A high-spec, Sat Nav-equipped version of the Civic Hybrid has been launched by Honda (UK) 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 (HFT) 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.