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The is a series of
automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarde ...
s manufactured by
Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a
compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
, while previously it occupied the
subcompact Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications. According to the U.S. Environmental Prot ...
class. , the Civic is positioned between the
Honda Fit The Honda Fit (Japanese: ホンダ・フィット, Hepburn: ''Honda Fitto'') or Honda Jazz is a small car manufactured and marketed by Honda since 2001 and now in its fourth generation. It has a five-door hatchback body style and is considered ...
/
City A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...
in Honda's global car line-up. The first-generation Civic was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door coupe model, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With a 1,169 cc
transverse engine A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Many modern front-wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles ...
and
front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
like the British
Mini The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...
, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type R, Civic VTi, Civic GTi and Civic SiR/Si. The Civic has been repeatedly
rebadged In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...
for international markets, and served as the basis for the
Honda CR-X The Honda CR-X (styled in some markets as Honda CRX), originally launched as the Honda Ballade Sports CR-X in Japan, is a front-wheel-drive sport compact car manufactured by Honda from 1983 until 1991. The first generation CRX was marketed in so ...
, the
Honda CR-X del Sol The Honda CR-X del Sol (marketed in other markets as the Honda Civic del Sol, Honda del Sol and the Honda CRX) is a two-seater targa top car manufactured by Honda from 1992 until 1998. Despite the body resemblance to a mid-engine car design, the ...
, the Concerto, the first generation Prelude, the Civic Shuttle (later to become the Orthia) and the
CR-V The Honda CR-V (also sold as the Honda Breeze in China since 2019) is a compact crossover SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1995. The early model was built using the same platform as the Civic. Honda began producing the CR ...
(which, by extension, was used as the basis for the
Honda FR-V The Honda FR-V, marketed as the Honda Edix in Japan, is a six-passenger car that was manufactured by Honda from 2004-2009 (with marketing ending in 2011 in some regions), over a single generation. A five-door compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV ...
). The Civic is one of the all-time best-selling automobiles in the world, with over 27 million units sold since 1972 as of 2021.


Background

Honda, after establishing itself as a leading manufacturer of
motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
s during the 1950s, began production of automobiles in 1963. Honda introduced its N360 minicar, compliant with Kei car specifications for the Japanese market, for the 1967 model year. The car had a transverse-mounted front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FF) layout, which would be adopted for the later
Honda 1300 The Honda 1300 is an automobile which was produced by Japanese manufacturer Honda from 1969 to 1972. The largest car ever manufactured by the company to that point, the front wheel drive 1300 was released as a sedan and coupé intended to compete ...
(1970) and Civic (1972) models. The Civic gave Honda their first market success competing with manufacturers of standard compact cars, which was a growth segment as sales of kei cars plateaued and waned in the early 1970s. It was Honda's first model to have an impact in the export market. It became one of the most influential automotive designs of the 1970s, with the
Volkswagen Golf The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...
(1974), Ford Fiesta (1976), and
Fiat Ritmo The Fiat Ritmo is a small, front-engine, front-wheel drive family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat, launched in April 1978 at the Turin Motor show and offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with t ...
(1978) showing similarities as transverse-FF, truncated-trapezoidal hatchbacks occupying a size niche between minicars and compact sedans. The Renault 5 was introduced six months before the Honda Civic which appeared later in July. Honda would later expand the Civic's FF-compact design to produce the larger and more upmarket Accord (1976) and Prelude (1978) models. In Japan, the Civic was the first fully modern compact car in the European style, offering a level of prestige never before seen in this class in the market. The Civic quickly inspired Japanese domestic manufacturers to respond in kind, with models like the Mazda Familia AP,
Daihatsu Charade The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu from 1977 to 2000. It is considered by Daihatsu as a "large compact" or "supermini" car, to differentiate it from the smaller ''kei car'' compacts in its line- ...
, and
Mitsubishi Mirage The Mitsubishi Mirage is a range of cars produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1978 until 2003 and again since 2012. The hatchback models produced between 1978 and 2003 were classified as subcompact cars, while the sedan and s ...
. Previously a
subcompact Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications. According to the U.S. Environmental Prot ...
, since 2000 the Civic has been categorized as a
compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
. US EPA guidelines for
vehicle size class Vehicle size classes are series of ratings assigned to different segments of automotive vehicles for the purposes of vehicle emissions control and fuel economy calculation. Various methods are used to classify vehicles; in North America, passe ...
stipulate a car having combined passenger and cargo room of is considered a mid-size car, and as such the tenth generation Civic sedan is technically a small-end mid-size car, although it still competes in the compact class. In Japan, as customers increasingly shifted to
minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe is ...
s and compact cars like the Fit, production of the non-hybrid Civic ended in August 2010. However, the Civic was reintroduced into the Japanese market with the launch of the tenth-generation model in 2017.


First generation (1972)

The first-generation Civic was introduced on 11 July 1972, but sold as a 1973 model in Japan. It was equipped with a four-cylinder water-cooled engine and featured front power disc brakes, reclining vinyl
bucket seats A bucket seat is a car seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from a flat bench seat designed to fit multiple people. In its simplest form it is a rounded seat for one person with high sides, but may have curved sides that partially enclose ...
, simulated wood trim on the dashboard, as well as optional air conditioning and an AM/FM radio. The Civic was available as a two- or four-door fastback sedan, three- and a five-door hatchback, as well as a five-door station wagon. Because of the 1973 oil crisis, consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles was high, and because of the engine being able to run on either leaded or unleaded fuel, it gave drivers fuel choice flexibility over other vehicles. The
CVCC CVCC, or , is an internal combustion engine technology developed and trademarked by the Honda Motor Company. The technology's name refers to its primary features: Compound refers to the use of two combustion chambers; Vortex refers to the vort ...
engine debuted in December 1973, with a head design that allowed for more efficient combustion, and as a benefit the CVCC system did not require a
catalytic converter A catalytic converter is an vehicle emissions control, exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalysis, catalyzing a redox chemic ...
or unleaded fuel to meet 1975 Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. The Civic was joined by a platform expansion of the three-door hatchback, called the
Honda Accord The , also known as the in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of cars manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. ...
in 1976.


Second generation (1979)

The second-generation Civic was introduced in June 1979 as a 1980 model. It was larger, had a more angular shape, and came with increased engine power. All Civic engines now used the CVCC design, which added a third valve per cylinder; this introduced lean-burn swirl technology. This generation was available with a 1,335 cc ("1300") engine and with an optional 1,488 cc ("1500") version; power outputs varied considerably between Japan, Europe, North America, and other markets. Three transmissions were offered: a four-speed manual (on base models), a five-speed manual, and a two-speed semi-automatic Honda had previously called the "
Hondamatic :''See also list of Honda transmissions for other Hondamatics'' The Hondamatic (also called the H2) was Honda's first semi-automatic transmission. It was produced from 1973 through 1988. The ''Hondamatic'' name continued to be used on fully-au ...
". The second generation Civic was offered as a three-door hatchback, a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback and a five-door wagon.


Third generation (1983)

The third-generation Civic was released in September 1983 for the 1984 model year. The separate five-door hatchback and wagon models were merged into a five-door "shuttle wagon" or "wagovan" sometimes referred to colloquially as a "breadbox" because of its appearance, called the Honda Civic Shuttle. An additional two-seat coupe style—labeled CRX—was introduced, noted for its compact dimensions and light weight. The third generation Civic saw the introduction of the long running four-cylinder D series engine including a new
CVCC CVCC, or , is an internal combustion engine technology developed and trademarked by the Honda Motor Company. The technology's name refers to its primary features: Compound refers to the use of two combustion chambers; Vortex refers to the vort ...
engine producing 76 HP. 1984 also saw the release of a high-performance Si model for the Japanese market, featuring upgraded suspension and the
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
ZC engine which was rated at 130 PS (128 HP). Si models were offered in the U.S. as a 3-door Civic Si hatchback and the CRX Si variant with a
fuel-injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All com ...
SOHC 12-valve engine. A
4WD Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer ca ...
configuration with different transmission mounts was introduced for the first time in 1984, and later upgraded in 1987. It delivered a fuel economy of around 28 mpg highway. The 4WD system was push-button operated until improved in 1987 when the rear wheels would engage automatically once the front wheels lost traction. This new system was called "Realtime" which used a "viscous coupler" connecting two propeller shafts between the front and rear axles. The manual transmission featured a synchronized 6th gear, called "SL", or "Super-Low", which was used for high torque at very low speeds. The "Realtime" idea is still utilized to this day but includes technological improvements since the first system. Starting with 1985, Japanese Civics were now exclusive to ''
Honda Primo is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
'', with variants sold at ''Honda Verno'' and ''Honda Clio''. A four-door version called the Ballade was built, under agreement, by
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
South Africa, models were 1300, 1500, 1500i and 1600i DOHC 1.6 injection.


Fourth generation (1987)

In September 1987, a redesigned Civic was introduced with increased dimensions and a lower
hood Hood may refer to: Covering Apparel * Hood (headgear), type of head covering ** Article of academic dress ** Bondage hood, sex toy * Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt Anatomy * Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris * Hood, a flap of ...
line. A wide range of models and trim levels were offered for various markets around the world. The most notable of which was the Japanese market SiR (featuring the B16A 1.6-liter
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
VTEC VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control) is a system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine, resulting in higher performance at high RPM, and lower fuel consumption at low ...
4-cylinder engine). All U.S. models featured
electronic fuel injection Manifold injection is a mixture formation system for internal combustion engines with external mixture formation. It is commonly used in engines with spark ignition that use petrol as fuel, such as the Otto engine, and the Wankel engine. In a mani ...
, but carbureted models were still available elsewhere. The fourth-generation saw the introduction of a fully independent rear suspension across the entire model range. In addition, the Honda CRX continued to be part of the Civic family which included the base model, HF and Si model in the U.S.A / four door version called the Ballade was built, under agreement, by Mercedes-Benz South Africa / models were 1500 16V, 1600i 16V and 1600i 16V DOHC. The first 800 cars produced at the then brand new Honda plant in Alliston, Ontario, Canada were SE model cars. These Special Edition models included all white side molding that matched the white body and color matched dual mirrors. In the body molding was a wrap around blue stripe. Each car had interior upgrades as well as a chrome-tipped exhaust.


Fifth generation (1991)

Introduced in September 1991 for the 1992 model year, the redesigned Civic featured increased dimensions, as well as more aerodynamic styling. The wagon variant was now only available in the Japanese market where the previous generation wagon was carried over until 1995. The efficiency of the previous HF model was replaced by the VX hatchback which, with an EPA rating of 48/55 MPG, was Honda's most fuel efficient model sold at the time. In North America, the Si featured a 1.6-liter SOHC
VTEC VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control) is a system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine, resulting in higher performance at high RPM, and lower fuel consumption at low ...
valve train, whereas the VX featured the VTEC-E. The Japanese Si featured a 1.6-liter
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
non-VTEC valve train D16A9. Continuing in the sporty tradition of the original Civic SiR, Honda sold several similarly equipped variants of the fifth generation car, still referred to as the Civic SiR, in Japan, Asia and Europe. In South Africa, MBSA (Mercedes Benz of SA) built the Civic as the Ballade only in 4-door sedan. A special model was the 180i with the B18B4, that was fitted to Ballade models. A new body style was introduced with this generation called the Civic Coupé, based from the Civic Ferio sedan, and was sold in North America, Europe and Japan. The fifth-generation remains popular among tuners and racers alike.


Sixth generation (1995)

Introduced in September 1995 for the 1996 model year, the sixth-generation featured updated styling although less radical than previous redesigns. Suspension and engine options were available along with their first Natural Gas Powered Civic, the GX. In the United States, model year 1996 to 2000 the Civic was sold under the CX, DX, EX, EXR, HX, LX, and for Canada, SE, and Si trims; all base models were made with 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engines. The EX-CX are all SOHC (
Honda D engine The Honda D series inline-four cylinder engine is used in a variety of compact models, most commonly the Honda Civic, CRX, Logo, Stream, and first-generation Integra. Engine displacement ranges between 1.2 and 1.7 liters. The D Series engine ...
). The CX, DX and LX all have SOHC (D16Y7) 4-cylinder engines; whereas the EX has a 1.6L 16-valve SOHC VTEC ( D16Y8) engine producing , and the HX has a D16Y5 VTEC-E engine producing . The USDM Si and Canadian SiR came with a 1.6L 16-valve DOHC VTEC (B16A2) engine producing . The first Civic Si coupe EM1 was introduced in 1999 and was produced until 2000. Europe saw a DOHC 1.6 VTi hatchback and sedan and a DOHC 1.8L engine was available for the Domani related 5-door liftback and estate. In Canada, the
Acura EL The Acura EL is a subcompact executive car that was built at Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant, and also the first Acura built in Canada. It was also exclusively sold in Canada. The EL is a badge-engineered Honda Civic with a higher level of feat ...
is based on the Civic, and was replaced by the
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
in 2006.


Seventh generation (2000)

The seventh-generation Civic was released in September 2000, for the 2001 model year. While the redesign retained the previous generation's exterior dimensions, interior space was improved in part by using a flat rear floor thus bumping up Civic to a
compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, ...
size segment. The front suspension was changed from that of a
double wishbone A double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design for automobiles using two (occasionally parallel) wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckl ...
to a
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
, in order to lower costs, as well as allow more engine bay room for the newly introduced Honda K-series engine. Power was also increased on some trim levels. The four main trim levels were DX, LX, EX and HX. The Civic Coupe was no longer sold in Japan starting with this generation. In North America, coupe and sedan body styles were available, except for the Si (SiR in Canada) which was offered only as a three-door hatchback. The rest of the world received three- and five-door hatchbacks. The Type R was redesigned as well this time using a more powerful
i-VTEC VTEC (Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control) is a system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine, resulting in higher performance at high RPM, and lower fuel consumption at lo ...
engine and using the three-door hatchback body style. This generation saw Honda introduce their first
Civic Hybrid The is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. Since 2000, the Civic has been categorized as a compact car, while previously it occupied the subcompact class. , the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Acc ...
, powered by a 1.3-liter engine.


Eighth generation (2005)

The eighth-generation Civic was released in September 2005 in the North American market, for the 2006 model year. For the eighth-generation, Honda split the model into two different platforms, one for sedan and coupe, and one for a hatchback designed primarily for the European market using a simpler rear suspension from the
Honda Fit The Honda Fit (Japanese: ホンダ・フィット, Hepburn: ''Honda Fitto'') or Honda Jazz is a small car manufactured and marketed by Honda since 2001 and now in its fourth generation. It has a five-door hatchback body style and is considered ...
and more aggressive styling. Although the North American and the Asia-Pacific model slightly differ in front and rear styling, they are mechanically identical. The hatchback is available as a three and five-door. Both Si and Type R trim levels continued although the Japanese and European Type R, while sharing the same engine size, are mechanically different. In the United States, an improved, sportier version of the Civic Si 4-door tuned by tuner Mugen was offered, featuring cosmetic alterations and changes to the suspension, wheels, slight exterior differences, and exhaust system. A Canadian-only Acura model received a new nameplate, changing from the
Acura EL The Acura EL is a subcompact executive car that was built at Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant, and also the first Acura built in Canada. It was also exclusively sold in Canada. The EL is a badge-engineered Honda Civic with a higher level of feat ...
to the
Acura CSX Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched in the United States and Canada on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. It was introduced ...
. As of 2006, a total of 16.5 million Civics had been sold worldwide, with 7.3 million of them in the United States.


Ninth generation (2011)

The ninth-generation Civic consists of four body styles, which are sedan,
coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
, hatchback and station wagon marketed as the Civic Tourer. The latter two makes up for the European-market Civic range built in the UK. The hatchback version forms a basis for a Civic Type R (FK2) model, which was released later in 2015. The production version of the ninth-generation Civic sedan and coupe first went on sale in the U.S. on April 20, 2011, for the 2012 model year. The model was developed during the height of the global financial crisis, which led Honda to believe that consumers specifically in North America would be willing to forego upscale content and quality in new vehicles as long as they were fuel efficient and affordable. Following criticisms regarding quality and refinement, Honda updated the Civic with new exterior and interior improvements in late 2012 for the 2013 model year. The ninth-generation Civic was never introduced in Japan, except the 750-unit limited run Civic Type R sold in 2015. A hybrid version was also available for the sedan model, equipped with a larger 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine that produces 90 hp and 97 lb ft of torque and a lithium-ion battery, is rated at in combined city and highway EPA test cycle, an improvement of over the previous generation hybrid.


Tenth generation (2015)

Based on an all-new Honda compact global platform, the tenth-generation Civic marked the unification of the Civic range globally. Honda targeted the Civic range at the key U.S. market, resurrecting its once-discarded "lead-country" system which calls for developing a model specifically for its main targeted market but selling it in other regions as well. As the result, Honda ceased making a smaller, dedicated version for the European market. Instead, the Swindon plant in UK produced a five-door hatchback version of the globally-marketed Civic for international markets. The sedan model was first unveiled in the U.S. in September 2015, for the 2016 model year. The tenth-generation Civic features a new fastback exterior design, with the rear C-pillar flowing into the tailgate. The front of the car features a new chrome wing design that flows across the top of the headlamps. Civic body styles include sedan, coupe, five-door hatchback, while performance models include Si trims and Type R models. The hatchback version saw its re-introduction in the North American market for the first time since 2000, along with the first Type R model ever sold in the region, both imported from the UK. The interior of the new Civic likewise features major design changes. Unlike the split bi-level speedometer and tachometer of its predecessor, tenth-generation Civic consolidates these instruments into an optional "Driver Information Interface" incorporating a customizable 7-inch LCD screen positioned directly behind the steering wheel and in the driver's line of sight. Several model received an instrumentation that consists of a large analog tachometer that surrounds a digital speedometer and other digital displays.


Eleventh generation (2021)

The eleventh-generation Civic sedan was revealed as a prototype in November 2020. It was fully revealed in June 2021, in both sedan and liftback (marketed as the Civic Hatchback) body styles. North American sales began the same month, followed by Southeast Asia in August, Japan and China in September, and Australia and New Zealand in December. European sales began in late 2022. The liftback body style (marketed as the "Civic Hatchback") was unveiled on June 23, 2021. This generation is also the first Civic since the second-generation not to offer a coupe version due to its declining sales. The eleventh-generation sedan is not sold in Japan and Australia because of low demand of its predecessor.


International marketing and platform derivatives

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 model was called the Civic Ferio ( ja, ) during the fifth to seventh generations. The sixth-generation sedan was also sold as the Integra SJ. In Europe and the United States, "Civic" generically refers to any model, though in Europe the coupe is branded the "Civic Coupe". A four-door station wagon model called the Civic Shuttle (also Civic Pro in Japan) was available from 1984 until 1991 (this brand name would later be revived for the mid-1990s Honda Shuttle people carrier, known in some markets as the
Honda Odyssey Honda Odyssey can refer to three motor vehicles manufactured by Honda: * Honda Odyssey (ATV), an all-terrain vehicle (1977—1989) * Honda Odyssey (minivan), a brand of two different Honda minivan models for different markets ** Honda Odyssey (inte ...
). In South Africa, the sedan (the only model sold there until the 1996 launch of the sixth generation sedan and hatch) was known as the
Ballade Ballad is a form of narrative poetry, often put to music, or a type of sentimental love song in modern popular music. Ballad or Ballade may also refer to: Music Genres and forms * Ballade (classical music), a musical setting of a literary ballad ...
. Other models have been built on the Civic platform, including Prelude,
Ballade Ballad is a form of narrative poetry, often put to music, or a type of sentimental love song in modern popular music. Ballad or Ballade may also refer to: Music Genres and forms * Ballade (classical music), a musical setting of a literary ballad ...
, CR-X, Quint, Concerto, Domani, CR-X Del Sol, Integra, and
CR-V The Honda CR-V (also sold as the Honda Breeze in China since 2019) is a compact crossover SUV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1995. The early model was built using the same platform as the Civic. Honda began producing the CR ...
. Also, at various times, the Civic or Civic-derived models have been sold by marques other than Honda – for example,
Rover Rover may refer to: People * Constance Rover (1910–2005), English historian * Jolanda de Rover (born 1963), Dutch swimmer * Rover Thomas (c. 1920–1998), Indigenous Australian artist Places * Rover, Arkansas, US * Rover, Missouri, US ...
sold the
200 __NOTOC__ Year 200 ( CC) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Victorinus (or, less frequently, year 953 ''Ab ur ...
,
400 __NOTOC__ Year 400 ( CD) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Stilicho and Aurelianus (or, less frequently, year ...
and 45, each of which were Civic-based at some point (first 200s were the second generation Ballade; from 1990 the 200 and 400 were based on the Concerto; the 400 was the 1995 Domani), as was their predecessor, the Triumph Acclaim, based on the first Honda Ballade. The Honda Domani, an upscale model based on the Civic, was sold as the
Isuzu Gemini The Isuzu Gemini is a subcompact car produced by the Japanese automaker Isuzu from 1974 until 2000. The same basic product was built and/or sold under several other names, sometimes by other General Motors brands, in various markets around the wo ...
in Japan (1992–2000), and confusingly the 5-door Domani was sold as the Honda Civic (along with the "real" hatchback and sedan Civics) in Europe from 1995 to 2000. In Thailand, the sixth generation Civic was available as the four-door Isuzu Vertex. The sixth-generation station wagon was sold as the
Honda Orthia The is a compact station wagon manufactured by Honda exclusively for the Japanese market between 1996 and 2002. Based on the sixth generation Civic, it was introduced in February 1996 as what Honda called a "''Sport Utility Wagon''" and sold ...
, with the Partner as the downmarket commercial variant. The seventh generation minivan model is called the
Honda Stream The Honda Stream is a car manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda since October 2000. The second generation model was officially presented on 13 July 2006. It has been described as a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) or as an estate car. __TOC__ ...
. In Canada, the sixth and seventh generation Civics were mildly redesigned to create the
Acura EL The Acura EL is a subcompact executive car that was built at Honda's Alliston, Ontario, plant, and also the first Acura built in Canada. It was also exclusively sold in Canada. The EL is a badge-engineered Honda Civic with a higher level of feat ...
until the advent of the eight generation Civic, which was used to create the
Acura CSX Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched in the United States and Canada on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. It was introduced ...
, which was designed in Canada. Honda Japan adopted the CSX styling for the Civic in its home country. The three-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, helping cement Honda's reputation as a maker of sporty
compact Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in British ...
models. Starting in 2002, the Civic three-door hatchback has been built exclusively at Honda's manufacturing plant in Swindon, England – previously the five-door Civic/Domani and the Civic Aerodeck (based on the Japanese Orthia) were built in this plant for sale in Europe along with the Japanese Civics. Accordingly, all instances of the current model (left or right hand drive, anywhere in the world) are British-made cars designed with Japanese engineering, except for the US-built two-door coupe and the sedan version built in Brazil for the Latin American market. In North America, the Civic hatchback was dropped for 2006. The 2006 model year standard Civics for North America are manufactured in
Alliston Alliston is a settlement in Simcoe County in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has been part of the Town of New Tecumseth since the 1991 amalgamation of Alliston and nearby villages of Beeton, Tottenham, and the Township of Tecumseth. The pri ...
, Ontario, Canada (sedans, coupes and Si Coupes) and East Liberty, Ohio (sedans), while the Hybrid version is manufactured in Japan. In Brazil, although being considered for local manufacturing since the early 1980s (it was illegal to import cars in Brazil from 1973 until 1990), the Civic wasn't available until 1992, via official importing. In 1997, production of the sixth generation Civic sedan started in the Sumaré (a city near Campinas, in the state of São Paulo) factory. The only differences between the Japanese model and the Brazilian model were a slightly higher ground clearance because of the country's road conditions and adaptations to make the engine suitable to Brazilian commercial gasoline, which contains about 25% ethanol (E25), and the absence of sunroof in the Brazilian sixth generation Civic EX. The seventh generation production started in 2001, displacing the
Chevrolet Vectra Vectra may refer to the following: * Opel Vectra car (Chevrolet Vectra, Holden Vectra, Vauxhall Vectra) *Opel Vectra GTS V8 DTM car *HP Vectra computer series by Hewlett-Packard *Vectra AI, a private company specializing in artificial intelligence * ...
from the top sales record for the mid-size sedan segment, however it lost that position to the Toyota Corolla the following year. In 2006, the eighth generation was released and regained the sales leadership. Identical to the North American version, it lacks options such as a moonroof, and standard security equipment like VSA, and side and curtain airbags which were removed because of a lack of car safety laws in the Mercosur. Furthermore, the Brazilian subsidiary began producing
flex-fuel A flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) or dual-fuel vehicle (colloquially called a flex-fuel vehicle) is an alternative fuel vehicle with an internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or ...
versions for the Civic and the Fit models, capable of running on any blend of gasoline ( E20 to E25 blend in Brazil) and
ethanol Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl group linked to a ...
up to E100.


Safety


United States

The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rel ...
(NHTSA) in the United States has determined frontal crash test ratings of Honda Civics of different model years. The eighth-generation Civic sedan's crash test performance has been rated highly by both the U.S. government's NHTSA and the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collisio ...
. The IIHS awarded the Civic sedan with a rating of "good" on both frontal and side impact crash tests and lists the Civic as the second-best 2007 small car in overall
crashworthiness Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of aircraft and vehicles. Depending on the nature of the impact and the vehicle involved, different crit ...
. The Civic coupe is rated "acceptable" in the side impact test. ''
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rel ...
(NHTSA) crash test ratings'' Frontal impact: Side impact front seat: Side impact rear seat: Rollover:


Australia

In Australia, 1984–2005 Civics were assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 on their level of occupant protection regardless of size or era. * (1984–1987) – "significantly worse than average" * (1988–1991) – "average" * (1992–1995) – "average" * (1996–2000) – "better than average" * (2001–2005) – "average" From 2007 onwards, Honda Civics have been assessed and given an
ANCAP ANCAP may refer to: * ANCAP (commodity standard), based on ammonium nitrate, copper, aluminum and plywood * Australasian New Car Assessment Program * ANCAP (Uruguay) ANCAP (Administración Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland, Engl ...
rating. * (2007-2011, 4 door sedan) * (2007-2012, Hybrid 4 door sedan) * (2012-2016, All gasoline sedan variants) * (2012-2017, All hatch variants) * (2016-2021, All sedan variants) * (2017 onwards, All hatch variants except Type R)


Modifications and enthusiast community

Despite being a modest car, the Civic is popular as a platform for modification and customization by the enthusiast community. Starting with the fourth generation and continuing through the 2000 model year, Civics had front
double wishbone suspension A double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design for automobiles using two (occasionally parallel) wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckl ...
and rear semi-trailing arm suspension. Ready parts interchangeability allows easy
engine swap In car tuning culture, an engine swap is the process of removing a car's original engine and replacing it with another. This may be a like-for-like replacement, or to install a non-factory specification engine. Typically an engine swap is p ...
s (primarily with more powerful B16A (Civic SI), B18C (Acura Integra GSR and Type R), and various K20 Civic motors) and many other upgrades. More recent seventh and eighth generation Civics, now rated as compacts rather than subcompacts, remain generally attractive as tuner projects in spite of added weight (mostly because of U.S. government safety mandates, such as airbags and ABS) and higher centers of gravity. Particularly unwelcome among the tuner community was the replacement of the front double-wishbone suspension with
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
s, which provide inferior handling primarily because of limited dynamic
camber angle Camber angle is one of the angles made by the wheels of a vehicle; specifically, it is the angle between the vertical axis of a wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear. It is used in the design of steering a ...
control.


Awards

Honda Civic EX was
International Car of the Year The International Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards are one of several annual "car of the year" awards around the world for new automobile models judged to be the best of their generation. This one is presented by the United States magazine '' Road ...
in 2005. From 1972 to 1974, the Civic was awarded
Car of the Year Japan The annual Car of the Year Japan Award (日本カー・オブ・ザ・イヤー, nihon kā obu za iyā), also known as Japan Car of the Year (or JCOTY), is an annual Car of the Year award given for newly released or redesigned vehicles released in ...
. In 1973, the Civic ranked third in the European Car of the Year awards, the highest ranking for a Japanese vehicle at that time. It also was awarded the U.S. ''Road Test'' magazine's "1974 Car of the Year." The Civic was the ''
Motor Trend ''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 1998, when it was sold to ...
''
Import Car of the Year The ''Motor Trend'' Car of the Year (COTY) is an annual ''Car of the Year'' award given by ''Motor Trend'' magazine to recognize the best new or significantly refreshed car in a given model year. Background ''Motor Trend'', which debuted in 1 ...
for 1980 as well as its 2006
Car of the Year Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous automotive awards. The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by ''Motor Trend'' magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of the ...
. In 2006, the Civic earned the 2007 " Semperit Irish Car of the Year" title. In 1996, Automobile Magazine honored the Civic as its Automobile of the Year. The Civic has been on ''
Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was f ...
'' magazine's yearly Ten Best list six times, in 1985, 1988–91, and 1996. The Civic Si was named "Best New Sport Car" and the sedan was named "Best New Economy Car" in the 2006
Canadian Car of the Year Canadian Car of the Year winners, as chosen by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada: Canadian Car of the Year 2014 :Canadian car of the year: Mazda 6 :Canadian Utility vehicle of the year: Jeep Cherokee :Best New Small Car (under $21, ...
awards. The Civic also won the ''
North American Car of the Year The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year are a set of automotive awards announced at a news conference each January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The jury consists of no more than 60 automotive journali ...
'' and the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) Car of the Year awards for 2006. In November 2006, the Civic received the prestigious "Car of The Year" award from Brazilian magazine Auto Esporte. The four-door Civic VXi sedan won the South African Car of the Year award for 2007. Kelley Blue Book named the 2020 Honda Civic th
Compact Car Best Buy
for the sixth year in a row.


Racing


Touring car racing

Civics have been used for racing ever since their introduction. Civics contested the Up to 1300cc class in the
Bathurst 1000 The Bathurst 1000 (formally known as the Repco Bathurst 1000) is a touring car race held annually on the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently run as part of the Supercars Championship, the most rece ...
touring car race at Bathurst in Australia each year from 1973 to 1976, with a best placing of second in class in both 1974 and 1976. In recent years the Civic has been used in a wide variety of racing series, particularly in Japan. It is also used in touring car races in Europe and the United States. The Civic has been used in the UK in endurance series by teams such as Barwell Motorsport and Cartek Motorsport. In 2002 JAS Motorsport entered the
European Touring Car Championship The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004. In 2005 it was superseded by the World ...
(ETCC) with a Super 2000 spec Civic and was used until restart season of the
World Touring Car Championship The FIA World Touring Car Championship was an international touring car championship promoted by Eurosport Events and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It has had several different incarnations, including a sin ...
(WTCC) in 2005. In December 2005, on the date of the new 2006 Civic Si's launch in the United States, Honda's R&D Engineering Team completed 645 laps in an eighth generation Civic Si coupe (FG2) to place first in the E1 class of the famous '25 Hours of Thunderhill' marathon race. The drivers on Honda's team were Road & Track journalist Kim Wolfkill, Lee Niffenegger, Chad Gilsinger, Sage Marie, John Sherk, Rich Hays, Andrew Frame, Matt Staal and ''Car and Driver'' journalist Tony Swan.


BTCC

In the UK, the Civic has been used in the
British Touring Car Championship The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as ...
(BTCC) for several years and is still highly competitive. The Civic Type R made its debut in the 2002 season with the 'Works' team run by
Arena Motorsport Arena International Motorsport was a British motor racing team founded by Mike Earle. Earle originally ran the Onyx Formula One team from the same base in Littlehampton, before selling the team. At the end of 2012 the team's new owners, Capsi ...
. Built to BTC-T specifications, it gained the team third in the manufacturers championship. In the same year Synchro Motorsport won the BTCC Production Teams Championship with a pair of Civic Type Rs. The 2003 season saw the 'works' team Civics secure an impressive second in the manufacturers championship. The 2003 BTCC Production Teams Championship also went to the Civic again, this time in the hands of Barwell Motorsport. Such was the competitiveness of the Civic in its first two-season, 2004 saw five teams enter Civics, allowing the model to secure second in the manufacturers championship. Although manufacturer support from Honda for the BTCC ended in 2005, several teams still found success running the Civic in 2005 and 2006. For the 2007 BTCC season, Team Halfords ran the new eighth-generation Honda Civics, built to the latest S2000 regulations, for
Matt Neal Matthew Neal (born 20 December 1966) is a British motor racing driver. Neal is a triple BTCC Champion having won the British Touring Car Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2011. Neal is also a record 6 time BTCC Independents Champion having won the ...
and
Gordon Shedden Gordon Shedden (born 15 February 1979) is a Scottish auto racing driver, currently competing in the British Touring Car Championship for the Halfords Racing with Cataclean team. He has previously won the series on three occasions; in 2012, 201 ...
with limited success and continued to use the Civic into the
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
and 2009 season. In both 2007 and 2008, the Civic allowed the team to finish 3rd in the Teams championship, behind the two manufacturer backed teams. In 2010 Honda returned to the BTCC as a 'works' team with
Team Dynamics Team Dynamics Motorsport is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Droitwich, Worcestershire; best known for their successes in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005, 2006 and 2011 with Matt Ne ...
using Civics to win the 2010 manufacturers championship. In 2011 the team returns with its Civic to defend its Team and Manufacturers championship again with the
Neal Neal (Neil) is a given masculine name and surname of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an Anglicisation of the Irish Niall which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "hono ...
and Shedden pairing. Honda Racing Team swapped to the brand new ninth generation Honda Civic, built fully to NGTC rules, for the 2012 BTCC season. They are the first manufacturer backed team to announce their intention to run fully to the NGTC specification. The drivers continue to be Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden, who are the 2011 and 2012 BTCC driver champions respectively. Andrew Jordan, driving for his family-run
Eurotech Racing Eurotech Racing was a British motor racing team based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, founded by Mike Jordan and currently owned by Jeff Smith since December 2014, that last competed in the 2018 British Touring Car Championship The team won bot ...
team, won the BTCC title in
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
in their NGTC Civic, whilst Honda retained the manufacturer's championship. However, in
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, Honda were unable to retain their title, which was won instead by MG.


WTCC

In 2012, Honda announced plans to enter the
World Touring Car Championship The FIA World Touring Car Championship was an international touring car championship promoted by Eurosport Events and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It has had several different incarnations, including a sin ...
(WTCC) with a racer built on the ninth generation Euro Civic five-door hatchback. The car was powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged HR412E engine, developed by Honda R&D, and would later race in the last three rounds of the 2012 season in Japan, China and Macau before its first full season in 2013. Honda was successful, winning the 2013 Manufacturers' World Championship in their first full season in the series, six races before the end of the season. After the introduction of the new TC1 regulations in 2014, the Civics took numerous race victories and podiums, but were not championship contenders again until the
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
season. The Civic was the fastest car in 2017 with the most pole positions and main race victories, but the team missed out on another title as their championship-leading driver
Tiago Monteiro Tiago Vagaroso da Costa Monteiro (; born 24 July 1976) is a Portuguese professional racing driver currently competing in the World Touring Car Cup, driving a Honda Civic TCR for Engstler Motorsport. He competed in Formula One between 2005 an ...
suffered injuries in a crash during testing because of a brake failure, which put him out of the remaining rounds of the season, while other incidents also hampered their results that season.


Others

The car has also been used in the
Japanese Touring Car Championship The Japanese Touring Car Championship (abbr: 1985–1993: JTC, 1994–1998: JTCC, officially known as All Japan Touring Car Championship, ja, 全日本ツーリングカー選手権, link=no), was a former touring car racing series held in Japan. ...
and won the 2011 Asian Touring Car Series. It also competed in both the Touring and Super-production classes of the Russian Touring Car Championship.


Sales

As of February 2015, 18.5 million Civics had been sold worldwide. With 7.3 million bought in the United States, it has been one of the top sellers in the country and in the neighboring Canada, where it had placed number one for 14 years through 2012. In 2019, the Civic was the second best selling car in the United States after the
Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...
.


Notes


References


External links


Civic at Honda Worldwide
{{TC 2000
Civic Civic is something related to a city or municipality. It also can refer to multiple other things: General *Civics, the science of comparative government *Civic engagement, the connection one feels with their larger community *Civic center, a comm ...
All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 1972 1980s cars 1990s cars 2000s cars 2010s cars 2020s cars Compact cars ANCAP small family cars Coupés Front-wheel-drive vehicles Hatchbacks Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States Cars of England Sedans Station wagons Subcompact cars Vehicles with CVT transmission