Auto Channel Dony Blog's

Concept cars and spy photos couldn’t prepare us for the stunning inoffensiveness of the ninth-generation Honda Civic, coming to dealers this spring as a 2012 model. Despite the sedate looks of the new models, they’re guaranteed shopper favorites—the company sold over 260,000 Civics in 2010, and the nameplate is likely to continue racking up big numbers going forward. That’s because the new car is shaping up to do what Civics have always done best: deliver good fuel economy and a fun steer at a sensible price.
New Styling? Who Gives a Sheetmetal?
“Evolutionary” perfectly describes the new Civic’s styling. The wedgy profile carries over, but both the 2012 sedan and coupe get more organic, taut sheetmetal in place of the outgoing cars’ slabby sides. The front and rear ends have more dimension than in the past, too. Perhaps the most significant styling change for the four-door is in its swap of the previous sedan’s scalloped taillights and concave rear for a bulbous style that’s reminiscent of the Mercedes C-class. The coupe looks more aggressive from the side and rear, especially in Si trim, and we dare suggest that it even looks racy. (We’re going to assume the heinous wheel gap in the photos is the result of poor Photoshop work and not some sort of off-road package.)
Overall, it’s a car that’s meant to appeal to the masses, and the ninth-gen Civic accomplishes the mission of looking better without making enough of a change to scare away any shoppers. In other words, think the difference between original Triscuits and new Garden Herb Triscuits.
This new Civic also gets a revamped interior, although official photography from Honda is thus far limited to a single shot. The driver-oriented layout from the last-gen car remains, as does the two-tiered dash, featuring a digital speedo seated in the mezzanine. The Civic has picked up a new steering wheel, as well as new shapes for the vents. In other news, the IRS has revamped several earned-income tax-exemption forms for the 2011 tax year.
With Okay Power Comes Great Fuel Economy
Honda rarely—if ever—carries a flag into horsepower wars. As such, the regular-spec 2012 Civic will pack a 140-hp, 1.8-liter inline-four, as does the current car; Honda remains mum on whether torque will increase from last year’s 128 lb-ft. What changes somewhat, however, is fuel economy, with ratings improving from 25 mpg city/36 highway for the automatic-equipped 2011 Civic to an estimated 39 mpg highway for 2012. (The city rating for the new Civic hasn’t been announced.) This engine will be paired with a five-speed automatic, and although it’s not listed in the press release, we’re certain a five-speed manual will also show up.
Honda also has even more fuel-conscious shoppers covered. A new Civic HF model revives the nomenclature from past efficiency-minded Civics, and it promises 41 mpg on the highway with the 1.8-liter engine, although Big H hasn’t yet revealed the voodoo used to achieve the uptick in economy. At the top of the fuel-economy ladder sits the new Civic hybrid sedan, which is touted as pulling off an impressive 45 mpg combined, an improvement of 4 from the last generation. Like the outgoing car, the 2012 Civic hybrid will put out a combined 110 hp from its gas and electric power sources, but the engine has grown from 1.3 liters to 1.5, and the nickel-metal hydride battery has been replaced with a lighter and more compact lithium-ion pack. There also will be a Civic GX sedan, which burns natural gas with the same basic 140-hp engine as the regular car; its availability will be spread to all 50 states for this new generation.
The Civic sedan and coupe, HF, hybrid, and natural-gas models all will come standard with Honda’s Eco Assist system. This computerized coach is intended to help drivers optimize their on-road fuel economy, and will alter the transmission’s behavior in the Civic hybrid. The rest of the cars just get digitally displayed tips for efficient driving.
Two Flavors of Si
The new Civic’s biggest underhood change comes in the Si model, which will once again be sold as a sedan and coupe. The 2.0-liter inline-four is out, replaced with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder that also sees duty in the Acura TSX. In the Civic Si, it will make 200 hp and 170 lb-ft—increases of 3 hp and 31 lb-ft over the previous car—and is paired to the same slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission from the TSX. As in the past, a three-pedal setup is the only option for the Si. While we have no complaints about that, Honda failed to address the Si’s significant power deficit against much of its competition, in particular the 263-hp Mazdaspeed 3 and 265-hp Subaru Impreza WRX. We also hope that the 2.4-liter doesn’t make the new Si too mature; a lot of the thrill of the outgoing model was winding it up to the 8000-rpm redline. Honda says the EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of the new Si will be up to 31 mpg from last year’s 29.
Coming Soon to a Showroom Near You
Honda isn’t planning a formal auto-show reveal for the new Civic, but promises that detailed specs—including official EPA city and highway fuel-economy numbers, torque ratings, and dimensions—will be available in April. It’s around that time that we’ll slide behind the wheel of the new Civic, and customers should be able to start writing checks then, too.
Considering how much better the Civic sedan and coupe concepts looked in the metal versus the press pictures, we will reserve final judgment on the production models’ new duds until we see them up close. But if the new Civic turns out to be just as inoffensive in person as it is in photos, we promise not to be offended.