A fashion savvy guy gives the Honda Civic 2.0 Navi the eye. Josh Ho tells us what he sees…

When not working full-time as an accounts manager, Josh Ho can be found walking the runway dressed in the latest designer wear. To Josh, looking good is not only part of the job but a way of life, so we paired him with an iconic car that has been through nine makeovers. Here’s the lowdown on the current generation Honda Civic from the runway model…

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Hi Josh, let’s begin with an introduction. Tell us about yourself.

Sure thing. Well, apart from my full-time work as a corporate accounts manager I work as a runway model. I’ve been in this industry for the past three years.

Isn’t an introduction supposed to include your marital status/ideal girlfriend?

(Laughs) Unfortunately I’m no longer single. However, I’m not married yet either.

Bad news for our lady readers then. So back to cars. What are you currently driving?

I drive a Proton Waja with a manual gearbox. I’ve been driving manual ever since I first acquired my licence as a 17-year-old, and I’m 27 years old this year. So it’s been 10 great years of manual transmission enjoyment. My first car was a Proton Iswara, which was a manual as well, and back in the day it was easy to drive around my hometown without facing the stress and hassle of traffic jams. I was happy just to have a car to get around with, but the Iswara came to an end after an unfortunate accident. The Waja succeeded the Iswara and at the time I thought it’d be fun to have a 1.6-litre manual car. But I feel like it’s about time to change cars again.

So perhaps you will consider the Honda Civic 2.0 as your successor?

The Civic is still out of my budget at the moment (laughs), I’d be more inclined to look for a B-segment vehicle instead. But if I do have the budget for it, then yes, I’d definitely give consideration to the Civic 2.0.

Tell us about your experience behind the wheel of the Civic 2.0.

My first telling impression of the Civic has to be the dashboard. It’s very futuristic. It feels like a big improvement over the last generation. In fact, reflecting on the overall feel of the car compared to previous generation Civics, the current one feels more refined and grown up. It’s a very comfortable car to drive, with nice handling and a responsive throttle. I suppose it’s a natural progression for the Civic as a mass market car.

I would consider the 1.8 variant too, as it’s the cheapest variant of the Civic, and it’d be easier on my budget (laughs). The great thing about Civics is that they have a strong reputation in our market and as such hold a strong resale value no matter which variant you choose. I feel this applies to Honda in general actually.

If budget is not an issue, what would be your dream car?

Oh, that would be the Ford Mustang. I’ve loved every generation of it, from the original classic to the current version. I became entranced ever since I first laid eyes on it on the old Need For Speed video games.

The design of the Mustang is timeless, even with every evolving model. It has that classic retro look which is a proud Ford heritage, and it’s so cool that it’s a muscle car. It’s a very manly and masculine toy, and the size is just right, not too big and not too small either (laughs). Compared to other muscle cars, while I do appreciate them, my favourite is still the Mustang. Even when watching the Transformers movie, my eyes were focused on the villain ‘Barricade’, which was a black Saleen Mustang police car.

I love the classic Mustangs as well. In the movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift one of the iconic hero cars was a 1967 Ford Mustang GT which they modified and used for drifting. I have a model of that 1967 Mustang.

Safe to say, as long as it is a muscle car, that would be my dream car. Ideally a Ford Mustang in blue please.

That’s a great choice for a dream car, but back to the Civic though. The variant you tested is actually the 2.0 Navi, and as its name suggests, comes with an upgraded in-car player with navigation, reverse camera, and Bluetooth. For an additional RM7,000, do you feel it’s value for your money?

Considering the equipment you get for the money, I’d have to agree that it is indeed value for money because you’re getting what you paid for. I’d choose in-car equipment over an aftermarket body kit any day.

What other features would you suggest be implemented in the Honda Civic?

I think downsizing the engine is the way to go. Most car manufacturers are moving in that direction now, especially with advancements in turbocharging technology. A 1.5-litre turbocharged engine in a Honda Civic sounds very appealing to me, personally, and if it would help to reduce the overall cost and road tax of the Civic, then even better! But of course, all the safety features should be maintained as well.

How would you help to convince the public to purchase the Honda Civic?

I don’t think any more convincing is required, to be honest (laughs). The Civic is already reputable and one of the most iconic cars of all time. You get great value for money, great fuel economy, and the Civic comes with a 5-years warrant with unlimited mileage. That’s pretty self-explanatory.

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SPECS

Honda Civic 2.0 Navi
Price: RM132,210.10
Engine: 1,997cc 4-cylinder SOHC i-VTEC, 155bhp@6,500rpm, 190Nm@4,300rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Key features: 7" Display Audio (Navigation, Mirror Link, Personal Media Access, Rear View Camera Display), Bluetooth Audio with Hands-Free Telephone System (HFT), Steering Wheel Switch Hands-Free Telephone (HFT) Control, USB and HDMI Ports, Paddleshifts
Safety equipment: Six airbags, ABS, VSA, Motion Adaptive EPS, ISOFIX

Josh Ho
Age: 27
Occupation: Corporate accounts manager and model
Nationality: Malaysian