Honda launched its new Civic at the Frankfurt Motor Show recently. It is developed specifically for the European market and built in the UK. And the Civic will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback when it is launched for early 2012.
The new Civic features an evolutionary exterior design which is complemented by a high quality interior finish. Honda say that the designers of the new Civic wanted to keep the sporty and advanced elements of the car’s character but tailor them to express the new model’s more dynamic feel. They have lowered the height by 20 mm and increased the width by 10 mm compared with the current car.
The Japanese carmaker told us that defining the correct proportions was the most important challenge for the design of the new Civic. Honda enhanced the sporty aspect of the design while creating a clean styling, resulting in a smarter image for the new Civic.
Honda says that an example of this new image is the new rear combination light that works as an aerodynamic spoiler, managing air flow over the top and sides of the car.
The new interior is focussed around the driver and creates a more sporty ambience. The quality look and feel of the interior for the new Civic has also been improved without compromising the class leading space. Honda's designers say that they have changed their approach to match customer expectations and European standards.
It also offers class-leading boot space with the versatile seat combinations for excellent practicality.
To measure and demonstrate a commitment to the environment, Honda announced in June that they aim to deliver a 30 per cent CO2 reduction on all product areas by 2020.
The New Civic is the first step towards achieving this new target. The 1.8 litre petrol engine delivers a 10 per cent CO2 reduction. The 2.2 litre diesel engine reduces CO2 emissions by nearly 20 per cent, whilst further enhancing performance.
The i-DTEC engine in the new Honda Civic offers an exceptional combination of high performance and low CO2 emissions. Updates to the 2.2 litre i-DTEC engine, coupled with the new Civic’s improved aerodynamics, have produced a car with a power output of 150 bhp that emits only 110 g/km of CO2.
A thorough analysis of the engine’s performance resulted in a number of improvements. The oil flow through the engine has been carefully managed to reduce circulation loss, while the build materials have been revised to reduce friction in the moving parts. All models fitted with a manual gearbox also benefit from Idle Stop technology which achieves a 5g/km reduction in CO2 emissions.
By the end of 2012, Honda tells us that it will add a newly developed smaller diesel engine to the Civic range. Designed specifically for the European market, the new engine will further reduce CO2 emissions. Starting with this new smaller diesel, Honda will introduce a new generation of low emission engines, renewing all of their car engines in Europe.
From the First Civic to this ninth generation version, Honda says that it has improved fuel economy, handling and comfort. It also claims that it is more dynamic and stable, as well as being fun to drive. I can’t wait to test the providence of such enthusiasm on Irish roads in the new year.
Watch this space for more details on the smart new Honda Civic five-door, closer to the Irish launch date.
