A week after making its ASEAN debut in Thailand, the all-new 11th-generation Honda Civic is made available in Singapore. Kah Motor, the official Honda distributor in the island nation, is offering just one variant- the 1.5 VTEC Turbo with Honda Sensing on the sedan body.
Being the regular, non-RS variant, the exterior has body-coloured plastics as well as bright chrome trims. The wheel size is smaller too, measuring just 16 inches wrapped with 215/55R16 tyres. The headlamps are halogen projector units with a simpler DRL “brow”.
As for the interior, it features the 7-inch driver’s instrument panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Surprisingly, while the exterior of the Honda Civic looks basic, the interior is anything but.
Unlike the Thai model which has Sport drive mode and shift paddles exclusively for the RS variant, the Singapore unit comes standard with these sporty items. Although fitted with just a single zone automatic air-conditioning system, rear passengers have better ventilation thanks to a rear ventilation outlet.
Leather and synthetic materials are used to upholster the seats, where the front seats feature a new body stabilising frame and cushion. The rear seats also have a 60-40 split-folding backrest with three headrests, a feature not available on the Thai model due to the fitment of a structural bar.
Moving to the engine output, the Honda Civic in Singapore continues to have an exclusive tuning to its power output. The 1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC engine delivers just 129 hp and 180 Nm of torque. The incredibly low values compared to the rest of the world (almost 50 hp lower) is done as such to have the model placed in Category A of the Certificate of Entitlement or COE.
At current bidding prices, a Category A COE is priced at SG$45,000 (approx RM140k), while a Category B COE for engines over 130 hp or 1.6 litres is priced at SG$56,000 (around RM175k). Apart from numerous duties and taxes, the COE is the single biggest contributor to the high prices of private vehicles in Singapore.
While it has low engine outputs, the fuel consumption is not fantastic too, consuming 6.4 litres per 100 km. The figure quoted by officials in Thailand rated the new Honda Civic EL model to deliver a much lower 5.8 litres per 100 km.
As for safety features, the new Honda Civic gets the full suite of the new and improved Honda Sensing system. The additional feature includes the Lead Car Departure Notification system and better processing of objects in front via a wide-angle camera unit. Honda LaneWatch single camera-based blind spot detection system and a multi-angle rearview camera are standard items in the all-new Honda Civic in Singapore.
The all-new Honda Civic is priced at SG$122,999 (approx RM383.7k) and is much higher than its Japanese equivalents- the Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6 Elegance at SG$114,888 while the Mazda 3 1.5 MHEV Elegance SG$116,888.
Even though the Volkswagen Golf 1.5 eTSI MHEV has higher engine output and shifted into the pricier Category B COE, the low fuel consumption from the hybrid system allows for price rebates and lands to a retail price of SG$125,900.
GALLERY
