Civic Ride n' Drive

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a training event put on by Honda Canada that gave salespeople the opportunity to test drive a 2012 Civic through a closed course with a professional driver. I have never done anything like this before and it was a fantastic experience. Not only did I drive the Civic but I had the opportunity to compare it to some competitors. We also drove the VW Jetta, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and the Mazda 3.

We stomped on the gas, slammed on brakes, drove through pot holes, bumps and around pylons and most interesting of all we tested the vehicle stability assist on each car through a skid pad that emulated black ice.

The Honda VSA system was remarkable! It allowed me as a driver to handle a serious loss of control with ease. I thought I was a great driver until we tried the skid pad without the VSA engaged. It made a huge difference and I realized how much the VSA mattered as I spun around 360 degrees! The Civic has had great steering, responsive pickup and was smooth through potholes and bumps.

Couple this with attention to detail, such as wiper blades designed to handle Canadian winters, well sealed windows and doors, quality interior materials and components, you have a well-put together vehicle that you know will last through many years!

Some people may ask, why do I have to worry about buying a Civic when I'm never going to drive like you did on that course? Its a great question and the reason is that you want to know how you car will handle when you do need it. Of course most of the time we are in regular everyday driving situations, but when the time comes and you have perform special maneuvres to avoid accidents, you know that your car can do what it needs to when necessary!

The moral of the story...when you are on a test drive next, don't be afraid to test the handling of the vehicle. You don't need to be reckless, but you should know how it responds on rough surfaces, through bumps and potholes, how it brakes. It is better to try it on the test drive and know, than to wait

until the time comes when you might find out on the road!