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A high-spec, Sat Nav-equipped
version of the Civic Hybrid has been launched by Honda to meet
customer demand.
The Civic Hybrid EX is now available to
order from authorised Honda dealers, with the first customers due to
receive cars in November. The EX also features leather upholstery and
Honda’s Hands Free Telephone equipment, which uses Bluetooth technology
to allow mobile phone calls to be made safely on the move.
It’s the first time a Hybrid has
featured factory-fitted Sat Nav as standard equipment, meeting a growing
demand in the sector – particularly from corporate customers – for
high-spec, low emission cars.
“Civic Hybrid is really storming both
the retail and fleet markets – we’re up by around 500 per cent
year-on-year,” says Harvey Hughes, Manager – Corporate Operations. “But
what we’re finding across our range of products, is that we’re pulling
customers into Honda from other premium manufacturers, and they are
demanding a higher level of equipment.
“In the fleet market in particular,
many drivers demand kit like Sat Nav, because they use the car for
business on a daily basis. The new EX will allow us to meet those needs,
and therefore we should appeal to an even wider range of businesses and
user chooser drivers,” adds Hughes.
The Civic Hybrid EX is priced at
£19,300 OTR. With its level of equipment, the closest rival to the EX is
the Toyota Prius T Spirit, priced at £20,677.
Controls for the HFT kit are mounted on
the steering wheel, while the DVD Navigation unit in the Civic Hybrid EX
replaces the existing 6 CD changer, mounted in the dashboard, above the
air conditioning controls. As well as offering maps of the UK and
Western Europe, it can monitor traffic congestion and advise the user on
alternative routes.
In addition, the Honda Sat Nav system
can be controlled by voice recognition. Just hold the correct button,
say the word ‘Restaurant’ and the system will locate the nearest places
to eat, and then direct you to them.
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