All-new Honda Civic debuts with Economy on its mind

THE CIVIC follows the clean lines of its futuristic predecessor, which looked like a concept vehicle when it debuted. PHOTOS BY EUGENE ARANETA

A MORE powerful 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine

Honda is back in the game—that’s the message that Honda Cars Philippines wanted to highlight, almost as much as the launch of the new Civic itself. After months of being desperately short of cars to sell, Honda is slowly preparing for takeoff once again-first with the facelifted City, and now, the all-new Civic.

There’s no underestimating the importance of the Civic sedan to Honda Motor Company. Although the nameplate may be headed to retirement in its native Japan, the Civic is still the company’s bestseller in North America and Asean. With that frame of mind, Honda Cars Philippines has launched the long-awaited ninth generation Civic during a weekend event at Bonifacio Global City.

The new Civic sports a familiar and subtly redesigned exterior, a roomy interior, and electronic enhancements to its drivetrain to improve fuel economy. The Civic follows the clean lines of its futuristic predecessor, which looked like a concept vehicle when it debuted. Here’s hoping that Honda changed enough for the new car to be novel once again to Mr. Fickle Buyer. The rear has undergone the biggest change, sporting Mercedes C-Class-like taillamps flanking the trunk lid; it’s understated and quite elegant.

Inside, the Civic is still the Starship Enterprise, at least where the instrument panel is concerned. The gauges are laid out in two levels: the large analog tachometer visible behind the steering wheel, and nearer the driver’s forward line of sight, the digital speedometer, fuel, and water temperature indicators. The digital gauges are joined by an inch display screen, capable of displaying trip computer and entertainment system information. The audio system is a built-in type with clearly laid out controls, and auxiliary/USB input. Below them are the small rotary air-conditioning switches.

BUSINESS tycoon Fernando Zobel de Ayala takes a photo of the Civic with his phone.

The Civic retains one of the roomiest cabins in its class, thanks to a body that is now 10 mm wider and 29 mm longer. As a result, there’s more “couple room” inside, referring to the distance to your front passenger (this could be a good or bad thing, depending on who it is.) The tilt and telescoping steering wheel incorporates controls for audio system and cruise control. The light fabric colors and minimal intrusions from the doors and floor bulges help give the cabin a roomier, airier feel. Honda was able to carve out the larger cabin despite the decrease in wheelbase and overall length. To come up with a lighter car was one of Honda’s targets.

Indeed, better fuel economy is one of the Civic’s highlights. Engine output is virtually unchanged, with additional 1 PS output and identical torque figures for the 1.8 liter VTEC inline-four: 140 hp and 173 Nm. There’s also a 2.0-liter performance version, with 153 hp and 190 Nm. Those wanting the 2.0 will have to wait, as only the 1.8 is available during launch. Civic uses a five-speed automatic.

MASAYUKI Sano, large project leader for Honda Civic of Honda R&D Co Ltd., speaks during the launch

New for the Civic is a big green Econ button to the left of the steering wheel. Pressing that button changes the engine, transmission, and air-con settings to favor fuel economy, presumably with the sacrifice of some performance. Think of it as the opposite of the proverbial “Turbo” button. Aside from the Econ switch, the Civic also has an economic-driving coaching light, which switches from blue to green when the driver is following a more economical driving behavior. The previous Civic returned exemplary fuel economy for a 1.8-liter, and the new one promises to outperform even that vehicle.

HONDA Cars PH president and general manager Tatsuya Natsume

Honda promises a quieter, smoother ride with the new Civic. The chassis incorporates more high-strength steel, as well as more sound insulation in the floor and door panels. The MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear have been retuned as well for better handling.

The new Civic retails for P1.074 million. The initial batch of cars will come from Japan, as Honda’s Thailand plants are still gearing up for a return to normal production. During the Honda Mania event, Honda also introduced a special edition Jazz, likewise assembled in Japan. The Jazz features revised exterior trim for a more JDM look, while interior embellishments include leather steering wheel. The new Jazz is pegged at P899,000. Honda’s supply is apparently still quite limited, as evidenced by the initial batch of only 400 Civic units. When their plants come back on line, they should be ready to sell quite a lot of them-as the new Civic looks set to defend its market leadership against competition.