Honda Civic
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- See also Honda Civic Hybrid
| Missing image Honda_Civic_Si.jpg A Honda Civic Si (U.S. market) | |
| Honda Civic | |
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| Manufacturer: | Honda |
| Production: | 1973–present |
| Class: | 1973–2000: Subcompact 2001– : Compact |
| Body Styles: | 2-door coupe, 2-door hatchback, 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon (non-U.S. markets) |
| Predecessor: | none |
| Successor: | none |
| Shares components with: | Acura Integra Acura RSX Honda CR-V Honda Element |
| Comparable models: | Nissan Sentra Saturn ION Toyota Corolla Mazda3 Ford Focus |
| This article is part of the automobile series. | |
The Honda Civic is an automobile manufactured by Honda. It was introduced in 1973 as a 1169 cm³ or 1238 cm³ engine-powered small hatch or two-door small sedan. With a "east–west" engine like the British Mini, and front wheel drive, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions.
Early models of the Civic were typically outfitted with a basic AM radio, rudimentary heater, foam cushioned plastic trim, two speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. Honda's current Civic has become somewhat more luxurious. Still, many regard the Civic as representing a good value for the money, combining good performance, reliability and economy, as well as a very low rate of depreciation, resulting in a low total cost per mile or per year.
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Models and equipment
Initially the Civic was sold as either a four speed manual, or two speed "HondaMatic" model. Later models went to five speed manual and full four speed automatic gear boxes. Like the Mini, the gear box / differential was integral with the engine unit, but drive shaft technology in the Civic was a well ahead of the universal joints of the Mini.
The Civic evolved through 1335 cm³ (1980) to larger capacities and more creature comforts (air conditioning, electric windows etc) through the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Beginning in 1999, Honda produced the first iteration of Civic to receive the "Type-R" appellation (applied first to the Integra Type-R), with the EK9 chassis Civic Type-R. The EK9-generation Civic Type-R had a specific output in the range of 180 hp (increased over the more common 160 hp B16A engine in the SiR models), and included various alterations to the chassis to improve handling and reduce weight (such as better welding of the frame, and removal of the radio and noise-suppressing materials).
In 2001, Honda announced the release of the Civic Type-R for the EM chassis, a more sporty variant of the most recent model of Civic and successor to the EK9 Civic Type-R. Unlike the EK9 version, which was produced solely in Japan, the EM Civic Type-R is produced in the United Kingdom and exported to Japan. The EM Civic Type-R has a specific output of 197 bhp (@ 7400 RPM), a six-speed gearbox, a reworked exterior with bullet-like hatchback design, aeroform bumpers, spoiler, and 17 inch wheels. The interior of the Type-R includes Recaro seats and a Momo steering wheel, and the model also includes Type-R-specific badging, a helical limited-slip differential, and has been reported to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 6.4 seconds.
The hybrid version became available in 2003, which uses both a small (1.3 L) main gasoline engine and auxiliary electric motors. The electric motors are powered by a battery array which is charged by regenerative braking during deceleration, which reduces exhaust emissions and extends fuel mileage.
International marketing
While the Civic is sold in largely the same form worldwide, differences in the name of the models exist between markets. In Japan the hatchback Civic is just called "Civic" while the sedan or coupé model is called "Civic Ferio". In the United States "Civic" generically refers to any of the coupe, sedan or hatchback models. A five-door or station wagon model called the Civic Shuttle was available from the early to late 1980s. (This brand name would later be revived for the mid-1990s Honda Shuttle people carrier, known in some markets as the Honda Odyssey.)
Other models have been built off the Civic platform, including the Ballade, the CRX, the Quint, the Honda Del Sol, and the Integra. Also, at various times the Civic or Civic-derived models have been sold by marques other than Honda — for example, Rover sold the 200, 400 and 45, each of which were Civic-based at some point, as was their predecessor, the Triumph Acclaim, based on the Honda Ballade. The Honda Domani, a Civic variant, was sold as the Isuzu Gemini in Japan (1993–2000). In Thailand, the Civic was available as a four-door Isuzu Vertex (1995–2000). The sixth-generation station wagon was sold as the Honda Orthia (Honda Partner as the downmarket commercial variant). The seventh-generation minivan model is called the Honda Stream or the Honda Civic Stream.
The two-door-hatchback body style has been somewhat unpopular in the United States, but has achieved wide acceptance in Canada, as well as popularity in Japan and European markets. Starting in 2001, the Civic two-door hatchback has been built exclusively at Honda's manufacturing plant (http://www.mfg.honda.co.uk/Internet/HUM00254.nsf/All/5DEBYCJSEO?opendocument) in Swindon, England. Accordingly, all instances of that model (left- or right-hand-drive, anywhere in the world) are British-made cars designed with Japanese engineering.
Historical development
An interesting engine development used in all 1980 to 1983 models as well as all carbureted models through 1987 was the CVCC system, where a small auxilary inlet valve allowed a rich fuel/air mixture into the cylinder near the spark plug, while the main charge was lean. This design could meet clean air emission standards without the power robbing emission control devices fitted to many cars of that time. This engine was a rare example of commercial development of a Stratified charge engine.
Current generation Civics use variable valve timing (VTEC), and are approaching the size and weight of the early Honda Accord models, which were initially introduced as a larger, up-market alternative to the Civic in the mid 1970s.
Honda.civic.arp.750pix.jpg
Modifications and the enthusiast community
In many areas, the Civic is popular as a platform for modification and customization by an enthusiast community. For example, because of parts interchangeability, early Civics (such as fourth-generation models) which were originally equipped with lower-power motors can later be equipped with a newer Honda engine, turbo, or even fitted with a non-Honda engine. The City Turbo engine is a good fit to the Civic engine bay in many models, and provides a significant increase in the power-to-weight ratio compared to the non-performance motors, thus boosting performance. A hybrid version is also available that uses a combination gas-electric hybrid engine for propulsion, which reduces exhaust emissions and greatly extends fuel mileage.
Also, many fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation Civic models can be similarly upgraded by replacing their original economy-oriented motors with a DOHC VTEC engine — commonly one of the B series motors such as a B16A, which was also original equipment in some performance models of the Civic.
With the release of the movie The Fast and the Furious (which featured various tuner cars, including the Civic), popular awareness of the Honda Civic as a tuner car increased. However, antipathy toward the Civic also arose, such that the Civic has been given the epithet of "rice" car by some (see also Rice boy regarding a stereotypical import-car enthusiast who applies modifications to his car which are considered gaudy, excessive or of poor taste).
Awards
The Civic was Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1980. The Civic has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in 1985, 1988 through 1991, and 1996. The Civic GX, a natural gas version of the vehicle was named Greenest Car of 2005 by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Honda claimed 5 of the top 10 Greenest car slots, 3 of which were models of the Civic.
External links
- Honda Civic SiR(Si) Enthusiast Site (http://sirspeed.info)
- Honda Civic history (http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/storycivic.html)
- Japanese Honda Civic specifications (http://www.honda.co.jp/HOT/ModelData/civic/cv-ka1-210a/line_up.html)
- Enthusiast site (http://www.civic1200.com)
- City Turbo site (http://www.cityturbo.com)
- Honda and Acura Technical Resource (http://www.honda-tech.com)
- Owner link of the 89 Civic HB Si clocked at 11.04 seconds at 134 mph and still maintaining 29.3 mpg (http://www.theoldone.com)
- Article on the 11sec 89 Civic HB Si (http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/22838/)