Sedan, with a non-plug-in hybrid system that combines a 2.0-liter combustion engine and two electric ones that act as a drive and generator, since the system is capable of recovering and reusing the energy produced during braking and deceleration. This is the Honda Civic, a model that celebrates its 50th anniversary and that now, in Uruguay, is expanding with this modality.
“This Civic is completely new to us. It is an iconic car of the brand and one of the most important pillars that Honda has within its models. On this occasion, it presents a new technology that is the hybrid system”, began by saying Félix Pereira, director of Honda Uruguay.
That sporty air that marks a style.
For the firm in the country, it is a “before and after” as it is the first hybrid. It is also the first time that Honda brings a Civic from Thailand, and not from Brazil like the previous ones. “The Civic started as a generic car and today it is already a Premium, with great quality, excellent finishes and great technology,” he said.
This new Honda Civic has an Atkinson cycle combustion engine, as well as two electric motors; and unlike other hybrid systems, this seeks to use the battery system as much of the time as possible. This is automatically managed by a computer and the driver, through the vehicle’s display, can monitor in real time what type of engine is used at each moment.
“Honda’s hybrid prioritizes use through the electric motor; our combustion engine works in certain conditions, generally, when one is going on highways at cruising speeds. In other conditions, you can use the combustion engine together with the electric one or you can also use only the electric one, that is managed by the car alone”, highlighted Pereira.
Elegant interior upholstered in leather.
This technology also “makes it one of the most economical cars in its category”, around 18/20 kilometers per liter on average, both on the highway and in the city. “It can be a little more a little less depending on how the user handles it,” he said. “When you buy a hybrid, what you are calculating is consumption more than anything else; Although it is a new technology, consumption is the first question customers ask ”, he added in this regard. And this is “considerably less” than previous models.
The car comes in only one version: with electric seats, a 495-liter trunk – “it’s quite generous,” he clarified -, sequential automatic changes, leather-trimmed interior, a windshield system that isolates outside noise, climate control, 12 speakers Bose, a 9-inch touch screen: the dashboard is 10.2-inch digital and allows customization to suit the driver; It includes an automatic braking system known as Honda Sensing, lane departure control, adaptive cruise control that is “something spectacular for both the city and the highway” by being able to set a speed of 40, 50 kilometers per hour. And if something gets in the way, “slow down and keep a distance that we prefix.”
Sequential automatic changes.
In turn, it has 8 airbags, front and rear LED lights, 17-inch wheels, and three driving modes: eco, normal, and sport. “Sports mode changes the sound of the car, it has a greater reaction on the pedals and goes a little more to Honda’s DNA,” explained the director of Honda Uruguay.
“The car is very well equipped. I always tell clients that it is one thing to see it through photos and another is to come to the sales room to observe it, get on it and feel it; there one realizes the quality of the vehicle,” Pereira recounted proudly.
He added that this hybrid Honda Civic was needed in “our market” and proof of this is that the first batch was “all sold before” arriving in the country. Given this “success”, the brand awaits the arrival of more units of a car whose sale price is US$ 55,900.
Pereira concluded by emphasizing the Japanese firm’s commitment to the environment worldwide, which is denoted in this commitment to electricity: “Honda aims for a zero carbon emissions project. And added to the hybrid, now it is going for the hydrogen engine to introduce it to another market in 2024 in the CR-V. This is a clear direction that Honda is setting for the future.”
