See How Honda Civic Has Changed From 1972 To 2020

Its that time again to preview the history of iconic cars that we all know and love. We have done Toyota Corolla and Camry in the past. This time we are delving into Honda to show you how the Honda Civic fared through the years. In the spirit of throwback, we begin the story of how the Honda Civic grew to what it is now.

1st Generation (1972-1979)

The Honda Civic started as a small car back in the 70s. Engines were very modest back then as the Civic was powered by a 1.0, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.5 liters 4 cylinders. Transmissions were a 4 and 5-speed manual and 2 speed automatic.

2nd Generation (1979-1983)

This model was the Civic for the early 80s and it was a slight improvement from the last model. Engines were only the 1.3 and 1.5 liters 4 cylinder. The transmission was still the same as the 1st generation except for the inclusion of a new 3-speed automatic. A couple of the 3rd generation were seen on Nigerian roads back in the day.

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3rd Generation (1983-1987)

I’m guessing this is the Honda Civic most of us remembered because some can still be seen today. This generation of the Civic had a wide range of variants including a minivan called the Shuttle. This generation of the Civic had a sports model called CRX, which was a powerful vehicle (at that time). Some Shuttle models came with optional 4WD. The 3rd generation Civic increased its popularity in Nigeria in the 80s and 90s. Engines were a 1.2, 1.3, 1.5 and a new 1.6 liter which was all 4 cylinder units. A 4/5 speed manual and a 4 speed automatic.

4th Generation (1987-1991)

The 4th generation Civic was just a major upgrade to the 3rd generation model. Engines and variants were the same with the 1.2 scraped and a new 1.4 liter was introduced. The Shuttle variant lasted till 1996 before a proper minivan as made by Honda Odyssey which was also called the Shuttle in some parts of Europe. Transmissions were carried over from the previous-gen.

5th Generation (1991-1995)

The revolution of the Honda started in the early 90s and the Civic was no exception. It was modern all round and had the looks we are all familiar with. The Civic of the early 90s was ahead of its time and it was even better looking than the Toyota Corolla of the early 90s. The engines had a significant improvement with a new 1.3 and 1.5 liter capacity. A new 1.8 liter and also a standard 1.6 was now available. A 4 speed automatic and a 5-speed manual are available for this model.

6th Generation (1996-2000)

US Model

European Model

This generation of the Honda Civic is of two variants which we are familiar with. The American and European models are totally different models for their respective regions. The American model has a 4 door sedan, 2 door coupe and 3 door hatchback while the European were given the 3 door variant from the US, a totally different 5 door and a wagon (Aerodeck). Engines too also differ from the US and European models. Models get the 1.4 and 1.6 variants and some regions have the 1.3 and 1.5 while the European models have a whole lot of engine options to choose from.

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7th Generation (2000-2005)

The 7th generation Honda Civic was an all-new car but took some styling cues from the previous-gen especially the interior layout. It was available in a 2 door, 3 door, 4 door sedan and a 5 door hatchback (Europe). The Civic is larger than the old model and has a better interior space. Engines still remained the same with the introduction of the 1.7 liter 4 cylinder. The transmission was the same but a new 5-speed automatic and 6-speed manual was now launched. An optional CVT gearbox was also introduced.

8th Generation (2005-2010)

US Model

The Middle East And Africa Model

European Model

The mid-2000s saw the Honda Civic change to an even more futuristic-looking vehicle. It was a total makeover with the European models looking like a car of the future. The interior was a sight to behold and was among the first cars in its class to feature the digital speedometer. A 2 door coupe and 4 door sedan were available for the US market while the 3/5 door hatchback was European variation. A sedan with similar looks to the US model was sold in other regions including Africa (Nigeria). CVT gearbox and a 5-speed automatic were offered while the 5-speed manual was optional. Honda introduced a new 1.8 I-VTEC engine for the Civic and was the engine of choice in Nigeria. Other engines are 1.4, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.4 (Accord).

9th Generation (2011-2015)

The 9th generation Civic was not too different from the 8th generation model. It had a similar design language and interior layout to the outgoing model and it was also smaller in size. The 9th generation Civic was said to be delayed into 2011 because of changing market conditions and tougher fuel economy and emissions regulations. The Variants were unchanged from the 8th generation model. 2 door coupe and 4 door sedan were available while the 3/5 door hatchback and wagon were available in other regions. All the engines are the same from the previous-gen model but honda fitted them with its I-VTEC technology. A new 6-speed manual was launched but the rest of the transmissions remain unchanged.

10th Generation (2015-Now)

The Latest Honda Civic is by far a total package from all others before it. It is bigger, longer and wider in comparison to the previous model. It is based on a new platform and built from the ground up. The 10th generation Honda Civic has a general look for all regions with little tweaks to the US version and the variants are all the same worldwide (the coupe is strictly US market). A new 1.5-liter turbo and a normally aspirated 2.0 inline 4 cylinder engines are the available options from launch while the 1.0 turbo inline 3 cylinder, 1.6 and 1.8 are available in other regions. The CVT gearbox is standard while a 6-speed manual is optional.

Tell us your favorite Honda Civic in the comment section below?

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