First drive in a new Civic

[peteo48]

Got my Jazz serviced today and got a 17 plate Civic diesel as a loaner. Very responsive performance but I don't know if it's just me but the tech on new cars is overwhelming. The thing lit up like a Christmas tree when I turned on the ignition. Then I struggled to find out how to release the handbrake until the car told me to depress the brake pedal.

Then there's the central locking. The key only opens the front doors - you have to open the boot to open the rear doors from what I could see. Then there's starting - you have to depress the clutch for the starter to work - at first I thought this was the stop/start system but that appeared to be off. Certainly at junctions, with the car in neutral, the engine stayed on tickover - maybe you have to engage the parking brake but I wasn't doing that unless absolutely necessary.

Minor fiddle with the infotainment screen - not as bad as some have said but a right old faff compared to the well placed ergonomically designed buttons and knobs on my Jazz.

I don't want all this stuff - I might have to keep my Jazz forever!

[sparky Paul]

I have to agree, some cars now are like something off a Sci-Fi film.

Some of the gadgets are funky, and I like some of the screens replacing physical gauges... but when basic functions don't work how you would expect, that's when it all goes belly up.

[jazzway]

...
I don't want all this stuff - I might have to keep my Jazz forever!

I am with you on this.
When we went from our old 90s car to the Jazz it was a huge difference and took some time to find everything and getting used to. But enough is enough, we now have everything we need and it's working easy and flawless.

[peteo48]

...
I don't want all this stuff - I might have to keep my Jazz forever!

I am with you on this.
When we went from our old 90s car to the Jazz it was a huge difference and took some time to find everything and getting used to. But enough is enough, we now have everything we need and it's working easy and flawless.

Funnily enough a friend who doesn't change his cars very often is struggling with his 2016 Fiesta which replaced a 9 year old Focus. He says that's the downside of keeping cars for a long time - when you do change they take some getting used to. He has to keep ringing his son up for advice.

[John Ratsey]

My biggest hate on my HR-V  is a touch panel to control the heating and ventilation as it's necessary to take eyes off the road in order to see where to poke it, a situation not helped by a relatively low location below the main infotainment touchscreen. Touch controls which worsen safety compared to knobs and buttons should be banned by the regulations or, if they are in the pay of the manufacturers, evaluated in the safety tests.

Am I correct in thinking that the new Civic also has a touch panel for heating and ventilation?

[richardfrost]

Re the doors / locking - it sounds like the Civic has a 'double locking' system like my HRV. If you press to lock, then press and hold, a more secure locking occurs and the mirrors fold in. I suspect when unlocking you can't open the rear doors until a front door or the boot has been opened.

[peteo48]

My biggest hate on my HR-V  is a touch panel to control the heating and ventilation as it's necessary to take eyes off the road in order to see where to poke it, a situation not helped by a relatively low location below the main infotainment touchscreen. Touch controls which worsen safety compared to knobs and buttons should be banned by the regulations or, if they are in the pay of the manufacturers, evaluated in the safety tests.

Am I correct in thinking that the new Civic also has a touch panel for heating and ventilation?

There is a switch for climate control just below the infotainment screen. There is another, very small, button which seems to regulate the heat. Unlike the Jazz where there is round glass screen with big numbers on it, on the Civic the temperature is in tiny numbers amongst a mass of other information on the binnacle.

This really isn't progress by any definition of the word.

What is progress, however, is the built in camera that comes on when you select reverse. The Civic is now a pretty large car with limited visibility at the back and this is a genuine step forward.

[Jocko]

What is progress, however, is the built in camera that comes on when you select reverse.

The 67 plate Jazz SE I had was fitted with that. I thought it brilliant.

[guest5079]

My Wife has enough trouble with our 2010 Jazz which She claims is too clever for it's own good. So even if I could afford it petticoat government would have something to say.

BUT even though it's OLD now, the one thing I really like is if it's raining, select reverse and the rear wiper starts.
NOW that is useful.

[peteo48]

Reflecting on all this it makes me realise what a brilliant little car the Jazz is. Design genius in terms of storage and comfort and the controls are easy peasy.