The 11th-generation Honda Civic has been launched in Singapore, with a cleaner design and more tech; prices start at S$123,999 with COE

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Photos: Honda

UPDATE: New 2021 Civic test driven in Singapore!
First published: August 12, 2021

SINGAPORE – The all-new Honda Civic made its Singapore debut tonight during a virtual launch event held by local Honda distributor Kah Motor. We’ve detailed the new Civic in our preview back in April, but the essentials are that the 11th-generation version of Honda’s venerable family saloon introduces new upmarket styling, a revamped interior, and a full suite of advanced driver safety systems.

Pricing for the new Civic starts at S$122,999 inclusive of COE, while there is also the Civic LX, which goes for two grand more, at S$124,999 with COE. The difference between the two is simply down to the servicing package offered by Kah Motor, with the cheaper car getting a year’s worth of free servicing, and the LX getting three years’ worth.

Otherwise, both cars are essentially identical in spec, and are powered by a 1.5-litre turbo engine that has been tuned to produce 129hp and 180Nm of torque, ostensibly to enable them to come under the 130hp threshold and qualify for a Category A COE. Honda did not disclose any performance figures, but the powertrain returns an average fuel consumption figure of 6.4L/100km and sits in the VES neutral band B, according to the LTA. For now, Kah Motor has no plans to introduce other drivetrains for the Civic, such as a 1.6-litre engine or a hybrid powertrain.

The new Civic now bears the familiar Honda family design language, with the car now coming across as a slightly smaller version of the Accord. The thin grille with the body-coloured ‘nose’ above is a design trait that’s also shared with the new Jazz, while the short stubby rear overhang is a characteristic that’s been brought over from the previous generation, and gives the Civic an almost liftback-like stance.

Most of the dimensions of the new Civic are similar to the outgoing car, but crucially, the length and wheelbase has been increased, by 44mm and 36mm respectively, which should result in more legroom for rear passengers. Honda also says that the car has been designed to maximise visibility, by moving the A-pillars back, lowering the shoulder line and relocating the door mirrors to minimise visual obstruction for the driver.

The latest Civic sits on Honda’s new Advanced Compatibility Engineering platform, which is stiffer and yet lighter than before, and should result in a more entertaining and engaging drive. while at the same time improving on overall comfort and refinement. The car’s lower centre of gravity (CG) and tweaked suspension should probably contribute even further to the Civic’s handling abilities.

Inside, Honda has opted to go for a minimalist approach, with most of the infotainment accessible via the 9.0-inch touchscreen that sits on top of the dashboard. A strip of aluminium honeycomb mesh runs across the width of the dashboard, and hides the air con vents, whose controls remain a trio of knobs just slightly below them.

As is now expected for new cars these days, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay integration is present here, while there is also a wireless smartphone charger located low down on the centre console.

For the first time on the Civic, the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver assistance systems will be available as standard. Included as part of the suite are features such as adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation and braking system, and lane keeping alert and assist system. The novel Honda LaneWatch system, which utilises a camera under the door mirror to display what’s in the car’s blindspot when the indicators are turned on, is also retained from the previous generation Civic.

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The new Civic enters into a market that now sees renewed competition, most notably from the Koreans who have introduced vastly-improved new models in the segment in recent months. But crucially, the Civic also has to compete with car buyers who are now flocking in droves to the mass of similarly-sized and priced SUVs in the market. In a manner of speaking, the Civic’s biggest rival is no longer simply the Toyota Corolla Altis, but possibly also a small SUV, such as Honda’s own HR-V which is set to debut here later this year.

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