The Honda Civic started the small fuel-efficient automobile revolution, decades back. Over the years, the Civic has grown in both size and stature. The evolution of the model was bound to include a fuel efficient diesel engine. That time has comeWith the 2.2 liter i-CTDi diesel engine, the three-door Civic Type S yields
0-62 MPH times of 8.6 seconds and 54.3 MPG combined (approximately 45.2 US MPG). Forget what you might have thought about diesel engines. This baby gets up and goes.The Civic can be equipped with Honda's i-SHIFT automated manual transmission, which can be driven as a conventional automatic or as a clutchless
0-62 MPH times of 8.6 seconds and 54.3 MPG combined (approximately 45.2 US MPG). Forget what you might have thought about diesel engines. This baby gets up and goes.The Civic can be equipped with Honda's i-SHIFT automated manual transmission, which can be driven as a conventional automatic or as a clutchless
. Gear changes are implemented with the gearstick or race car-style paddles on the steering wheel. The i-SHIFT was designed to provide rapid up- and down-shifting than a conventional manual transmission and better fuel economy than a conventional automatic.Now there's an interior that screams boy racer ... grrrrlll racer, too
.If five doors suit you better than three, Honda has you covered. The Civic five-door, equipped with the 2.2 liter i-CTDi delivers 55.4 MPG combined (approximately 46.1 US MPG) and a 0-62 MPH time of 8.4 seconds. The turbo-diesel produces 138 horsepower at 4000 RPM. The Civic five-door is also available with a 1.8 liter i-VTEC engine that runs on gasoline. The 1.8 i-VTEC propels the Civic five-door to 62 MPH in 8.6 seconds and delivers 44.1 MPG combined (roughly 36.6 US MPG).
However, the Japanese automaker has announced that it will continue producing the Honda Civic in the Suzuka plant as demand in the U.S. and European markets remain strong. In fact, Japanese engineers are involved in developing the next generation of Honda's compact, so it is clear that we are talking about a decision that only affects the Japan market.
The cause of the limited success of the Honda Civic among the Japanese is to be found in size. Since it was introduced in 1972, the Civic has not stopped growing in weight and dimensions, and in a country where every inch counts, this has come to condemn the compact Honda. We could say that by Japanese standards, the Civic is no longer a small car.
The Japanese, in this sense, have always opted more for the little Fit since its arrival in 2001, as well as the popular kei-cars, cars with less than a liter of displacement that are a legion in Japan. When the Fit appeared in the Japan market, automatically increased to the sixth best selling car, while the Civic did not pass the 22 th position. Today, nearly a decade later, Fit sales are only surpassed by the Toyota Prius.
The new Honda Civic is here – and yet again it’s set to break the mould in the family hatchback sector! These exclusive shots show how the next car will look when it hits the showroom in 2010, and as you can see, the Japanese maker has opted for a shape that is even bolder and more individual than the current model.
With Vauxhall set to launch a stylish new Astra, and the next, sleek Ford Focus due in 2010, competition is fierce – but Honda has pulled out the stops to create a real stunner. As revealed in Issue 1,023, the OSM concept seen at the British Motor Show was more than simply an ‘Open Study Model’ – as the face of the new Civic is almost identical.
There are hints of VW’s IROC concept, which was toned down to become the Scirocco, in the gaping front grille. The new hatchback adds elements carried over from the current Civic, too, most notably the trademark single strip light cluster at the rear. But Honda fans will note that the split rear screen has been dropped to improve visibility. Shallow glass areas, broad shoulders and a nose-down stance give this three-door model a sporty and purposeful look.
The hatchback ‘coupé’ pictured here will be aimed at younger buyers, who want style and image more than outright practicality. So, as well as big alloys and a contrasting black bodykit, the three-door gets lowered suspension and a dark interior with deeply sculpted seats.
The three-door will be distinct from the five, as Honda adopts an approach similar to the Renault Mégane by pitching the two cars at different buyers. So, the five-door will be more for the family, with a taller roofline offering plenty of space, a bigger boot, plus a softer ride and handling balance.
The engine line-up will be shared between the two styles, though, and our sources have revealed that a 1.5-litre IMA hybrid engine with more than 150bhp and sub-CO2 120g/km emissions will appear.
In fact, the Civic will herald a change in focus for the Japanese maker as it seeks to reduce CO2 emissions. It’s currently restructuring manufacturing facilities to cater for large-scale hybrid production.
Over the next five years, Honda plans to power all four-cylinder cars using either petrol hybrids with lithium-ion batteries or i-CTDi diesels. But it is also introducing ‘deactivation technology’ for its V6, V8 and V10 engines. This means that some
cylinders will not be used in more relaxed driving conditions in an attempt to improve efficiency.
