Honda Civic RS e:HEV: refined, athletic

The Civic sedan, which has been a mainstay of Honda Cars Philippines Incorporated (HCPI) for quite some time, has gone through drastic changes throughout the years. 

As the generations of Civic models passed, they have grown in size to accommodate the tastes of the modern car buyer. Regardless, the model never lost its sporty but practical appeal. In fact, it has shaped up into a peppy compact sedan, which spearheads the Japanese brand’s push to create safer rides. 

Now, in 2024, the local arm of the Minato-based car maker has brought in the hybrid version of the eleventh-generation Civic. 

Known as the Civic RS e: hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), it was launched at the 2024 Philippine International Motor Show, and it has seen subtle updates to its appearance, as well as a new powertrain derived from the electrified heart of the larger CR-V e:HEV crossover. 

So, how does the hybrid sedan perform? Does it retain the refinement and passenger-friendliness many have come to expect from the said nameplate? 

Zigwheels Philippines found the answers to the said questions firsthand through a two-day media drive up to Baguio City together with HCPI and the Civic RS e:HEV. 

Exterior

Where styling is concerned, it is clear to see from the Civic RS e:HEV the depth of experience Honda has had in designing sedans. 

Like the internal combustion-only RS, the hybrid version looks taut and athletic. It has a long-ish hood, a low-slung ride height, and plenty of eye-catching but functional details. 

Specifically, the front fascia of the vehicle sports a revised lower front bumper for better aerodynamics. Also providing more eye candy to the sedan’s exterior is a new set of 18-inch wheels in matte gray, a ducktail spoiler, and several sharp-looking LED fixtures. 

My carmates and I got to ride and drive the one in Canyon River Blue Metallic on the first day and another unit in Ignite Red Metallic on the second day. Both complement the sporty look of the Civic RS e:HEV, though the one in red does a better job at showing off its contrasting black-colored bits, such as its power-folding side mirrors, its spoiler, window pillars, and the black chrome door handles. 

I, for one, have no complaints about how the ride looks. The aforementioned might be coming from a biased place since I really like sedans. Still, Honda really did a bang-up job on the Civic when it comes to balancing a sense of sportiness together with elegance. 

In other words, the hybrid-powered Civic would not stick out like a sore thumb in fancy gatherings or parking lots full of other slick (more expensive) executive-level sedans like the BMW 3 series or the Toyota Camry. At the same time, however, it still has an edgy personality to be able to connect with the type of car lovers who hang out in parking lot car meets or modified car shows. 

But if there’s anything to nitpick about, the low height of the car might dissuade folks who are higher up in the age bracket. It will not be true for every older person, but some with weak knees or who are heavier in the gut will put in some extra effort in getting in or out of the car. 

Interior

Like its exterior, the interior continues the balancing act, which straddles the line between being minimalist and energetic. 

For starters, the dashboard is practically a straight line, which is only broken by the gentle hump of the vehicle’s digital gauge cluster. It also has plenty of soft-touch surfaces, polished metallic decorative bits, and a small amount of silver-colored trimmings on some control surfaces. 

At a glance, the said design cues make the cockpit look dapper. It does, however, show some splashes of lively color courtesy of red contrast stitching on the leather seats and center front armrest, on the interior door panels, and around the mesh cover for the model’s air-conditioning vents.

Also alluding to the driver-focused nature of the Civic RS e:HEV is how its controls are arranged. All are well within reach of the driver and are quite intuitive, even for a first-time user. 

The digital gauge is easily manipulated by scrolling roll wheels on the multi-function steering wheel, and every single button has proper and clear labels. Additionally, the dual-zone automatic climate control comes with physical dial-type controls - a clear sign that Honda really understands its car and driving-loving clientele. 

Here is a list of other notable interior features of the Civic RS e:HEV: 

• Leather upholstery
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Folding rear seat armrest
• Electronic parking brake
• Rear cabin air-conditioning vents
• USB ports
• Keyless entry
• Push-to-start button

Concerning comfort, the hybrid Civic has it in spades. In my case, I easily found my preferred driving position, thanks to its tilt and telescopic steering column, as well as its power-adjustable driver’s seat. 

For reference, I am a heavyset person, standing 5 feet and 11 inches tall. Even then, I didn’t have issues. The same goes for the rear cabin, which surprisingly accommodated me and my taller car mates. 

All four of us had ample legroom and elbow room in the front and rear seats. I also didn’t need to compromise on the driving position, even when a six-foot-tall gentleman sat behind me. 

Cushy aside, the Civic RS e:HEV also had an impressively roomy trunk. As I have mentioned, there were four of us in a car for the entirety of the Baguio drive. Each had two pieces of medium-sized luggage plus several pasalubong bags, but all managed to fit inside the Honda model’s trunk. 

Tech, safety

Dominating the elegant dash of the Civic RS e:HEV is a nine-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The said screen is linked to a Bose 12-piece speaker system. 

The infotainment system had a colorful but easy-to-understand user interface, which also didn’t see any lags or visual bugs. The same goes for the model’s 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, which is likewise able to display these parameters listed here: 

• Hybrid-specific details (charging, regenerative braking, battery status)
• Speed
• Range 
• Trip meter
• Fuel consumption
• Tachometer

To note, the central display unit of the Civic RS e:HEV also comes with Google Maps. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to use the said feature since we hooked up an Apple OS smartphone to the infotainment system for the entirety of the media drive.

As expected, the hybrid Civic we took to Baguio City came with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS). 

In the chaos of the notably heavy traffic in the City of Pines, the model’s forward collision warning and object detection system were put to good use. It was keen to let us know about motorcycles, pedestrians, and other cars that got too close. 

On the long highway stretches on the North Luzon Expressway and the Tarlac - Pangasinan - La Union Expressway (TPLEX), I, for one, made use of the car's adaptive cruise control and its lane keep assist. 

Other key ADAS bits available on the Civic RS e:HEV include the following: 

• Automatic high beams
• Lead car departure notification
• Road departure mitigation
• Low speed follow

Powertrain, chassis

Under the hood of the Civic RS e:HEV is a 2.0-liter engine paired with an electronic, regenerative braking system, a battery, and an electronic-continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). 

In total, the HEV system on the Honda sedan can output up to 184 horsepower and 315 Newton-meters of torque. 

With the said amount of grunt on tap, the electrified Civic is a notably powerful compact sedan that will make short work of overtaking, hill climbing, and highway cruising. 

Many other similarly priced models can do the aforementioned, but the Civic RS e:HEV felt planted and precise when we drove it through the pleasurable curves of the Asin road.

Its steering wheel, however, doesn’t provide much feedback, but it is direct and not too light or heavy. The E-CVT of the model likewise performed well when it came to creating simulated gear shifts. I, for one, felt like I was driving a geared car that could downshift when providing more throttle input. 

Additionally, the car can switch seamlessly between its electric motor and its inline-4 mill seamlessly and smoothly. It didn’t exhibit jarring engine vibrations, and one of the few indicators that it has turned on its electric vehicle mode is a pilot light on the dash. 

Agile as it is, the hybrid Civic still managed to achieve relative quietness inside its cabin. Some degree of engine and tire noise can be heard, but it was not annoying. The car effectively muted wind noise as well. 

Concerning ride quality, I found that the hybrid sedan wasn’t too soft or too hard. Even with four adults onboard, the car’s suspension didn’t bottom out when dealing with dramatic road bumps. At the same time, it didn’t sway or jostle us around with body rolling in sharp corners. 

With regard to its fuel economy, I managed to get around 19-22 kilometers per liter in a combined city and highway driving setting. The said reading was taken with four adults onboard. 

Final thoughts

As it is right now, the Civic RS e:HEV is in a great position as a Honda-made sedan in the Philippine market. It doesn’t have the gruffness of the VTEC-equipped Civics of yore, but instead, the hybrid version went on a smoother design route that provides refined driving and no compromises in comfort and practicality. 

As a result, it may entice the once-young Civic crowd that has grown up. Like I mentioned above, the model has matured and become smoother and more sophisticated, especially with its new HEV powertrain. Even then, it hasn’t lost its touch in providing agile driving dynamics if you want it to. 

People who are seriously considering getting the Civic RS e:HEV should give it a test drive first, though. Doing so will help any buyer become more acquainted with the model and thus form a more informed car-buying decision in the end. 

Honda Civic RS e:HEV specs

Model	Civic RS e:HEV
Exterior
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm)	4,681x1,802x1,415
Wheelbase	2,735
Ground clearance	134
Wheel size	18-inch
Lighting system	LED
Interior
Material	Leather
Amenities	Rain-sensing wipers Folding rear seat armrest Electronic parking brake Rear cabin air-conditioning vents USB ports Keyless entry Push-to-start button Dual-zone automatic climate control Rear air-conditioning vents Wireless smartphone charging USB ports (type C) Bose 12-piece speaker system Google Map integration
Instrument cluster	10.2-inch digital gauge cluster
Infotainment system	9-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Seating capacity	5
Powertrain
Engine	2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
Fuel type	Gasoline hybrid
Transmission	E-CVT
Horsepower	184
Torque	315 Nm
Brakes	Front and rear discs
Technology
ADAS	Automatic high beams Lead car departure notification Road departure mitigation Low speed follow Adaptive cruise control Object detection Collision mitigation braking system Lane departure warning Lead car departure notification Low speed follow
Safety	Dual front airbags Side airbags Side curtain airbags Stability control Hill-start assist ISOFIX child seat anchors Reverse camera Honda LaneWatch Speed-sensing door locks
Security	Security alarm Engine immobilizer
Price	P1.99 million

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