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Now that the weather has been ratcheted up to 11, it was with great delight that I could swap my stuffy work trousers and tight-collar shirt for an airy polo and shorts as Honda invited me to take its new 2016 Civic for a spin around Al Bandar Resort.
National Motor Company always have a knack for putting on some nifty events and changing the test drive norms, and this was no different. We had a selection of other marque’s models to go with both the high-option and low-option 2016 Civics so we could compare and contrast with others in the same segment.
It was a beautiful day to be besides a beach and put a shiny model through her paces, so I immediately went for the Civic RS, the premium version of the car. Its athletic body, curvy proportions and sexy rear end beckoned me, so I slipped into the fine leather interior and went on my way.
The most notable aspect initially was how quiet the car was. Pushing the ignition stop/start button brought forth a slight rumble and that was it, impressive for a turbo-charged 1.5L engine capable of 180BHP and 220nm of torque.
The drive was equally as smooth and comfortable. My own car is a blood-red Audi TT that, while catching the eye of onlookers and embarrassing cocky teens revving their Nissan Sunny at traffic lights, nevertheless makes me feel every single bump and pothole because of how low it is.
No such problems here, and it was nice to go over speed bumps and cats’ eyes at speeds of more than 5kmph without feeling like I’m in a collapsing building. This is due to the redesigned chassis and suspension which maximises comfort by absorbing as much vibration as possible.
I was also very impressed with the handling and the cornering, which were effortless. The car felt like it was gliding around bends, while maintaining complete control.
Acceleration was slightly sluggish even in the higher-end model, but once it was up to speed it whistled at a fair pace, with the sleek, aerodynamic body and the giant wing spoiler on the back punching a hole through the air.
Even better was the infotainment system, which offers Apple CarPlay. This means you can plug your iPhone in, and instead of having to navigate through various touchscreen menus, your phone’s interface is mimicked exactly on the screen so you know exactly where you’re looking and where things are. There’s even voice control for every option so you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel to call your mum asking what time tea will be ready.
The low-option Civic was similarly impressive. It doesn’t have leather seats, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as the sticky summer approaches with a gallop. The screen is smaller but still packs all the multimedia options you could want, and the lack of a rear view camera is compensated with sensors to stop you pulling off Editor Stan’s favourite trick and reversing into a bollard.
Both feature the same amount of leg room and cabin space, which was the most striking difference between the Civic and its competitors. Again, as a 6’1” beanpole, I’m used to driving in the foetal position in my car so it was nice to be able to stretch out to the pedals, while a passenger behind me could do the same.
The best was saved until last, however, which was testing out the Automatic Brake Hold system. Considering my morning (Editor’s amendment: late morning) commute involves the dreaded Budaiya Highway, this is a slice of genius that has spoiled me rotten and now I want it on every car.
Essentially, push the button on your centre console and then press the brake until you stop to activate the system. It then retains brake pressure when the vehicle comes to a stop such as at a traffic light or in heavy traffic. This frees the driver from continually having to keep the brake depressed while stopped as you can take your foot off and the brakes will remain on.
To deactivate it, just press the accelerator and off you go! It’s perfect for the stop-start nature of Bahrain’s roads and will stop those crippling aches in your right leg as you spend half your day jamming down a pedal.
The 2016 Civic is a pleasure to drive, from its cool, edgy exterior design to its comfortable exterior, its smooth handling and its high-tech fixtures. A sure-fire winner in my book!
The 2016 Honda Civic is available now from the National Motor Company showroom in Sitra. The three options are priced at BD7,800, BD8,300 and BD9,550. For more information, call 17457100.
Body and paint skills successThree victorious E K Kanoo employees are celebrating the sweet taste of success as their hard work, practice and determination paid off at the 15th National Body and Paint Skills Contest held at the Toyota Body and Paint Service Centre in Arad.
This annual national contest last Thursday aims at both improving technical skills and motivating the technicians to retain their loyalty and thus increase the brand’s reliability in the public eye.
The contestants competed in three categories: Body, Paint and Estimators, with four technicians in each category. The Body contestants were evaluated based on two skills: panel repair and welding, while the Paint contestants competed in the colour matching and top coating metallic techniques.
The Estimators were tested in three skills: front and rear damage estimation using the Audatex System, damage diagnosis, and vehicle structural diagnosis using the Point-X System.
After a gruelling day of trials and tribulations, the judges announced the winners. Vipin Kappara Vijayan emerged victorious in the Body category, Jaffar Eid took home the Paint prize, while Sayed Mustafa Majeed swept the Estimators category.
The trio will represent Toyota Bahrain at the GCC Skills Contest 2016 which will be held in Bahrain later this year and at the International Skills Contest in Japan.
Michael Goode, senior general manager of service, said: “I hope today’s winners will also go forward to represent themselves and EK Kanoo in the best possible manner with professionalism and sincerity, not just in competitions but every single day in their workplace where they can lead the way in service.”
