THERE ARE NO BIG CHANGES IN THE NINTH-GENERATION CIVIC, SO IS HONDA CASH-STRAPPED OR WAS ITS PREDECESSOR A HUGE SUCCESS?
- So which is the case for the new Civic?
If you consider the Thai market, the Civic has been a tremendous success. It continued to sell well, even when rivals rolled out all-new and updated C-segment contenders. That's what car-makers aspire to: letting a product sell on its own without pushing sales campaigns into them.
But if you look on a global basis, the Civic hasn't been exactly roses in all parts of the world. Back home in Japan, for instance, the Civic had to wave the white flag last year due to the strong popularity of the Toyota Prius (hybrids were backed by now defunct-subsidies from the Japanese government).
- Will there still be separate versions for the US and Asia?
The driver-oriented fascia remains.
The Civic pictured here has been released by the North American unit of Honda. The Thai version will look basically the same as the one pictured, although the front and rear lights could be massaged to look probably more imposing.
And since Asians tend to like luxury, Honda may add a chrome grille to the Civic. But overall, the differences won't be as massive as in today's model because, as said earlier, Honda isn't too abundant on financial resources.
- What about the interior?
Just as you see it here. The concept remains: a driver-oriented fascia, two-tier instrument panels and three-spoke steering wheel.
Cabin room should remain a highlight in the Civic, thanks to a class-leading wheelbase length and flat-floor design that is thought to be carried over (Honda hasn't disclosed dimensions for the new Civic yet).
The lights for Asian markets could be slightly larger in size.
In fact, the platform used by the Civic seems to still be effective. It helped spawn a competitive package and housed a strut/double wishbone front/rear suspension that yielded decent dynamics.
- Will the noisy ride be rectified?
We can't say exactly at the moment. But you're right, we'd also hope it would be improved. Actually, mediocre suppression of external road and tyre noise has usually been an issue in many Japanese cars sold in Thailand, mostly due to costs.
Given the tastes of Thai consumers, the new Civic should have a quieter cabin. And that ultra-direct steering found in the today's eight-gen model may be relaxed in the interests of more driving comfort.
- Heard the engines aren't new?
Yep. Honda has announced that the new Civic will come with the same 140hp 1.8-litre petrol engine and five-speed automatic. The four-cylinder still has an edge over its rivals in terms of power output, although the same can't be said for the gearbox _ Chevrolet and Ford has gone six-speed, while Mitsubishi and Toyota took the CVT with manual mode route.
However, there's one selling point Honda could use: the Eco mode which can reduce throttle input and air-conditioning operation to help save fuel.
Whether Honda will upgrade its 155hp 2.0-litre engine remains to be seen (it's deemed more as image-building and represents just around 10% of sales). Don't confuse this engine with that used in the Accord and CR-V.
The Civic has an older performance-oriented unit (thanks to twin cams and squared off bore/stroke length of 86mm).
The CR-V and Accord have a newer block focusing on economy and low-speed drivability (explaining the single-cam format and longer 96mm stroke length against the 81mm bore size).
- Will there be an NGV option?
Honda is no stranger to LPG or CNG conversions. In fact, it offers such alternative fuel tech in the US. Although many Thais want a gas option (thanks to debatable government subsidies), Honda isn't exactly that keen on selling it due to inconsistent CNG quality at Thai filling stations and vague energy polices in the country.
Instead, it may be looking at the E85 tax rate, even though such gasohol is as rare as a Bugatti on Thai roads. Today's price range is 754,000-969,000 baht for the 1.8 and 1.06-1.11 million baht for the 2.0.
With a 3% discount in excise tax, Honda would have more freedom in equipping the new Civic with as many features as possible while maintaining the current price levels (price hikes usually come during mid-life updates).
Expect the Civic to go on sale in Thailand after mid-year.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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