Honda Civic 2.0i TD article by Dick Suter

Motoring

Honda Civic 2.0i TD by Dick Suter

If you're looking for a spacious, comfortable and fuel-efficient family saloon, this one may fit the bill

It doesn't seem so long ago that diesel engined cars were synonymous with those large black London cabs that can turn on a penny but whose engines compete with those of 20 ton trucks for sheer noise and clatter. Fact is, real progress has been made in diesel technology over these last few years and this magazine has sampled some excellent oil burners in the past months. First, the Audi A6 TDI, which can hold it own with any in its class, and then last month we featured the latest VW Golf in both petrol and turbo-diesel forms.

The turbocharged 2.0 litre Honda Civic completes a hat-trick of cars which have finally convinced me that in, terms of performance - fuel economy, acceleration, cruising speeds - turbo diesels really do offer a viable alternative to petrol engines. Built at Honda's British plant in Swindon, Wiltshire, the model made a significant contribution to the marque's success in 1997, with sales of Hondas in Belgium a hefty 30% higher than those in 1996.

Available in 2-door coupé, 3-door hatchback and 4 or 5-door saloon configurations and with a wide choice of petrol engines plus the 2.0i TD (turbodiesel), the latest Civic is positioned at the top-end of the C-segment. In other words, the higher quality end of the medium size car sector. The high-quality layout and finish of the 5-door's interior makes it an ideal vehicle for transporting business colleagues and clients. There's lots of space for a long-legged family inside and a useful size boot for the family's luggage, too.

Roadholding is first class and progressive acceleration, if you keep the engine revving, ensures that you can maintain good averages, even on B-class road, especially as the 5-speed manual gearbox is quick and precise and the car relaxing to drive. 4-speed automatic transmission is also available. Solidly built and with a first class, comfortable driving position, it's a car that inspires confidence. Try one.

Prices from BEF 599,000.

©Dick Suter - 1998

Original article appearing in "Internationals in Belgium" Dick Suter was an editor of the magazine and contributor and Ginny Suter was a regular contributor in the late 1990's and 2000's - The magazine had a circulation of 10,000 Please note that this article was first published many years ago and telephone and fax numbers are likely to be out of date and email addresses have been removed.

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Source of images, unless otherwise stated - Suter family archives