At the Honda Research and Development Center in Tochigi prefecture, the Honda president told motoring journalists that the Civic, always considered as Honda’s flagship model, will again be the benchmark in its category.
The 8th generation Honda Civic was unveiled later that day at the Keio Plaza Hotel in this city, before 120 motoring journalists from around the world.
Hours before the formal media launch, Satoshi Toshida, senior managing director and chief operating officer of Honda Motors Co. Asia-Oceania Region, initiated a test drive of the new Honda Civic – both in unleaded and hybrid variants. Conducted on two courses at the Honda R&D, the drive was to prove that this machine is a complete upgrade from its predecessors.
Only the 1.8 liter Honda Civic will be mass produced in 15 countries with the entry of four new Honda assembly plants in China, India and Vietnam as well as Honda Taiwan Co., Ltd.
Toshida described the new Civic as a crafty combination of "spirited performance with outstanding fuel economy and low emissions with an advanced driver cockpit." The Honda Civic will be launched in the Philippines early next year.
In a technical briefing, Sinichi Takahashi, Civic chief project leader, described the new model brand concept as a breakthrough with a cab-forward design and taut side body lines that are translated into a sporty mono-form for superior aerodynamics.
By improving the technology space for the driver and the passengers, the new Honda Civic is now "human-oriented with a functional layout." The cabin was extended forward by 260mm for added passenger room.
Interior refinements included the flat rear floor and foldable rear seats.
It has a longer wheel base as compared to its predecessor — the 7th generation Civic that was built on Global Compact Platform – with a wider tread for bigger cabin space. So it was introduced as a mid-size sedan and not a compact breed.
In the cockpit, there is the advance design multiplex meter underneath the sporty compact steering wheel with driver oriented controls. Many admired the radically designed horizontal Z-arm hand brake alongside its compact shift lever.
The new frame construction of the front seats are also "body conforming" which will make you feel that your are "in" the seat and not just merely "on" it.
Moreover, the movement of the wiper blades go outward motion on opposite direction similar to that of European made luxury sedans.
The 7th generation had 4-speed automatic transmission while the new Civic has five-speed wide/close ratio AT with drive by wire coordinated control.
During the test drive at the high speed track, the 1.8-liter i-VTEC power plant exhibited quick, torquey response, allowing me to enjoy the speed rush up to 170-180 kph. Honda authorities wanted us to stay at 120 kph because the track was wet but how can I help it? With the Civic, I was confident that nothing will go wrong.
Likewise, the handling and the linear acceleration performance were impressive as we pushed the new Civic along the short test course.
The maximum power output with its 1.8- iVTEC was likewise improved by 10 ps (140ps for the new Civic) as well as the maximum torque by 1.9kg/m (17.7kg/m for the new Civic). The new Civic engine is lighter, with aluminum design VTEC rocker arms, plastic head cover, plastic intake manifold and high strength cracked connecting rods.
The timing chain case is equipped with built-in oil pump.
Toshida said that while the powertrain of the new flagship performs like a 2.0-liter sedan in terms of power and torque although having only a 1.8-liter engine, it consumes fuel like a 1.5-liter car with the adoption of new generation engine technology by Honda.
