I don't know when the "double car" layout has become the key to Honda's market. Looking back, from CR-V to Haoying, from Accord to Yingshipai, and then from Fit to Laifu Sauce, it seems that the emergence of every popular model will inevitably give birth to a new sister model on the other side.
The same is true for the Civic, which has been dominating the A-segment car market for decades. At the end of September 2021, at the Chengdu Auto Show, the 11th generation Civic ushered in the listing, and at the same time, guangqi Honda's INTEGRALGRA model also unveiled the mysterious veil. However, compared with the reputation accumulated by Civic over the years, the type is somewhat unfamiliar to people. So what is the strength of the type as a latecomer? What surprises can it bring us? Next, Xiaobian will interpret it one by one through this test drive.
Appearance: Innate athletic pedigree
Before evaluating the type, it is inevitable that there will be some entanglements in the heart of the editor. Because as a sister model, walking on the road, there will still be many melon-eating masses who will misidentify the type of personality as the Civic, perhaps because of the appearance of some gods, or perhaps the type has never heard of it, but despite this, the return rate is still increasing.
From the appearance point of view, the overall design of Honda's style is much more radical, especially the angular line design is more in line with the aesthetic concept of the Chinese people. The low hood effectively lowers the center of gravity of the front of the car, creating a forward swooping combat posture.
Compared with the Civic, the front face design of the type is obviously much simpler, and the blackened middle net is connected to the flat headlights on both sides. Against the backdrop of LED daytime running lights, it is like a beast that is ready to attack, staring dead at the prey in front of it.
At the same time, at the bumper, the type also eliminates the fog light element and replaces it with two deflectors, which can direct the air flow to the front wheel and improve the aerodynamic performance.
It is worth mentioning that the legendary card key has finally appeared on the high-end model. Compared with the traditional remote control key, there is no physical button on the card key except for a car logo, and everything depends on vehicle induction, full of technology. But a bit "anti-human" is that because the type is not equipped with a remote lock function, it is necessary to gently touch the door handle to lock the car after getting off the car, otherwise the vehicle will always be in an unlocked state. For first-time drivers, this step is critical.
The Honda model features a more powerful full-speed domain adaptive cruise system, and cameras on the front windshield identify lanes and speed limit signs. And with the help of millimeter-wave radar, the type can realize many advanced functions such as automatic control of vehicle distance, lane keeping, brake intervention and so on.
The lines on the sides of the grid are still dynamic, and the through-line waist line matches the low body to create a unique Japanese "low lying" visual feeling. In addition, in terms of body size, the type compartment is slightly larger than the Civic in terms of length and width, and the wheelbase of 2735mm is also more advantageous than competitors such as Toyota Raeling.
From the 45 ° angle of the rear of the car, you can feel the unique streamlined body of the model, and the low design is matched with a sporty ducktail, which can highlight the identity characteristics of the "civilian coupe" of the model. At the same time, the LED taillights also adopt a sharp "boomerang" shape, and the details are also blackened to make them more recognizable after lighting.
The tail throat of the coarse mine is the standard for many sports coupes today. Below the rear of the model car, we can still see two genuine exhaust pipes, and also added a car-exclusive bottom spoiler and sports fog lights, and the sports atmosphere is directly full.
Interior: The embodiment of the Japanese "craftsman spirit"
Imagine if the central control does not have a "big screen" element, what will be the scene?
In fact, in the context of the intelligent and networked reform of today's automotive industry, many car companies have created exclusive high-tech intelligent cockpits, in which various LCD screens and touch buttons are filled with the center console, and even physical buttons are pitiful. And is this somewhat overwhelming design really in line with the mainstream direction of future automotive development? I think the Honda grid gives another answer.
Inside the car, the through-the-wall console gives a very novel feeling, and the layered design is still smooth. And in this era of intelligence as the trend, the type does not "slip with the big slip", in the empty panel, multimedia operation and other places still retain the most basic physical buttons, and this simple and mechanized operation logic, but also let the small editor this "technical house" quite surprised.
Since the test drive is a top-of-the-line model, it is equipped with a 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster. Vehicle status, multimedia options, surrounding obstacles, etc. can be displayed, and the overall effect is more intuitive. At the same time, on the surface of the liquid crystal instrument, a layer of matte material is also used, which also makes its resolution guaranteed to a certain extent, even in the summer when the sun is strong, it can also provide a clear display effect.
The 9-inch LCD screen on the center console is not large, but it is equipped with the latest HONDA 3.0 intelligent guide interconnection car machine system, which can not only realize Baidu CarLife, but also equipped with intelligent navigation, online entertainment and other functions. And the more intelligent voice interaction system also provides a good intelligent experience for daily driving, after upgrading, the voice assistant can also recognize dialects such as Sichuan dialect and Cantonese, reducing communication problems caused by accents.
The air conditioning control module at the bottom of the screen is the most satisfactory point in the same level of products. In addition to retaining the traditional physical buttons, it is also very good in terms of control texture, and you can even hear the mechanical friction sound of "clicking and clicking" with the slight twist of the knob. And this just right damping experience also highlights the charm of Honda's "craftsman spirit".
In addition, in the position of the air outlet, the type continues the hidden design above the Civic, and the honeycomb mesh trim looks quite novel. The protruding lever is used to control the wind direction of the air conditioner. Of course, anyone who has sat in the type will basically never forget this small detail.
Honda is also equipped with a BOES Centerpoin sound system, which is equipped with 12 speakers to provide more powerful 3D surround sound for the occupants. In the actual experience, although the noise outside the car will have some impact, from the effect point of view, the excellent surround sound field has been regarded as a better performance of the same level.
Finally, in terms of riding experience, the sitting posture of the type can be said to be surprisingly low, as if sitting in a Porsche 911 sports car. And such a radical ergonomic setting can also stimulate the driver's desire to fight, so that you unconsciously step on the throttle deeper. At the same time, the seat is filled with a tighter material, and the wrapping feeling is stronger, although it is not soft, but it will definitely "press" you firmly on the chair when you turn at high speed.
Motivation: The overall adjustment tends to be radical
Performance is a key indicator to measure a sports coupe. As a "civilian steel cannon", the type is also more aggressive and sporty in the power output adjustment, and the slightly "grumpy" power setting has formed a significant contrast with competitors such as Nissan Xuanyi and Volkswagen Langyi.
First of all, from the book data, the Honda model is equipped with a 1.5T "Earth Dream" engine, with a maximum output of 182 horsepower, a maximum power of 134 kilowatts, and a peak torque of 240 Nm, which is matched by a CVT stepless gearbox.
In terms of driving experience, the initial acceleration of the type is not as aggressive as we think, but it is somewhat soft, and the torque control is comfortable. The light, stable throttle setting also makes it basically difficult to get started, and it can be quickly controlled with just a little adaptation to the rhythm of the engine.
In the late acceleration stage, the horsepower advantage of the type begins to be gradually released, especially in the overtaking or high-speed state, you can feel the abundant power reserve of this 1.5T "Earth Dream" engine, and the "one-point come" control feeling is very pleasing, while ensuring the power, it can also bring you a lot of driving pleasure.
In addition, I believe that many people will be suspicious of the CVT infinity gearbox equipped with the model, because this collocation is too much for home use. However, from the two-day test drive experience, the CVT gearbox not only did not become a "burden" of the type, on the contrary, the setting that can simulate mechanical shifting is more in line with the mentality of young people "playing with cars".
Finally, the excellent chassis performance of the model also impressed the editor. It is different from the soft and somewhat thin setting of the japanese car in the past, but it emphasizes support, especially when cornering at high speed, it can give you enough confidence so that you don't have to worry about rolling.
Some of the fly in the ointment is that when the vehicle passes through the speed bumps or undulating road, there will still be some excess bouncing sensation, although it does not affect the driving experience, but it will make the passenger sitting in the back seat feel a little uncomfortable. The obvious bumpy feeling that appears in the rear section of this shock absorption also shows that there is still some room for improvement in the shape.
Auto Network Review: The rebirth of the fire after the "broken generation"
Speaking of THE INTEGRA type, I believe that many people have heard about it for the first time, especially after zero zero, and may not know it at all. However, as early as 1980, the first generation of INTEGRA was born, but with the change of times, the fourth generation of INTEGRA was officially announced in 2004, and the era of Honda Coupe models came to an end.
However, the successful "resurrection" of Guangqi Honda's INTEGRA model has also made many old car fans feel very pleased. Because in terms of appearance, power and other aspects, the type has inherited the movement and radicalism of the INTEGRA family. And as a sentient "Honda fan", would you be willing to choose Civic? Or is it the MORE STORYABLE INTEGRA type? Feel free to interact with the authors in the comments section below.