133 133 MOTORING ROAD TESTS BY NICK FLETCHER
OUR MOTORING COLUMN, BY THE EXPERIENCED AND AWARD WINNING LOCAL MOTORING JOURNALIST NICK FLETCHER, HELPS OUR READERS CHOOSE THE BEST OF THE LATEST CARS.
HONDA Civic SR
THE HONDA CIVIC HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR CLOSE ON 50 YEARS, FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1972 AND STILL GOING STRONG WITH LATEST VERSIONS OFFERING SLEEK SPORTY STYLING, ENHANCED EQUIPMENT AND OUTSTANDING FUEL ECONOMY. Priced from £19,395, the Civic range offers petrol and diesel engines and several trim levels and my test model was a mid-range SR model with a 1.5 litre 118 hp diesel engine with 6-speed manual gearbox. This model costs £22,590. The engine is quiet and responsive and the gearshift is
very slick, so the car has a smooth effortless driving feel, and upgraded suspension is well balanced, providing excellent ride comfort and poised cornering. Top speed is 130 mph, the 0-60 mph time 10.0 seconds. Emissions are low at 110 g/km and the fuel economy of 58.9 mpg is impressive. The Civic has a slightly lower driving position than most rivals and being longer, lower and wider that previous models, exudes a bolder and more sporty profile which help it stand out in the hatchback class. The spacious cabin has good head and leg room in the
ITS NEW STYLING IS LESS QUIRKY THAN PREVIOUS VERSIONS
rear and the boot has a substantial 519-litre capacity which can be expanded by dropping the rear seats, which fold flat for easy loading. Trim materials have been upgraded and along with neat design accents deliver a quality appearance. The dashboard is well laid-out with clear instrumentation and while the touch-screen infotainment system is a little
slower to react than some, it does the job and you quickly get used to it. Standard kit on the SR is generous and includes front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, dual-zone climate control, digital radio, Bluetooth, smartphone integration, connectivity and sat-nav. Safety features include adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning,
auto emergency braking, agile handling assist and traffic sign recognition. In a sector which includes the VW Golf and Vauxhall Astra,
the latest Civic has an appealing presence. Its new styling is less quirky than previous versions and has a more upmarket image, under-pinned by Honda’s well-established record for reliability.
VOLVO XC40 Momentum
VOLVO'S XC40 IS THE COMPANY'S FIRST COMPACT SUV AND IS DESCRIBED AS 'PERFECT FOR YOUTHFUL PEOPLE WHO WANT A CAR WHICH REFLECTS THEIR PERSONALITY'. Slotted in beneath the larger XC60 and XC90 models in
Volvo's range, the XC40 is priced from £28,965 and comes with two or four wheel drive, manual or auto gearboxes, petrol and diesel engines and also a plug-in hybrid version. My test model was a T4 in entry level Momentum trim costing £33,385 with a potent 2.0 litre petrol engine and 8-speed auto transmission. This combination delivers a 0-60 time of 8.1 seconds and top speed of 130 mph. Average fuel economy is 35.1 mpg and emissions are 154 g/km. On the road, the XC40 performs impeccably with smooth
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