I think hat comparing the Vezel and the PKDM Civic is unfair to both vehicles. In terms of technology, I fear the Vezel will eat up the Civic - in fact, in sport mode, I think it might actually beat the Civic in a race also. The kind of acceleration and power that the 1500 engine produces is shocking.
Then there are the features - I thought that the Brake Hold feature was just one of those nice-to-have things. Until I got stuck in a traffic jam yesterday and I realised what a gem of a feature this is in stop start traffic.
The transition from petrol to electric and vice versa is almost seamless. There are times when you feel it but for most practical city driving situations, you don't feel it. The cabin is so damn quiet that with the AC on, it's hard to know whether you're running on petrol or electric! I had read in a review that Honda has used best in class cabin soundproofing for this car and I believe it now.
Yesterday I was getting an audio system installed and the car was drawing admiring looks and comments from everyone around. The Vezel sure is an eye catcher and the way it looks and feels is an absolute killer. When I park it somewhere and start to walk away, it's impossible not to turn around and take a look at it!
Sadly, the civic does not incite this kind of reaction - it's basically another humdrum saloon with the features stripped away by Honda PK. Availability of parts and service could be an issue but not a major one - any part you need can be easily imported now within a space of 3-5 days and with brand new cars (touch wood) the need is quite minimal. The Vezel shares a platform with the Honda Fit, so parts will be interchangeable across the two. Plus, with the sheer number of Vezels being imported, parts can't be far behind.
To anyone looking into buying a Civic, Corolla, Premio etc (basically in the 2.5-3.5 million range), I would strongly suggest checking out and driving a Vezel.
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