Honda Civic 1.6 VTI Review: Civics 101

What we like:

Updated look keeps it fresh

spacious and solid interior

willing engine

sporty handling and reliability of the Honda brand.

What we dislike:

A tad overpriced

leather not a standard option

missing factory-fitted audio head-unit and standard-fitted tyre that doesn't seem to compliment the car's handling capability.

After many generations, the Civic has matured into a refined family sedan. In its current guise, the Civic is far removed from its original form as a cheap, frugal and reliable car - it's a better and more upmarket car.

Thus, it's not hard to see why there's plenty of Civics plying our roads.

Wait.

Here's the biggest downside - the upmarket positioning is also reflected in its price. With a list price of $85,700 (the promotional price starts at $76,100), that is a serious amount of money to be parting with for a 1.6-liter car. Factor in the missing equipment (such as factory-fitted audio, leather seats, HID headlights), and this really puts things into perspective.

If you've got your heart set on (and have the moolah to pay) a Civic, then we suggest you take a look at the higher spec 1.8 and 2.0-liter models. Otherwise, the lower equipment level on this 1.6 could leave you feeling short-changed...

Credits: Story by Jeremy R. Chua, pictures by Azfar Hashim