so I test drove the Civic EX-T

"gin-san - shitpost specialist" (gin-san-) 09/26/2016 at 20:04 • Filed to: NEW CAR

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Not bad. I suppose manual aficionados would hate the CVT but I thought it was good - power was immediate and a good deal faster than my current Hyundai Accident Accent. Steering is direct, even if it’s kind of vague about what the surface under the front wheels is like. The other extreme is my current car which will make it abundantly clear what you’re driving on, but I suppose that’s just me being overly familiar with a car I’ve driven for eight years. In any case, I didn’t even realize I was going way over the speed limit on the highway, speeds at which my Accent struggles and becomes uncomfortable to drive. Overall, I think it’s a good first impression. The interior was nice, I guess - I didn’t pay as much attention to that as a should have, since I was so focused on getting a feel for the driving.

I’m still gonna drive the Forte5 SX since I’m curious what that car can do, and then I’ll try a GTI, although if I fall in love with that car it’ll have to be a CPO purchase. Only issue is that Performance pack is a pretty rare option where I am, so I’d have to go to Toronto to get one in my price range. I’ve read in many places the GTI will have a lower trim level in the USA which will come standard with the PP - I think they’re gonna call it the Sport model, which is a lower trim (SE) with the PP. However, in Canada, the 5-door only comes in Autobahn and Performance - the Performance is only a grand or two shy of the base price for a Golf R, which is ridiculous.

I didn’t think I would enjoy the Civic as much as I did, but I haven’t driven a lot of different cars in my lifetime, so my experience is relative. Only issue is I want a hatchback, and I’d like the Civic hatchback a lot more if it didn’t have so many fake grilles.

More test drives to follow. I haven’t driven a new car in a very long time so this is kind of fun, even if they are just commuter cars.

Matt Nichelson > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:12

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EX-T? Huh. Didn’t know Cadillac made Civics.

Seriously though, I tested a Civic when the new body style came out. Honestly wasn’t too bad. I didn’t like the cloth seats though. Leather has really spoiled me.

TheHondaBro > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:13

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It’s crazy how low to the ground the coupe sits. I sat in one at a Honda dealership. The interior was very well put together, and it gave off the impression of being much bigger than it actually is, though you feel very snug. I haven’t driven one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it drove like an upscale German compact like some reviewers are saying.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > TheHondaBro 09/26/2016 at 20:15

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It’s surprisingly smooth at speed. Haven’t driven anything upscale apart from my dad’s Lexus, and I’ve never driven anything German at all, so I don’t have any accurate comparison there. It felt spacious, but drove like a small car so that it didn’t take much getting used to. I can see why it’s getting such good reviews.

OPPOsaurus WRX > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:19

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transmissions ranking:

1:manual

2:CVT

3:automatics

at first the CVT are odd but once you get used to it, its not bad at all. I actually like it better automatics.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Matt Nichelson 09/26/2016 at 20:21

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You say that, and I imagined a CR-V with 20" wheels and a truck bed. I still find it funny that Cadillac made a pickup at all (or do they still make it)?

I didn’t even think about the seating material. Leather would be nice but I’d have to move up to the Touring trim for that, which turns the Civic into a nearly $33K car after taxes. Canadian/Ontario sales tax is god damn robbery.

OPPOsaurus WRX > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:22

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hows the rear open? it looks like it would be tiny unless its a hatch with the window opening too.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/26/2016 at 20:25

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I’m surprised CVT gets so much hate, but I’ve only driven a few cars that had one - my dad’s RX400 hybrid, a 2010 Sentra, and this Civic. The automatic in my current vehicle is a tragedy and is quite jerky in the first-to-second shift, less so in the shifts up to it’s (final) fourth gear.

I like that they don’t shift, which is why I’m really confused as to what these CVT equipped cars do when they also come with paddle shifters.

I’m gonna try a GTI later this week with DSG just to see how that works. The manu-matic function I tried in my friend’s Mazda3 left quite a bit to be desired, and I fear that’s what will make the Forte5 less enjoyable, since it comes with a tiptronic 6-speed auto instead of a double-clutch auto.

Wacko > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:29

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Think taxes are bad in Ontario?

You guys got it easy compared to us in Quebec.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/26/2016 at 20:32

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The trunk itself is roomy but the opening is kind of weird; the trunk lid narrows towards the bottom, so I think items with weird proportions, like a golf bag, might need some Tetris-ing to get it in there.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Wacko 09/26/2016 at 20:32

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I should know this, but is sales tax higher in Quebec? I thought HST was the same everywhere.

Cash Rewards > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:35

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DSG is an excellent gearbox, no where near what an automatic with shift buttons. I have a non-turbo civic with a manual, and aside from being slow, it rides great.

Probenja > OPPOsaurus WRX 09/26/2016 at 20:36

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I’m not sure why they didn’t make it a liftback:

Nibby > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:36

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My sister just got an EX-T a few months ago. It’s really quite a nice car for the money. I do have some gripes though, such as some of the interior plastics are cheap (but overall better than many other small cars).

I don’t like the cloth seats mainly for the lack of support. They’re not comfortable on long drives. Car is roomy and moves better than I expected.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Cash Rewards 09/26/2016 at 20:42

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The tiptronics I’ve tried are like teenagers - let them do their own thing and it’s happy but when you tell it what to do it becomes a pain in the ass (well, I was that kind of teenager). They’ve been slow and clunky whereas everything I’ve read about the DSG is that it’s very quick shifting, something you would actually find and want in a performance vehicle. I think I need this if I truly want to pretend I’m a WRC driver on my way to work.

OPPOsaurus WRX > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:44

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i can kinda understand the paddle shifters, its something for people to play around with and make them feel like they are still making decisions, the simulated automatic trans shifting int he CVT is what boggles my mind.

my Sport Trac seemed to always shift at the worst moments

Matt Nichelson > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:45

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Lol wow that would be a sight wouldn’t it? They stopped making it a couple years ago. It went away with the Avalanche.

Geez that’s insane. Way too much money for too little car.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Probenja 09/26/2016 at 20:46

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yea option 2 looks much more functional

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Nibby 09/26/2016 at 20:47

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The test drive I did was a decent length but I didn’t feel any discomfort, although it was nowhere near what a multi-hour drive would feel like.

Still, I think I could’ve bought that car today and been very happy, but I think eventually the thoughts of, “What if I got the other car?” would become intrusive and bothersome. Very good first impression, though.

96Formula6spd > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 20:55

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Skip the civic. Loads and loads of issues with the cvt. Had friends with failing ones with under 50k. Civic one is under recall. But that’s no help for my buddies accord. I’m not a cvt fan, but I understand people want automatics. But Honda has not figured it out.

We’ll my opinion they lost their way after 2000 minus the s2000. But that’s a whole other story. Save yourself the hassle and skip the civic. 

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Matt Nichelson 09/26/2016 at 20:57

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It’s in Canadian dollars, but you’re right, it’s still a lot of money for a Civic.

To put things in perspective - the GTI PP that I would really enjoy is completely out of reach. After taxes/fees, it ends up being over $46K (based on MSRP) for a hot Golf. I really like the look of the new GTI but that kind of price is absurd. GTI would have to be a CPO purchase but it’s looking less and less likely since Performance versions in my city are non-existent.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > 96Formula6spd 09/26/2016 at 20:59

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I see that there was an issue with the ‘14-’15 models on which they were recalled - you don’t think that this would have been addressed on the ‘16-’17 models?

96Formula6spd > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 21:07

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I had someone on a forum with their 2016 civic trade it in at 8k with random transmission issues. Was his wife’s car and he had other cvt transmissions. He went back to kia. They traded in an 2011 spectra for the civic and regretted every minute of it.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > 96Formula6spd 09/26/2016 at 21:46

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Wow, that’s surprising - if I were to get a Civic I’d expect the traditional Honda reliability, not the McLaren-Honda type reliability.

Cash Rewards > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 22:16

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I had a GTI with DSG for 5 years, and it was great. Definitely responded to inputs incredible quickly. From what I understand from service advisors, just be on top of your maintenance and they’ll last.

Wacko > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/26/2016 at 22:42

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We have GST and PST(QST) together they come up to 14.975%

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_Canada

96Formula6spd > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/27/2016 at 01:31

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It was there with the old automatic cars. Even the stick shifts were ok. I just helped someone buy a 2013 civic. Last year of a true automatic. Granted my cars are stick shift. But people ask me what new car I would buy for 17k. Mazda 3 hands down.