When an old Japanese hatchback makes a better off-roader than a Range Rover
Photo Matt Harvey
Even the best 4x4 in the world is no match for a Honda Civic on a mission, discovers Nik Berg.
Midnight, deep in the Yungas and I’m nervously threading a Range Rover on a path cut through the Bolivian rainforest.
It’s been 16 hours since I left La Paz to seek an alternative route to Coroico because the World’s Most Dangerous Road is blocked by militant coca farmers. I’ve suffered two punctures, managed to get one bodged repair with a truck inner tube in a village and fitted a mismatched rugged off-road tyre from the Defender support vehicle that’s joined me on this adventure.
Scrabbling over loose rocks, broken branches and bouncing through ditches and rivers I’m paranoid about another blowout, despite being pretty confident in the Range Rover’s overall off-road ability.
Is that a set of tail lamps up ahead? Surely not. Who else would be mad enough to tackle such a treacherous journey in darkness? As I slowly close in I expect to see another rugged 4x4 at the very least. But no. It’s a decades old Honda Civic hatchback. And now that the driver has spotted me, he’s picking up speed.
I increase my pace to follow, reasoning that anything the little Japanese shopping cart can cope with will be a cinch for Britain’s finest 4x4. The Civic careens through the jungle, often sideways on the loose surface, occasionally fully airborne, but never once does it falter.
We continue this crazy convoy for at least a couple of hours before the Honda finally pulls over at a military checkpoint. Two guys literally fall out of the car, offering us bottles of the home-made hooch that’s powered them through this night time rally stage.
While they stay to drink more with the previously-snoozing soldiers I press on, but without my local lead car to follow it’s back to a more sedate speed until I finally reach a crumbling hotel that, despite slowly being reclaimed by the rainforest, opens its gates so I can get a few hours sleep.
In daylight the path is even more frightening, with precipitous drops now clearly visible. One wrong move and I’m done for. Cautiously I complete my journey to Coroico and, a few hours later I’m delighted to spot the Civic parked on the street.
Who needs a 4x4 anyway?