Behind the wheel. 2013 Honda Civic: a meat well cooked-Over triggers the final score

In 1990, when it turned out that the mirror in the shiny, new, freshly Orbiting Hubble Space Telescope is brilliant precisely the right way, the Space Agency began to work on a solution. In December 1993, this fix, Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial replacement, called Costar, was launched aboard the space shuttle Endeavour and, in a major calls for service of all time, has been installed in the Hubble. The telescope has been look at the edge of the universe since then.

The 2013 non-toute new Honda Civic is the 2012 Civic with Costar. It is a version sharper, more focused, more user-friendly for the Civic, even if they are basically the same car, powered by the same engines 4 cylinder feeding the same transmissions.

To distinguish the Civic version 2012 2013 sedan dull, Honda has summarized the front end with a new chrome trim grille and bumpers, replaced the rear bumper and lights back and bolted on new wheels. Single steel sheet which has changed is the hood, which has a slightly stronger form.

Honda says the look is more 'chic' and 'premium', which is a way bias say that it is not as cheap or as bland. And the changes have left the Civic looking more like his brothers and sisters more large, redesigned and well-received 2013 Agreement.

While the two-door Civic sharing other revisions with the sedan, its outward appearance has not changed. This is the other revisions that make up the substance of the improvements for 2013.

The front structure has been revised in order to better perform in the offset crash tests. In fact, next Thursday the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced that the cut Civic 2013 and sedan got Top Safety Pick more, its highest rating, indicating that they performed well in all tests, including a new small lag before crash test.

In addition, suspension and steering electrical systems have been adjusted for better responsiveness and other noises of material has - more obviously as a buffer to the inside of the trunk lid. Even window glass is a little thicker to remove noise.

In the Department of gadget, a rear backup camera is now standard on all versions, as well as a cell phone Bluetooth and audio integration. Pandora Internet radio and SMS text messaging interfaces have been added alongside USB and standard iPod interfaces.

The biggest improvements, however, are the materials revised inside cabin. A new star feels thick and rich to the touch; the door panels seem better padded. More impressive is the refilling of the dashboard, which has a better texture, is softer to the touch and simulated sewing.

Dashboard in two fundamental levels did not change, but the austerity of the 2012 Civic, which had all the charm of a plastic bucket, has disappeared. The Interior of 2013 is among the most pleasant found in any compact car.

Banned from the programming of the Civic sedan is the base model DX, a leader of loss that virtually no one bought anyway. But that still leaves seven variations of the civilian sedan and four cups.

Sedans, four versions use the same 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter engine. The least expensive is the LX $18 955 public with a manual 5 speed and tires and 15-inch steel wheels. Adding an automatic transmission 5 speeds nudge prices upwards of $800.

A notch above which is the $21 605 EX, which mounted on 16-inch alloy wheels and is only available with automatic transmission. The former has an air-conditioning, a more powerful stereo system, four-wheel disc brakes and a sunroof.

For $23 055, the EX - L adds leather trim. The two EX versions can be done with a navigation system with voice command for another $ 1,500.

For mileage-obsessed, there is also the HF model for $20,055, which has an automatic transmission, lightweight wheels of 15 inch and low rolling resistance tires; HF also fails the spare wheel to save weight and economy a little better: 29 miles per gallon in the city and 41 MPG on the road, against 28/39 for the automatic LX and EX. My test car was an EX with fabric upholstery, but without the navigation system.