motor did most of the heavy lifting, to the expressway where as we cruised the work was done by the gasoline engine. On the uphill winding roads, both electric and gasoline engine’s combined torque and power came into play and delivered a fun drive where power was delivered as we needed it with no delay. Even on Eco mode.
Did the Honda Civic e:HEV live up to it’s Drives Like A Dream hashtag? Yes. To wrap up, this Honda Civic hybrid lives up to all expectations and more. Priced at P1,990,000 it maybe on the high end of the price range of a sedan, but you do get a lot of car.