Globally, Honda Motors is beginning to realize the after effects of the economic downturn and for the illustrious car, bike and power products maker, the pressure is beginning to show. On one hand, there’s a complex mix of products which don’t have a clear cut USP or positioning [each market is offered a different line-up of products] and on the other hand the rising Yen is creating havoc with the bottom lines. Honda produces most of its volume cars and components in Japan and has been a bit late to join the cost effective overseas production bandwagon.
But, as the carmaker looks at India as one of its key markets with specific new products such as the Brio subcompact, one thing that goes in its favour that it has been able to maintain a superb reputation in engineering and reliability, even for the India-built products. However, offering cars at very competitive pricing has been a bit difficult and since Honda isn’t exactly considered as a premium luxury carmaker in other markets, to command a premium on pricing isn’t also working out, especially in price sensitive markets.
In such a scenario, Honda is putting its best foot forward with the all-new Civic for 2012, setting rest speculation about the new model’s availability due to unforeseen production issues in Japan as a result of the devastating earthquake and Tsunami in March and its aftermath. Honda along with other Japanese carmakers are limping back to normal production and with the arrival of the new Civic, at least there’s some relief at camp Honda.
Styling - It seems that Honda has decided to play safe and continue with the outgoing car’s profile and graft it with some current design DNA. In fact Honda’s lead designer Toshiyuki Okumoto San entrusted for the exterior styling described the new stance as a “one motion form”. In fact, Okumoto has tried to make the new car a bit more youthful with some aggressive touches to its sheet metal.
Without disturbing the predecessor’s wedge-shape profile radically, it seems that Okumoto San’s designer touch has softly massaged soft character lines on the bonnet, and some well-defined flares at the rear. Both front and rear ends have been redesigned and we think the front is more in line with the current Honda design DNA with a steeper windscreen to begin with, while the rear seems to have lost its predecessor’s charm. We can empathise with Okumoto’s overall treatment in the new arrival which now connects much better with the second generation Jazz and more with the current Euro Civic hatchback. Dimensionally, the car is 5mm shorter in length and width, while the wheelbase has been shortened by 30mm and rear track also reduced by 10mm. Even with 195/65R15 wheels, the car’s ground clearance has been reduced by 4.2mm.
But, as the carmaker looks at India as one of its key markets with specific new products such as the Brio subcompact, one thing that goes in its favour that it has been able to maintain a superb reputation in engineering and reliability, even for the India-built products. However, offering cars at very competitive pricing has been a bit difficult and since Honda isn’t exactly considered as a premium luxury carmaker in other markets, to command a premium on pricing isn’t also working out, especially in price sensitive markets.
In such a scenario, Honda is putting its best foot forward with the all-new Civic for 2012, setting rest speculation about the new model’s availability due to unforeseen production issues in Japan as a result of the devastating earthquake and Tsunami in March and its aftermath. Honda along with other Japanese carmakers are limping back to normal production and with the arrival of the new Civic, at least there’s some relief at camp Honda.
Styling - It seems that Honda has decided to play safe and continue with the outgoing car’s profile and graft it with some current design DNA. In fact Honda’s lead designer Toshiyuki Okumoto San entrusted for the exterior styling described the new stance as a “one motion form”. In fact, Okumoto has tried to make the new car a bit more youthful with some aggressive touches to its sheet metal.
Without disturbing the predecessor’s wedge-shape profile radically, it seems that Okumoto San’s designer touch has softly massaged soft character lines on the bonnet, and some well-defined flares at the rear. Both front and rear ends have been redesigned and we think the front is more in line with the current Honda design DNA with a steeper windscreen to begin with, while the rear seems to have lost its predecessor’s charm. We can empathise with Okumoto’s overall treatment in the new arrival which now connects much better with the second generation Jazz and more with the current Euro Civic hatchback. Dimensionally, the car is 5mm shorter in length and width, while the wheelbase has been shortened by 30mm and rear track also reduced by 10mm. Even with 195/65R15 wheels, the car’s ground clearance has been reduced by 4.2mm.
Interiors - Going by the predecessor’s interiors, we were expecting a further evolution of the two-tier dashboard among other things. While the cabin feels spacious, thanks to new light coloured fabrics and more glass in the greenhouse, careful observation reveals a revised design of the fixed quarter glass, while the A-pillar appears thinner inside and its housing now also sports a tweeter.
While, the previous Civic’s interior, especially its dashboard was 100% revolutionary in design, the new car’s design tries to present itself as evolutionary, but it fails to cut the class as large chunks of lifeless grey plastic overwhelm the interior. Front and rear passengers benefit from additional leg- and shoulder room and taller drivers and front passengers will appreciate the extra three inches of additional shoulder room. Honda has realised that rivals especially from South Korea have significantly upped their respective games with mouth watering design, kit and features. Honda tries to narrow that with what it refers to it as its new I-MID, or Intelligent Multi-Information Display system along with some other first time features even in the base models. Essentially, it is an extension of sorts in terms of specific equipment, form and function. The dashboard continues to be split level as before with digital speedo readout. A five-inch LCD screen has been added on this level which is used as information centre and also doubles up as the screen when the rear camera is activated.
Gadgets - An ECON-function is a new highlight in the car which looks at optimizing energy consuming systems, such as engine and air-conditioning with the view of fuel efficiency. It’s more of a driver’s aid and has two ways of conveying information to the driver on how to optimize driving. On either side of the speedometer is a horizontal strip of colour changing LCDs. Depending on how the car is driven, it will change colours from green to various shades of blue representing most economical to least economical driving modes. The technology behind this is said to include automatic adjustments to engine and air-conditioning in particular. But how it works is still not clear in terms of optimizing performance and balancing fuel economy.
Engine - Despite Honda’s attempt to keep the Civic top in the game, it still doesn’t pull it ahead convincingly and the reason for that is the rest of the packaging. Carried over for this region is the powertrain set-up, but there has been some slight tweaking in mapping, compression ratios. While torque is unchanged, power output is up by 0.72 per cent only. However, what is significant is that peak power and torque now come at higher revs. The SOHC i-VTEC engine is good for 139hp at 6,500rpm and 173Nm of torque at 4,300rpm and to increase fuel efficiency, the engine boasts increased intake airflow, enhanced valve timing, and better exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow. The five-speed automatic is also carried over and that’s disappointing because the automatic in the 2012 Focus is a more modern and efficient six-speed, as are the ones in the Hyundai Elantra or Chevrolet Cruze.
Honda’s policy for this car has been give and take. While some new and trendy features have been added, what it has taken out is unseen to most. The cost differential has been met by taking out the expensive catalytic converter from the older model and replacing it with a budget variety.
Safety - The new car with its ACE-designed safety structure which use five per cent more high-strength steel, Honda claims the Civic’s body is seven per cent lighter and 10 per cent stiffer in static rigidity, and 11 per cent stronger in dynamic rigidity. That’s not all, a new electric power steering (EPS) system, a redesigned front subframe, and a thin-walled fuel tank all combine to shave some weight, but other kit in the car have made the car slightly heavier than the outgoing edition [15-40kg depending on trim level], which comes as a bit of a surprise as the general trend in the efficiency drive is also to cut flab wherever possible without sacrificing comfort or safety.
Suspension - A front strut and multilink rear suspension carry over with only minor enhancements, but the previous edition’s hydraulic power assisted steering has given way to an electric set-up. Safety, on the other hand, is a strong point and although the 2012 Civic doesn’t yet have crash-test ratings, the company predicts the new model will earn the highest-possible ratings with it standard safety kit which includes six airbags, stability control, ABS, braking assist and brake-force distribution.
While, the previous Civic’s interior, especially its dashboard was 100% revolutionary in design, the new car’s design tries to present itself as evolutionary, but it fails to cut the class as large chunks of lifeless grey plastic overwhelm the interior. Front and rear passengers benefit from additional leg- and shoulder room and taller drivers and front passengers will appreciate the extra three inches of additional shoulder room. Honda has realised that rivals especially from South Korea have significantly upped their respective games with mouth watering design, kit and features. Honda tries to narrow that with what it refers to it as its new I-MID, or Intelligent Multi-Information Display system along with some other first time features even in the base models. Essentially, it is an extension of sorts in terms of specific equipment, form and function. The dashboard continues to be split level as before with digital speedo readout. A five-inch LCD screen has been added on this level which is used as information centre and also doubles up as the screen when the rear camera is activated.
Gadgets - An ECON-function is a new highlight in the car which looks at optimizing energy consuming systems, such as engine and air-conditioning with the view of fuel efficiency. It’s more of a driver’s aid and has two ways of conveying information to the driver on how to optimize driving. On either side of the speedometer is a horizontal strip of colour changing LCDs. Depending on how the car is driven, it will change colours from green to various shades of blue representing most economical to least economical driving modes. The technology behind this is said to include automatic adjustments to engine and air-conditioning in particular. But how it works is still not clear in terms of optimizing performance and balancing fuel economy.
Engine - Despite Honda’s attempt to keep the Civic top in the game, it still doesn’t pull it ahead convincingly and the reason for that is the rest of the packaging. Carried over for this region is the powertrain set-up, but there has been some slight tweaking in mapping, compression ratios. While torque is unchanged, power output is up by 0.72 per cent only. However, what is significant is that peak power and torque now come at higher revs. The SOHC i-VTEC engine is good for 139hp at 6,500rpm and 173Nm of torque at 4,300rpm and to increase fuel efficiency, the engine boasts increased intake airflow, enhanced valve timing, and better exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow. The five-speed automatic is also carried over and that’s disappointing because the automatic in the 2012 Focus is a more modern and efficient six-speed, as are the ones in the Hyundai Elantra or Chevrolet Cruze.
Honda’s policy for this car has been give and take. While some new and trendy features have been added, what it has taken out is unseen to most. The cost differential has been met by taking out the expensive catalytic converter from the older model and replacing it with a budget variety.
Safety - The new car with its ACE-designed safety structure which use five per cent more high-strength steel, Honda claims the Civic’s body is seven per cent lighter and 10 per cent stiffer in static rigidity, and 11 per cent stronger in dynamic rigidity. That’s not all, a new electric power steering (EPS) system, a redesigned front subframe, and a thin-walled fuel tank all combine to shave some weight, but other kit in the car have made the car slightly heavier than the outgoing edition [15-40kg depending on trim level], which comes as a bit of a surprise as the general trend in the efficiency drive is also to cut flab wherever possible without sacrificing comfort or safety.
Suspension - A front strut and multilink rear suspension carry over with only minor enhancements, but the previous edition’s hydraulic power assisted steering has given way to an electric set-up. Safety, on the other hand, is a strong point and although the 2012 Civic doesn’t yet have crash-test ratings, the company predicts the new model will earn the highest-possible ratings with it standard safety kit which includes six airbags, stability control, ABS, braking assist and brake-force distribution.
