Review: Honda Civic VTi-LX

Honda_Civic_Review_2 “What’s a word to describe being busier than busy?” I typed into Google last week.

An online thesaurus suggested synonyms including unavailable, buried, overloaded, snowed, swamped and tied up. I’m most of those things, but apparently not too busy to ask Google stupid questions.

From movie previews and restaurant openings, to beach trips and catch ups with friends, no two weeks are the same right now, but the one thing they have in common is that they’re all action packed.

The folks at Honda Australia must have recognised how much time I spend zooming around the city because they recently loaned me a super stylish Bold New Civic for two weeks, meaning I could do my drive in style–a bonus for a little fashion fiend like myself!

When I said yes to the review, I expected I’d be given the standard model, so I was a wee bit overjoyed when they handed over the keys to the new top-of-the-line Civic VTi-LX.

Within moments I’d synced up my iPhone and was hollering down the phone to my mum, “Bluetooth. Sunroof. Leather interior. Wheeeeeeeeee!”

Now I’m the first to admit I don’t know or understand anything about the mechanical aspects of cars, suffice to say this one has an engine and stuff, but I do love to drive and talk so buckle up and come for a ride:

Prior to this test drive, my only stint behind the wheel of a Honda was when a friend asked me to move her CRV about a decade ago, but I have to say – I’m a convert and the Civic has shot straight to the top of my Christmas list.

I almost cried when I had to hand back the keys to this beauty.

Not only is it sleek and stylish, the Civic VTi-LX comes with all the mod cons that make driving so much more enjoyable, including a seven-inch LCD touch screen entertainment system with Apple CarPlay (it also works for Androids) smart phone connectivity.

That meant I could play my music through the car’s stereo AND access texts and calls using voice command and let’s be honest, if I’m in the car I’m either singing or talking.

The business of driving was also made easier thanks to the smart keyless entry, parking sensors, reversing camera, cruise control, giant electronic speedo and LED running lights and LaneWatch blind spot monitoring (which it turns out can be quite cheeky when it comes to perving on your date when parked on the side of the road).

And then there were the extras that added a touch of luxe: dual zone climate control, an electric sunroof, power heated leather seats and a leather steering wheel.

There’s even a 517 liter boot which we put to the test when I did a run to the cruise terminal with mom and dad and their three suitcases and, while preparing for a one-woman pool party later that day, I discovered I could also fit in an entire inflatable donut!

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Everything about driving the Bold New Civic was easy and effortless which could be why I begged for an extra few hours to get all my jobs done in comfort before returning the car.

And, having now jumped back into my “other” car where the Bluetooth isn’t working, there’s no fancy entertainment system, there seems to be an abundance of blonde hair everywhere and nothing alerts me to sneaky poles waiting to jump out and hit me, I’m already regretting giving the keys back.

Surely I could have kept it for another few weeks … or years?