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Aug 3, 2005 – This is the new European-market, eighth-generation Civic that replaces the current five year old Civic. Looking very similar to the production spoiler 'concept car' shown at Geneva, this car aims to do as the latest Accord did in 2002, to move upmarket towards the European premium C-sector market as defined by the Audi A3 and BMW 1 series.
Specification
As standard also is ABS, EBD, VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) and double pre-tensioners for front and rear seatbelts.
A novel instrument binnacle called 'Dual Link' displays important driving information including vehicle speed in the upper part near the base of the windscreen and viewed over the steering wheel, while other information is viewed conventionally in the lower part through the steering wheel.
Enabled by a fuel tank cited below the front seats, its rear seat bases can be tipped up to form a second storage area, like its smaller sibling the Jazz. Or the whole seats can be folded forwards in a 'one-motion, dive-down' to create a flat loading area aligned with the boot floor.
The new Civic's dimensions are: length 4250mm, width 1760mm, height 1460mm, wheelbase 2635mm, which are greater than its three door predecessor, but marginally shorter and lower (although 65mm wider) than its five door predecessor - putting it in the lower middle of today's C-sector.
Design
Honda claim the new Civic to have taken a ”sporty, emotional, and fun-to-drive direction” and that “key to achieving these qualities is the wedge-shaped forward cabin“. This is the most obvious aspect of the new car's design; it's conspicuously dynamic profile, which is in strong contrast to its boxy predecessor and most other European C-sector cars.
Beyond the diving DLO, unequal length doors and cab-forward stance that are the main signifiers of its dynamic design identity, the Civic has many distinctive and expensive to produce design features: a glazed over combined lamp and grille graphic, rear door handles mounted within the DLO, bespoke exhaust outlet apertures, and a tailgate with two-piece glazing.
Despite the overtly dynamic exterior design, the new car's compact torsion bar rear suspension (unusually crude for both brand and sector) perhaps belies Honda's continued emphasis on interior packaging and claim to be more spacious than its class leading predecessor.
Conclusion
The greatest significance of the new Civic design is the conspicuousness of its dynamic design identity which is unprecedented for an Asian-branded mainstream car competing in Europe's largest car sector, and further underpinned by design details that are apparently more expensive to produce than would be expected. This strength of identity and innovative execution will ensure that the eighth-generation Civic is noticed like no other Civic before.
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Geneva 2005 Highlights: Honda Civic concept
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