10th Generation Honda Civic Test drive to Penang

Never I thought I have a chance to drive in brand new Honda Civic all the way from KL to Penang. (As a PhD student now, I don't have money to buy luxury car yet) Thanks to Honda for giving me such privilege for the test drive! I was so nervous as I was the first to drive while other girls who rode in the same car with me never drove Honda Civic before too!  The organizer gave us some briefings before departure at Citta Mall. Comparing with my car, the 10th generation Honda Civic is so fun to drive! 

I was the first to reach the meeting point and thus I have the most advantage to choose which car to drive. I hesitated for a very long time and finally made my decision of choosing the sexy ruby red colour. The brand new 1.5L VTEC turbo-charged engine which is developed under Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology provides ‘Joy to drive’ with its dynamic performance and excellent fuel economy. 

Honda Malaysia is the first Japanese mass market manufacturer to introduce a turbo engine in the C-segment. The other engine variant is 1.8L i-VTEC. Both engines are mated with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for a smooth driving experience and fuel efficiency. Both variants of the All-New Civic are “Energy Efficient Vehicle” certified and Honda is in line with the Government’s direction to offer EEV vehicles to the public.

Sometimes in a day, the weather is so hot in Malaysia. For a normal car, we need to start the engine, sit inside the car to wait for the air conditioner to cool down the interior. But the dream car Honda Civic offers the great feature -remote engine start system which enables the user to cool down or warm up the interior of the car before getting in.

To work it out:

• must be within 54 meters
• must be closer if objects are in the way
• if second remote in the car, remote starter won't function

To view demo, please click here

Nothing more important than the safety and comfortability of the driver's seat. For this car, I found a power adjusted driver and passenger buttons at the side to achieve best sitting position. Touch lightly with our index finger, the seat could be adjusted forward and backward, tilt up or down. It is impressive enough compared to manual control of many cars.

All important systems and controls in the Civic are positioned within easy reach of the driver.

Controls for the systems used most frequently – audio, cruise control, Bluetooth®3 HandsFreeLink®, available navigation system with voice recognition and intelligent Multi-Information Display – are conveniently positioned on the steering wheel. The main instrumentation is an easy-to-read analog design, supplemented with digital and graphic displays.

The All-New Civic offers “Advanced Interface” via its 7” Advanced Display Audio which appeals to the younger generations. It is completely redesigned to be the most convenient and connected Civic ever. Some of these features which are also Civics’ first include:

• Remote Engine Start  (mentioned above)

• Walk Away Auto Lock (When you walk away from the vehicle while carrying the remote transmitter more than 2 meters, the doors can automatically lock if all doors are closed)

• Electric Parking Brake (Keep your vehicle from moving while parked using a simple switch instead of a hand brake)

• Auto Brake Hold (When activated, Automatic Brake Hold retains brake pressure when the vehicle comes to a stop such as at a traffic light or in heavy traffic. This frees the driver from continually pressing the brake pedal to maintain the vehicle in a stopped position, a significant improvement in driving enjoyment in difficult conditions.)

Our first stop was Restaurant Sri Tanjung Tualang which serves seafood after 2 hours drive. This former tin mining place is famous for large freshwater prawns.

Next, we headed to Batu Kawan for gymkhana activity. Mr Ivan showed us the VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) when the mode is on and off or in simple words electronic stability control of car.

The Vehicle Stability Assist system helps to stabilize the vehicle during cornering if the car turns more or less than desired. It also assists users in maintaining traction while accelerating on loose or slippery road surfaces. It does this by regulating the engine's output, and by selectively applying braking.

The All-New Civic is available in five colours, Dark Ruby Red Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, and two brand new colours, Lunar Silver Metallic and White Orchid Pearl. These two new colours on the All-New Civic will eventually be applied to other models under Honda Malaysia’s production.


All variants of the All-New Civic are equipped with top class safety features:

· 6 Airbags (Dual Front Airbags, Side Curtain Airbags, and Side Airbags)
· Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
· Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
· Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
· Brake Assist (BA)
· Hill Start Assist (HSA)
· Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
· ISOFIX (corresponding fitting points for child seat)

We tested the car on different roads (except off-road) at different speeds. The car performs well for every situation. It can goes up to 140+ km/hour at highway and the cruise control is one of the great invention in this new variant which enables driver to rest the leg a while with constant speed without pressing the gas pedal/accelerator. 

Notice that the cruise control signal is shown when we set it. The function can be cancelled automatically after we press the accelerator.

The All-New Civic 1.5L VTEC Turbocharged variant is equipped with a smart monitoring system, giving peace of mind in maintaining the efficiency of the engine performance. This feature will indicate the timing of oil change and notify customers with an indication lamp on the speedometer on their service status. At 88 Honda dealers nationwide, customers can enjoy 5 years warranty with unlimited mileage with a service interval of 10,000km

We were truly exhausted after a day ride and activity in the evening. Feeling sleepy in the car, we reached Botanice Mansion finally. I never thought that our dinner place is such a unique restaurant. Situated within Botanica.CT development in Balik Pulau, Botanica Mansion, an English mansion built in the early 1881, is restored to its glory and operate as a Clubhouse, solely for Botanica.CT residents.

Prices of the 3 variants for 10th Generation Honda Civic are:

• RM113,800 for 1.8S (On-the-road with insurance)
• RM127,800 for 1.5 Turbocharged (On-the-road with insurance)
• RM135,800 for 1.5 Turbocharged Premium (On-the-road with insurance)

It was very late when we checked in the hotel- G Hotel. We made 2 turns before successfully reach the place as the road had a crazy jam. Thought of switching on my laptop but I was too tired and I chose to sleep early at the comfy queen size bed.

The next morning, we set out to Penang Escape Park for some adventure. If you been to Skytrex, this park offers almost the same thing. 

Watch for what we played:

One of the activity we done at Penang Escape Park #ridethedreamcivic

A video posted by Emily Tang (@emilytang413) on Dec 30, 2016 at 5:55am PST

If you dare, try this! Jump from 20 meters from the ground!

The all new civic offers beyond what I imagined and expected! It was a great fun experience driving in this stylish yet comfy car throughout our journey.

For more information on the All-New Civic, customers can visit any Honda dealer; call Honda’s Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or log onto www.honda.com.my or www.ridethedream.my to discover more about the exciting features of the All-New Civic.