REVIEW: Honda Civic e:HEV RS in Malaysia – 2.0L DI, 184 PS/315 Nm hybrid tops the FE vary, RM166,500
8 min read
Hybrid automobiles have all the time gotten the brief finish of the stick. Throughout the nascent interval, they have been usually given a large berth by these ate up a weight loss program of normal petrol machines, who considered the inclusion of a battery – and accompanying electrical ware – with distrust.
Now, simply because the latter isn’t such a big a problem any extra, in comes derision, by the use of the everything-must-be-spanking clear full-electric crowd. In any case, in case you’re going to go clear and environment friendly, BEVs should absolutely be the way in which to go.
Nicely, not fairly, not but utterly at the very least anyway. There’s nonetheless place for what is actually center floor, pinched as it could be. In much less advanced markets, it’s in all probability one of the best interim answer in offering gasoline environment friendly motoring and lowering emissions. In additional subtle ones, the tech can function a neat bridging measure to these eager to trial out electrification however stay trepid in going the entire manner, offering the consolation of fossil gasoline – and 0 vary nervousness – to fall again on.
Based mostly on this reasoning, fairly a couple of automakers are persevering with with such an strategy, Honda included, at the same time as they slowly make their manner into going inexperienced in full trend. For the Japanese automaker, the hybrid stays pertinent, as proven by the aggressive push of the format as range-toppers in its mannequin line-ups within the area.
Domestically, the Metropolis sedan and hatchback paved the way in which for e:HEV, because the automaker badges its tech, and the newest to affix the get together is the hybridised model of the Civic, which made its official debut final November. We’ve seen what the Civic e:HEV’s velocity skills are in a straight-line and on the monitor, however what’s it wish to drive out on the street? Cue a drive session down south and again to reply that query.
Identical presentation, by and huge
First, a spec recap of the hybrid, which is offered in a sole RS variant kind. That suffix implies that the outside styling remedy is much like the turbocharged RS, with a couple of tweaks to provide the automobile its personal flavour.
They’re not very discernible, the variations, with the 18-inch twin-style five-spoke (or 10-spoke, in twin tone) models it wears offering the quickest means to determine the automobile from the aspect and quarters, whereas a single tailpipe finisher offers the first visible cue from the rear.
Look nearer and also you’ll discover the smaller differentiation components, these being blue accents on the Honda logos in addition to an e:HEV emblem on the rear in addition to further chrome trim, discovered on the entrance grille, headlight internal bezel and window line inserts.
Transfer inside and it’s the identical story, with the one distinction in presentation being the inclusion of a ten.25-inch full digital instrument show, dual-zone air-conditioning, a Qi wi-fi charger and a Honda sensible key card, which aren’t discovered on the E, V and RS petrol variations.
In any other case, the Civic e:HEV options equipment equivalent to the petrol RS, corresponding to a black inside, rear AC vents, a 9.0-inch touchscreen Superior Show Audio infotainment system with wi-fi Apple CarPlay assist in addition to Distant Engine Begin. Likewise, the cabin structure, the presentation of which is decidedly fairly a couple of notches up from the tenth gen FC’s.
A take a look at the tech
The Civic e:HEV will get essentially the most highly effective model of Honda’s Clever Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system, which mixes the workings of an electrical motor and petrol engine. The latter is a 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, which acts primarily as a generator and juices a 72-cell battery (with a capability of 1.05 kWh) included within the Clever Energy Unit (IPU).
Whereas comparable in displacement to the unit within the Accord Hybrid, the engine is new, and options direct-injection, with tweaks ensuing within the unit having a thermal effectivity of 41%, which the corporate says is without doubt one of the highest on a manufacturing car. The brand new DI mill presents 143 PS (141 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 189 Nm of torque, marginally greater than that of the Thailand-spec model (141 PS and 182 Nm) resulting from our higher gasoline high quality.
An electrical motor handles many of the propulsion duties, though the engine can present direct drive – through a lock-up clutch – at greater speeds for higher effectivity. The e-motor, which presents 184 PS (181 hp, or 135 kW) and 315 Nm from 0-2,000 rpm in the way in which of output, sends drive to the entrance wheels through an electrical constantly variable transmission (E-CVT).
The incorporation of hybrid parts implies that it’s heavier than the Turbo – at 1,445 kg, the Civic e:HEV has round 100 kg extra ballast than the heaviest petrol model, the V, which weighs in at 1,349 kg.
Regardless of the extra weight, the hybrid is a sooner automobile. Efficiency figures embrace a 0-100 km/h dash time of seven.9 seconds and a gasoline consumption of 4.0 litres per 100 km, each an enchancment over the petrol RS’ 8.5 seconds and 6.3 litres/100 km. Prime velocity is equivalent to the turbo at 200 km/h.
The virtues of “electrification”
Proof of that tempo off the block was proven in real-world circumstances final 12 months, when the automobile was previewed in Sepang forward of its official launch. On monitor, the hybrid clearly aced the turbo – which isn’t precisely a slouch – in each the day’s dash check workouts, which was a full acceleration run from a rolling begin at 60 km/h from the pit lane exit and a drag race from standstill to 100 km/h, the final by greater than a automobile size.
That willing-to-go nature continued on the street, though much less noticeably when considered in isolation and at as much as intermediate speeds. It’s solely if you ground it that the e:HEV feels that bit extra instant in its response to throttle in comparison with the turbo, its motion up the velocity vary that bit extra snappier.
In fact, except you’re the lead-footed type, that actually isn’t the purpose of why you’d go together with a hybrid, and so the actual draw is the way it drives on the entire and the way gasoline environment friendly it’s over the course of its service life.
For the primary, the hybrid behaves no in a different way than the common Civic in straight-line coasting circumstances – it rides in comparable trend because the turbo, the presentation once more coming throughout as very Continental in its depiction. Likewise, occupant consolation ranges – we ended up being within the automobile for greater than 18 hours over the two-day drive, and the entrance seats specifically have been ace.
When it comes to dealing with, the hybrid is forward. This was briefly recommended throughout the Sepang session, the place it felt tauter within the corners (and at greater speeds), and strengthened throughout the street drive, particularly perceivable at velocity on windier B-road sections corresponding to that offered throughout the Kluang to Desaru part of the drive. Right here, the hybrid felt higher composed in the way it tracked and positioned.
On this regard, the additional weight is imperceptible, cleverly masked by being distributed in 50:50 trend throughout the platform and likewise via revised spring and damper charges to make sure that the Civic’s dealing with points and dynamics are preserved. The ten mm decrease centre of gravity in all probability helps the trigger too.
The retention of the final character from the turbo additionally implies that every thing else alongside it additionally comes alongside, for higher or worse. Whereas vibration and harshness ranges are properly tempered, noise (tyre/wind) continues to be an space that may be labored on, particularly evident at greater speeds.
In fact, the actual meat is with gasoline consumption, which is why one would need a automobile like this within the first place. Unsurprisingly, the returns are naturally higher than that of the stand-alone turbocharged petrol unit. Underneath essentially the most excessive of working circumstances, the gasoline financial system can greatest be described as staggering.
For the drive to Johor, Honda Malaysia selected to incorporate a gasoline check problem from the KL begin level to Kluang (which resulted in Melaka resulting from that which occurred beneath). Cobble collectively an eco-challenge with the motoring press in 5 automobiles and also you get an concept of the place that is heading – assume AC switched off, home windows utterly up for essentially the most and even aspect mirrors folded in in addition to drafting lorries to get help, all at speeds of 80-90 km/h, and it’s a recipe for unreal FC numbers.
The profitable automobile ended up with a greater than 31 km per litre end result, and the 2 different high three finishers weren’t far behind, all with figures that nobody of their proper thoughts ought to try to copy. Our automobile was the one one which saved the AC on (and at 20 levels C, thoughts you) and pushed in regular trend, inside the convoy’s velocity limits.
As such, it represents the sort of determine you possibly can probably obtain must you be a comparatively sane eco-warrior, on this case a low 26.8 km per litre. Which unsurprisingly positioned us lifeless final out of the 5 automobiles. Much more realistically, this fell to 18.6 km per litre over the whole course of the drive, which lined greater than 900 km in all and contained a mixture of city and intra-urban motion, with no regard for saving gasoline usually.
To hybrid, or not?
That the Civic e:HEV is a succesful automobile is doubtless. It’s sooner off the road and in gear than the turbo, rides as effectively and handles higher at greater speeds on tighter, twistier roads regardless of carrying extra weight. It’s additionally extra economical from a gasoline consumption viewpoint, and also you get a bit extra goodies in comparison with the common turbo FE.
Sadly, all of it comes at a worth, on this case to the tune of an extra RM16k in comparison with the petrol RS. At RM166,500 (on-the-road, with out insurance coverage), the hybrid isn’t low-cost, not when you may get your fingers on the turbo RS for RM150,700, itself already a little bit of an ask in case you take a look at the previous-gen equal. Nonetheless, if in case you have your eyes centered on a Civic and may stretch it, you’d do effectively to look at the e:HEV, as a result of it’s the choose of the civilian FE vary right here.
