Honda unveil new Civic at Frankfurt

Well here it is, the ninth generation Honda Civic that has been the subject of so much secrecy in recent months.

Revealed by Honda President and CEO Takanobu Ito at the Frankfurt Motor Show which opened to press today, it looks, well like a Civic really with the emphasis focussed on sharpening the previous model in a bid to catch the eye of the European buyers and expand its share of the C-segment market.

The 2.2L diesel engine returns the best fuel economy with 67.26mpg as well as the slimmest CO2 emissions at 110g/km. The 1.8 petrol can deliver 48.7mpg in manual (44.8 in automatic) and 137 or 148g/km of CO2 respectively. Finally, the 1.4 petrol is capable of 52.3mpg at 129 grams. Honda also report a concerted effort to improve ride and handling.

Development Leader Mitsuru Kariya spoke candidly on how the Civic has smartened up its act visually. “We have lowered the height by 20mm and increased the width by 10mm compared with the current car,” he commented.

“Defining the correct proportions was the most important challenge for the design of the new Civic. We enhanced the sporty aspect of the design while creating a clean, dynamic shape.”

The model will stretch for 4.3 metres, the same as the previous generation. Meanwhile inside the Civic, the cabin retains its spaciousness but with a sportier and classier feel, Kariya continued.

Expectations

“The key target was to increase the feeling of quality,” explained Kariya. “We have changed our approach to match customer expectations and European standards.

“The new Civic has a high quality cabin, both in the way that it feels and the way that it looks. Offering class leading boot space and with the versatile seat combinations means that it is the most practical yet.”

Yukio Emi, who led the interior’s design, said the aim was to create “the feeling of a cockpit, like a racing car or an aeroplane”.

The five door hatchback will arrive early next year for around the £17,000 mark with a hybrid version expected to follow.

See Mitsurtu Kariya explain the Civic’s design below:

See also:

• Honda builds UK dealer network
  May 14, 2012
• Honda employs 500 to meet Civic demand
  April 30, 2012
• New Civic named best value new car in Parkers awards
  April 3, 2012
• Honda Chiswick is 2011’s Best Fleet Dealer
  February 20, 2012
• Compact without compromise – will fleets embrace the new Civic?
  February 8, 2012
• Honda best to beat the potholes, research finds
  December 19, 2011
• Honda’s Civic ambitions – Fleet Voice
  November 23, 2011
• Honda shines yet again as breakdown chart reveals offroader reliability
  October 27, 2011
• Appointments–20 October 2011
  October 20, 2011
• Honda reveal safety developments with new Civic
  October 14, 2011

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