CIVIC RELIABILITY SPANS THE DECADES

By DANIEL BARRON

Updated 1 month ago

It may not seem like it at first blush, but the 2012 Honda Civic is the AC/DC of the automotive world.

Sure, one is known more for reliability and efficiency while the other is famous for dirty deeds done dirt cheap and rock 'n roll EVERYTHING, but there's a lot more to it than that.

They've both been around forever (in fact, vehicle and band debuted in 1973), every successive generation or album typically sells like hotcakes, and more than anything else, they're both about as consistent as anything on the planet.

In fact, that's probably the biggest complaint detractors have of either the car or the band -it's rare the word "revolutionary" is used in the same sentence with either "Civic" or "AC/DC".

At the end of the day, though, that's not what's most important. With the Civic, consumers keep snapping them up because in the world of everyday car buyers, fuel efficiency, reliability and low price points never go out of style.

And so it is with the 2012 Civic, the ninth-generation of Honda's compact car. It still does everything one would expect of it, only now it does those things slightly better. It sips fuel a little slower, it gets more standard active and passive safety features, and it's more powerful (the Si version, at least).

My tester for the week is an EX-L sedan, which is about as luxurious a Civic as you can get. It comes standard with everything from a leather-trimmed interior and eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, to satellite radio, navigation system, and cruise control.

It's clear Honda is aiming for a younger audience with the newest Civic, and one of the more noteworthy additions to the Civic is the Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID), which is sure to appeal to tech-savvy youngsters (and adults, really!).

As someone who really appreciates user-friendly technology in a vehicle, I could go on and on talking about the i-MID, but I'll keep it simple by saying it's one of the easiest-to-use "infotainment" systems on the market today. There's a lot you can do with it, but it's never overwhelming or confusing. It rocks.

Also standard on all Civics -hybrid or otherwise -is the "Econ" button that makes the Civic instantly more fuel-efficient by doing things like smoothing out shifts, gearing up sooner, and making the air conditioning system slightly less responsive.

It really works well, and by making the button so easy to find, it's simple switching between modes. I mostly drive in Econ, but if I realize I need to quickly pass a vehicle, I simply tap the button (no need for eyes to leave the road), make the passing manoeuvre, and change back to Econ.

On the opposite end of the scale, this is still a fun vehicle to drive. I've typically never thought much of Civic's performance attributes, but after testing its mettle back-to-back with competitors from Toyota and Hyundai, the Civic definitely shows more spunk. It handles wonderfully, exhibits tight, connected steering, and it still has that high-revving engine many people expect from Honda.

There are sure to be just as many people (probably more, really) who expect the Civic to be an excellent A-to-B car, and the 2012 model doesn't disappoint. It has a forgiving suspension, comfortable, roomy front seats, and a spacious trunk when road trips are needed. Rear seats are the only big issue; that ultra-sleek body shape means head room in back is lacking, and leg and foot room isn't a whole lot better.

Say what you will about Honda playing it safe with its latest generation Civic, but you can't accuse the vehicle itself of being anything but extremely competitive in a very tough segment.

Honda knows it's a long way to the top, but after being around for nearly 40 years, the Civic sure does rock 'n roll in its own way.