Five things I hate about the 2016 Honda Civic



The 10th-generation Honda Civic is no doubt the hottest car of the year. With its stunning good looks and lengthy list of equipment, it’s no wonder that there are so many on the roads today. I mean, it’s everywhere.

There is much to like with the new Civic, from the gorgeous LED headlamps to the first-in-class digital display instrument cluster. Not to mention bragging rights too, for being the first Japanese carmaker to slap on a turbocharger onto their C-Segment sedan.

However, even the best cars have its flaws. The Civic is no exception. So here are five things I hate about the all-new Honda Civic 1.5TC-Premium.

1. Unpolished Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)

In the name of efficiency, Honda has equipped the Civic with a CVT and I respect that decision. The issue I have with this transmission is the refinement when climbing up the revs. Pedal to the floor and the unpleasant CVT drone/whine seeps into the otherwise impressively insulated cabin. This makes hard accelerations a considerably irksome affair. Perhaps this is Honda’s way of discouraging the lead footed? Maybe…2016 Honda Civic 1.5L Turbo Review - AutoBuzz.my

2. Obscure Cruise Control Operations

Cruise control is a wonderful feature that helps lessen the driver’s burden when travelling at a constant speed for an extended period of time. Simply select your desired speed and the car will automatically feed gas to the engine, thus maintaining velocity. However, with the Civic, activating cruise control is not as straightforward as you may think.

First, it does not display the limited speed anywhere on the instrument panel. Instead you will have to travel to a desired speed and push the “Set” button on the steering wheel, making it quite a chore to activate a simple driver assistive feature.2016 Honda Civic 5 Things I Don't Like About It

This brings me to my second point. While cruise control is activated, increasing and decreasing the speed limiter is an ambiguous process. I have no clue whether by pressing “+” am I increasing the top speed by 1 km/h or 10 km/h. But all I know is that, I am going faster. I’m certain Honda can find a tiny space on the massive LCD instrument cluster to display this info.2016 Honda Civic 1.5L Turbo Review - AutoBuzz.my

3. Unintuitive Climate Controls

Fortunately, on the Civic, the climate controls are not entirely housed in the 7-inch touchscreen display like on the HR-V. In this case, only the fan speed and A/C are controlled via the touchscreen display. To me, it’s an unnecessary step to a feature we use on a daily basis, simply because I can’t complete the operation without diverting my attention to the screen. I’d much rather have the antiquated knob and button controls than this.2016 Honda Civic 5 Things I Don't Like About It

4. Uncomfortable Seating Position

The driver’s seat comes with six-way powered adjustment which should satisfy most people but the biggest gripe I have is the lack of lumbar adjustment. Yet on the Civic, the driver’s seat feature this permanently protruding “lumbar support” that’s non-adjustable, making long distance journeys literally a pain no matter how much you adjust the seat.

5. Limited Cubby Space

While there’s no denying the brilliantly designed cabin, I was surprised by the scarcity of stowage compartments to keep my loose belongings. The side door bins are just enough for a puny 500ml bottle and a SmartTag, while the hard-to-access centre tray barely fits anything larger than a SmartTag. The gear lever just makes accessibility worse. Don’t get me started on the hidden tray below the centre console that takes quite a reach. Although the centre armrest has great depth, I would like it if some of my belongings can be kept somewhere within reach.2016 Honda Civic 5 Things I Don't Like About It

Some of the points may just be me nitpicking on the car, but these are some quirks that I’ve learnt after spending a lengthy amount of time in the Civic, quirks that short test drives around the block wouldn’t reveal. Don’t get me wrong, the car is impressive in its own way as shown in our written review and video review. However, do take these points into consideration before putting your money down on the Civic. And if you’re so inclined, we will be reviewing the even more promising Hyundai Ioniq a test, so watch this space before you visit that dealership!

Credits to Vehicle Virgins for the content idea.