test drives

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By Tim Saunders

Do you like to make an entrance? Are you an attention seeker? Then you simply must drive the Honda Civic Type-R.

No sooner has the bright red Civic arrived on the drive every passer-by stops to admire its cool design. “Look at those exhausts,” gasps my son Henry (5). It looks like a rocket. The rear is certainly striking thanks to the massive spoiler and then there are the subtle red brake callipers. Stroll round to the front and there are air vents by the side of the front doors; they're on the bonnet, too further adding to its racing credentials. I wouldn’t like this behind me, that’s for sure. This is a Civic with a difference. A package to please any boy racer. A 169mph sports car for just over £30,000. A very easy way to lose that precious driving licence. So much respect is required. It reminds me of a considerably more expensive Maserati, which when the engine is started, the ground beneath literally vibrates. Although this doesn’t happen in the Honda the engine does vibrate the driver’s feet in the footwell.

There’s a three-mode driving system operated by a switch in the centre next to the front passenger seat that allows the driver or passenger for that matter to choose between Comfort, Sport or +R setting. Basically Comfort is for everyday driving, a more relaxed setting, Sport gives a little enhancement while +R unleashes everything it has to offer, ideal for a track day. The latter is sort of Maserati mode; a louder noise from that exhaust, tighter suspension. In fact driving in +R mode reminds me of the time I went on a Honda powerboat; the same type of g-force is thrust upon the occupants. Definitely one for the adrenalin junkies among you.

I do like the red and black suede steering wheel; very comfy to hold and the slightly squashed circle shape of the wheel is appealing. The power steering is quite hard and race car like as you might expect, compared to other cars.

“The doors are tough to shut, though,” says Caroline, who is known to stretch out her left arm behind her, when seated in the front passenger seat, to shut the rear passenger door for the children. But not in the Honda.

“It’s a bit plasticky,” criticizes Lin, Caroline’s mum when we meet for a socially distanced walk.

The driver’s seat hugs its occupant and the red and black suede is good quality. The red suede covered steering wheel continues the luxurious sporty feel. There’s a six-speed manual gearbox and an electric handbrake. It’s an absolute joy to drive. The post girl is just delivering some letters to us as I start the engine and it lets out a hearty roar. She takes a step back in surprise and can’t resist a double take. Oh what fun. This is the start of what is to become a succession of admiring glances throughout our travels.

Dare to push the accelerator down and the roar grows louder reminiscent of the Incredible Hulk. Leaving the traffic lights not a single motorist dares to take it on. Joining the motorway in third gear its roar is enough to see an approaching car pull back respectfully. That is the joy, the Type R commands great respect. Here is a car that nobody dares to tailgate, which is so nice. Stick to the 30mph speed limit and so does everyone else. Unfortunately, this does not happen on the motorway with its 50mph average speed limit that few apart from me adhere to.   

It comes loaded with the usual refinements including an easy to use sat nav, all round electric windows and power folding wing mirrors. The cruise control is nice and easy to operate, too. There’s a good size boot.

I have driven my fair share of Civics and have become accustomed to the fact that they will accommodate five occupants. I was expecting the Type R to be the same. But unfortunately not so. Although five can fit, there are only four seatbelts, which is annoying when there are five of us.

Facts at a glance

By Tim Saunders

The Volkswagen T-Roc is a reasonable sized Sports Utility Vehicle suited to an active family. We should get on fine then.

True to VW design it is smart, sleek and clinical both inside and out; something to be proud of – the architecture of the bodywork gives much interest thanks to the lines and general boxiness. Gone are the days it seems of sweeping curves. On the school run parents repeatedly double take.

On the road it’s fun to drive, fast when required and in fact if the driver is too zealous with their right foot the front wheels can lose their grip on the road. There’s a good driving position. Its six speed manual gearbox is smooth to operate and a pleasure to use. The cruise control on the other hand is one of the more complicated to operate, so much so that it’s too awkward for me and I give up.

Inside, it’s comfortable and practical. There’s a neat drawer underneath the driver’s seat providing some useful storage. But it’s very black indeed, which seems the way these days in terms of both interiors and economic forecasts…. Not a bit of colour, unless it is the electric blue of the digital displays. But then it is the Black Edition so what do I expect? “Perhaps there’s a Green Edition,” questions Henry (5) who loves anything of this colour, especially dinosaurs. When I was growing up manufacturers like Citroen and even Vauxhall had fun with colourful fabrics, despite the dire recessionary times. Today, in VWs luxury arm Bentley there might still be delightful hand-stitched cream leather but it’s unfair that more everyday vehicles don’t benefit from such vital interior colour. The soul craves it, like music, good food and drink. These days we all need colour in our lives for our mental health; far more important than ramming technology down our throats, that frankly much of the time we don’t need. If it’s possible to add colour inside our homes without breaking the bank then it should also be possible inside the family runabout, which let’s face it is an extension of our personalities. Are we all dull and boring? I don’t think so. For me the T-Roc’s interior screams accountant or solicitor, who I am sure are the within the target market but it does not speak to those with feelings and soul. Coloured cloth or velvet fabrics in teal, purple, green would really lift this interior to another level and make for a stunning vehicle. If DFS can do it then just imagine what VW could do…. I for one would feel uplifted and far happier at the sight of such cheerful tones and shades especially on a dull day. For too long great attention has been devoted to the external aesthetics over the interior, I suppose because the interior can’t be seen from outside. What does that matter though? Occupants need to feel happy and cheerful now more than ever.

The first time I reverse the T-Roc up our driveway, which does slope up hill it rolls uncomfortably close to our dining room wall. Thankfully my reactions allow for us to make a hasty, if rather speedy exit. The auto hold function does not seem to work in such a situation no matter what I do, which is unnerving. There is an electric parking brake.

In the operating manual Volkswagen devotes a chapter to Cyber Security on page 182. Who would have thought this necessary a few years ago? It alerts the driver to the fact that when connecting a mobile phone to the vehicle’s system, if it is contaminated with malware, this could infect the car and ultimately pose a risk to driver safety and worse. That’s a bit frightening and just makes me even more opposed to the use of mobile phones anywhere near a car. A quick Google search for ‘how many mobile phones are hacked?’ shows me an article from The Independent from March 2020 with the headline “More than one billion Android phones at risk of being hacked”. Driving on our roads is tough enough as it is without adding any extra problems.

The T-Roc is a capable car, whose boot accommodates a typical weekly shop. Overall, I do like it as I do an imperfect friend. Drive it yourself and see what you think but leave that phone at home.

Facts at a glance