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Honda updates Civic range

Mild facelift, refreshed interior, extra spec and a Sport model for the Honda Civic.


With the Paris show looming on the horizon, Honda has used apposite timing to announce a raft of revisions for its Civic range, plus a new derivative called the Sport.

Exterior
At the front, new headlamps with integrated daytime running lights and a 'sleek' front bumper are the giveaways for the 2015 Civics, while at the back only the hatch gets the changes - the Tourer is too new to be jiggering about with its aesthetic. So look for hatches with a new rear bumper, a black rear spoiler, LED rear combination lamps and side skirts if you're an avid Civic spotter.

Interior
New seat fabrics, stitching on the headrests, a metallic black control panel and fresh door trims with chrome handles are unlikely to light your fire, but they're all included in 2015MY Civics. However, the all-new Honda Connect in-car audio and information system is appealing, as it offers DAB and internet radio alongside AM/FM, Bluetooth connectivity, internet browsing, a rear-view parking camera and (optional) satnav. This system runs Android 4.0.4, so the car's seven-inch touchscreen has the same 'pinch, swipe and tap' functionality of a decent smartphone.

Mechanicals
While not actually mechanically different from the 'normal' cars, there's a new kid in Civic Town - the Sport. Available as a hatch only, it previews (some of) the visual tricks the long-awaited Type R should possess, like a front bumper with a lower grille mesh and black roof lining within. It also gets unique 17-inch alloys, a colour-coded rear spoiler and either the 142hp 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol or 120hp 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engines.

One change to the active safety on the 2015MY Civics is the range-wide standard addition of Honda's City Brake Active collision mitigation system, which uses radar tech to apply the brakes if it thinks the driver isn't paying attention; this works at speeds up to 30km/h, though, so it really is an urban aid only.

Anything else?
The revised Civics will be on display at the Paris Motor Show in early October and we're awaiting confirmation from Honda Ireland on their introduction date here.

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Published on September 24, 2014