Now in its ninth generation, the all-new 2012 Honda Civic offers more style, performance and technologies.
Marketing Director, The Honda Place, Mr. Deepak Daryanani, disclosed this much at a press launch of the 2012 Honda Civic early in the week.
The ECON mode delivers enhanced fuel economy by automatically adjusting the function of the engine, air conditioning and other key systems that affect fuel efficiency.
These improvements, Deepak reiterated would make the 2012 Honda Civic a solid pick in the compact cars’ category.
The VTi model however adds leather upholstery, heated front seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The Civic futuristic cockpit is similarly arranged to give the driver total control of important displays and controls which are located within reach – directly in front.
Talking safety, the 2012 Honda Civic comes with standard safety features that include stability control, antilock brakes, front-seat side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags.
The sporty Civic Si comes with a 201-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission. Honda also makes a Civic hybrid priced at $24,050 and a natural gas-powered model that bases at $26,155.
I tested two nicely equipped Civics: an EX sedan with the automatic transmission that cost $20,505 and a $22,205 Si coupe. It’s a tribute to Honda’s engineers that the base Civic achieves good fuel economy with its engine and transmission. The Si offers the automatic headlights, but not voice-recognition.
2012 HONDA CIVIC:
Base price:
—Civic EX sedan: $15,605
—Civic Si: $22,205 for a coupe; $22,405 for a sedan
Price as tested:
—Civic EX sedan: $20,505
—Civic Si coupe: $22,205
2012 Honda Civic Model Lineup
The 2012 Honda Civic model lineup is comprised of:
Civic Sedan (Civic DX, Civic LX, Civic EX and Civic EX-L)
Civic Coupe (Civic DX, Civic LX, Civic EX and Civic EX-L)
High-efficiency and value-oriented Civic HF (new)
High-performance Civic Si Sedan and Civic Si Coupe
An advanced 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter i-VTEC® engine is standard in the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic HF, with a choice of a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission (automatic only for Civic EX-L Coupe, Civic EX and EX-L Sedans, and Civic HF).
The Honda Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe, Civic HF and Civic Natural Gas benefit from an updated and refined version of the 1.8-liter I-4 engine that powered the previous generation Civic. In the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic HF, the engine produces 140 horsepower at 6300 rpm, and 128 lb-ft. of torque at 4300 rpm.
Differences between models include aggressive front grille, front and rear fascias and other elements for the Civic Si Coupe and Civic Si Sedan, and extensive aerodynamic aids for the high fuel economy Civic HF.
Standard are 15-inch diameter steel wheels with full wheel covers, 15-inch aluminum wheels for the Civic HF, 16-inch aluminum wheels for the Civic EX and Civic EX-L models, and 17-inch aluminum wheels for the Civic Si.
All 2012 Honda Civic models (except for Civic DX) feature power windows with auto-reverse. Civic Hybrid and Civic Natural Gas have a fixed rear seatback.
Civic Si Coupe and Civic Si Sedan models add a unique Sunburst Orange Pearl, while the Civic Hybrid comes in Green Opal Metallic.
Civic DX Sedan, Civic DX Coupe and Civic LX - 15x6 steel wheels with full covers and P195/65R15 tires
Civic EX Sedan, Civic EX Coupe and Civic EX-L - 16x6.5-inch aluminum wheels and P205/55R16 tires
Civic Si Sedan and Civic Si Coupe - 17x7-inch alloy wheels and P215/45R17 (with available summer tires)
The Civic Coupe gains an increase in front shoulder room.
The Civic Coupe has gained 1.2 inches in front shoulder room. Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® control buttons are included in all models except Civic DX, Civic LX and Civic HF.
Cloth upholstery is standard in most Civic models, with Civic EX-L receiving leather seating surfaces. Like the previous generation Honda Civic, the 2012 model can accommodate five passengers.
The Civic Coupe has deeper side bolsters than the Civic Sedan, and the Civic Si further increases lateral support with firmer side bolsters.
To increase storage space, Civic DX, Civic LX and Civic HF models feature a one-piece folding rear seatback, while Civic EX, Civic EX-L, and Civic Si models feature a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback.
The Civic Hybrid and Civic Natural Gas have fixed rear seatbacks.
Power windows are standard equipment on all Honda Civic models.
