2012 Honda Civic: Emotionless

When the new 2012 Honda Civic was introduced, auto journalists didn’t exactly welcome it with open arms. And judging by their comments, consumers haven’t given it a warm reception either. Why is Canada’s bestselling car facing so much criticism? The simple answer is that it has taken an elitist turn over time. What was once a car that embodied passion has become a simple demonstration of engineering. Today, people choose the Honda Civic because it’s a good car with a good reputation. Unfortunately, there’s no emotion in the decision.

With this new generation, the ninth, hopes were high that the manufacturer would introduce a Civic that would rekindle the passion, but things didn’t turn out that way. Once again, so as to maintain its share of the market and so as not to ruffle the feathers of established conventions, Honda has gone with a sensible makeover. And that’s a tough pill to swallow with rivals like the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte and Ford Focus wowing us. It’s not easy to be on top and harder still to stay there. Complacency sets in, and that’s where the Civic finds itself now. It looks as though the revival that we were all hoping for will have to wait yet again.

• Also: Honda Civic is Most Popular Vehicle in Canada 16 Years Running

The Civic Si: Slightly more personality

Don’t get me wrong, this is far from a bad car! Sure, the Civic won’t make you want to get up in the middle of the night just to go look at it, but it is still an excellent car that rarely lets its owners down. Our test drive of this new generation began with the sportiest version, the Si sedan. Esthetically, it has a little more personality with its distinctive 17-inch rims, sport grille featuring the Si emblem and understated rear spoiler. We found it rather easy on the eyes and it didn’t seem so bad after all.

Pretty much the same thing goes for the passenger compartment. Although the dashboard is practically identical to that of the base version, the sport seats with a red embroidered “Si”, its unique steering wheel and metallic pedals all stand out, but what really steals the show is the large multifunctional touch screen in the centre of the dash. It’s used to manage several features, such as the entertainment system.

A new engine

For 2012, the Civic Si’s four-cylinder engine increases from 2.0 to 2.4 litres. The additional four horses that come with the increased displacement may not seem like much, but maximum power is delivered at 7,000 rpm instead of 7,800 rpm. The increase in torque is more dizzying, climbing from 139 to 170 lbs.-ft., and that’s the real advantage of this new engine: more energetic pick up to you get you there faster. Although you’ll still have to climb the Civic’s gears to truly get a fair picture of it, the engineers managed to minimize this somewhat.

Honda can be criticized for many things, but manufacturers who design such pleasant transmissions are few and far between. As much as we’ve praised the Korean automakers for some time now, the truth is that Honda continues to lead the way in this area. The Civic Si comes with only one transmission – an excellent six-speed manual – that features smooth and ultra-precise shifting. Of course, the Civic Si has a very dynamic ride. Its engine favours pick up and the amount of power is perfect for the car. It feels agile and really hugs turns, making the small tires an awful lot of fun.

What about the regular Civic?

After driving the Civic Si for a week, we had a major reality check when we picked up the keys for the base version. The body is much less expressive, though at the end of the day it does its job and gets you from A to B. The difference is really striking in the passenger compartment. Sure, quality is good, but it’s far less exciting than that of the Si.

Nonetheless, base version’s mechanics are still solid, its handling is pleasant and it is unfailingly reliable. Just like the Civic Si, a few mechanical changes were made for 2012. Yes, the 1.8-litre four-cylinder 140-hp engine is back, but the manufacturer tweaked it and made it 12% more fuel-efficient. Most of the models have an excellent five-speed manual gearbox, while a five-speed automatic is also offered. The automatic is all right, but a sixth gear would have definitely been a nice addition, if only to maximize fuel economy.

Basically, the work of Honda’s engineers, who seem to have the most say in the development of the Civic, is noteworthy. They managed to preserve the car’s qualities while refining it at the same time. The only thing keeping this car from achieving greatness is its lack of passion. If only every Civic were an Si... now that would really be something.