Honda revealed the 10th generation Civic sedan at the 2018 Auto Expo and it will be introduced in India in early 2019
Honda Civic was discontinued in 2012, but enthusiasts across the country still remember the executive sedan for its futuristic design theme and it is also one of the most popular models in cars modifications. The fan following didn’t translate into numbers and the shift in momentum from petrol to diesel hit them hard, as the company didn’t offer a diesel engine with Civic in India.
Even though D-segment is not experiencing huge growth because of the rise of compact SUV models, Honda has decided to bring back the legend once again and here are the top 10 things you should know about the upcoming Honda Civic:
- 10th Generation Model
Honda didn’t introduce the 9th generation model as its predecessor failed in India. But the company finally decided to bring back the new generation Civic to India and the model made its India debut at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Civic is already on sale in most of the Asian countries and it will be assembled in India like the previous model to keep cost down.
- Design
The design of the new generation model is completely different from its predecessor as the front gets chrome finished grille with Honda logo in the middle. The swept back LED headlamp with integrated DRLs gives a sporty face for the Civic and the bumper is also new.
The fog lamps are placed on the edges and instead of regular lamps, the company has given LED lights. The coupe-like roof design does make the Civic looks sporty and the rear gets LED tail lamps along with new bumper.
- Interior
The interior design of Civic is not sporty like the exterior but it’s premium as the company has given three spoke multi-function steering wheel and the instrument cluster is similar to the one of CR-V. The centre console is dominated by the touchscreen followed by the climate control system. The Civic also gets good knee room and headroom for both front and rear passengers.
- Features
Honda has given lots of features for Civic like touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android, climate control, push-button start, keyless entry, steering mounted controls, cruise control, sunroof, leather seats, reverse camera with parking sensors, alloy wheels, automatic headlamp and more.
- Engines
For the first time, Honda is offering Civic with a diesel engine as it is powered by a 1.6 L i-DTEC engine producing 118 bhp of power and 300 Nm of torque. This engine is already available on the CR-V and it is assembled in India. Even though globally the company is offering a powerful version of the same engine, it won’t be introduced in India because of cost. The company will also offer 1.8 L i-VTEC engine producing 140 hp of power and 290 Nm of torque.
- Transmission
The petrol engine on Civic will be available with 6-speed manual and 7-speed CVT automatic transmission with paddle shifters. On the other hand, the diesel engine will be only available with a 6-speed manual gearbox. We can expect the petrol auto to be more popular among customers.
- Targets Upgrading City Owners
Honda is currently offering two premium sedans in India – City and Accord, but the latter is priced steeply and for City owners who want to upgrade they don’t have a Honda sedan right now, so the Civic is targeted at these owners. The Civic will bridge the gap between City and Accord in the portfolio.
- Rivals
The upcoming Civic is going to compete against Toyota Corolla, which is the benchmark of the segment along with Skoda Octavia and Hyundai Elantra.
- Price
Honda will price the Civic ahead of the top end variant of City, so we can expect the 10th generation model price to starts around Rs. 19 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs. 24 lakh. The CKD assembly will help the company to price the sedan aggressively.
- Launch
Honda earlier confirmed that the company is planning to introduce three all-new models in 2018. The new generation Amaze was the first to reach the market followed by CR-V last month. The new Civic is expected to be introduced by the early 2019.