The name remains the same,
but as far as the new Civic is concerned that’s just about the only link
with previous generations of Honda’s most successful car ever in Europe.
Rather than simply meet
expectations for the seventh generation of the Civic, Honda decided from the
outset that it would raise the stakes with an all-new design -a Civic for the
21st Century.
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Like its predecessor, the
new Civic will be built in the UK, at Honda’s Swindon factory. The new
model benefits from a completely fresh look, with highly innovative packaging
making it one of the most spacious cars in its class. Beneath the skin a raft
of new features and advanced technologies ensure the 2001 Civic is one of the
most significant new generations since the model’s inception nearly three
decades ago.
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| The new 2001 Honda Civic |
‘Short nose’
concept and flat floor interior
One of the prime challenges
for the designers of the new Civic 5-door was to increase interior space while
retaining the compact nature and nimble handling of earlier generations. While
retaining the same width as before, the new Civic is slightly shorter and significantly
taller than its predecessor. Yet despite the reduction in overall length, there
is substantially more usable room in the cabin, reflecting the fact that Honda
designed the Civic ‘from the inside-out’.
Clever packaging is the
key to the Civic’s outstanding interior space. An extended wheelbase ‘pushes’
the wheels further out towards the corners of the body, resulting in shorter
front and rear overhangs. Together with a ‘short nose’ design, achievable
thanks to new front suspension, a high-mounted steering rack and a compact engine
bay, this frees up more space inside the cabin for occupants and luggage.
In addition, a new, compact
suspension set-up at the rear combines with clever underfloor packaging – including
a resin fuel tank that has been moulded to fill the space available -to give
a flat cabin floor without the intrusion of a central tunnel.
Class-leading interior
space
The result of Honda’s
efforts is a package that leaves competitor models trailing on interior space.
A key indicator of the spaciousness of any car is the tandem distance (measured
between the hip points of front and rear passengers). In the case of the Civic
this distance is 1010 mm, 100 mm greater than the previous model and far surpassing
any competitor. In tandem with a relatively high roof, this ensures Civic 5-door
driver and passengers enjoy a light, airy environment.
Strong exterior styling
The Civic 5-door’s
styling is fresh and innovative with a strong sense of solidity and refinement.
Closer to a ‘one-box’ design than previous generations, its distinctive
front end is characterised by the short nose. The arching roofline defines a
large glass area that ensures excellent visibility, but while roof height has
been increased, visually it is not excessive and falls midway between standard
C-segment hatchbacks and compact MPVs.
Safety to Euro-NCAP 4-star
standards including pedestrian impact
Class-leading crash safety
was a primary design objective for the new Civic. Although the car has yet to
undergo Euro-NCAP testing, it is expected to achieve a 4-star rating for both
front and side collision and pedestrian safety. The ‘short nose’ design
was a true engineering challenge in this context; the issue was resolved by
effectively splitting impact energy along parallel paths – the high stiffness
front side members and the sub-frame beneath. Elsewhere, the bodyshell features
extensive stiffening, with high strength steel used to provide an impressively
strong structure. Overall body rigidity is also increased over the previous
model, improving NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) and suspension refinement.
High levels of refinement
New Civic drivers and passengers
will enjoy a relaxing, spacious cabin and exceptional refinement. Extensive
use of noise suppression materials, careful co-ordination of colours and textures,
larger front seats and greater all-round accommodation all combine with a more
supple ride to make travel a particularly pleasant experience.
Fascia-mounted gear lever
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| Honda has adopted a fascia-mounted gear lever in the Civic 5-door |
For the first time in a
production car, Honda has adopted a fascia-mounted gear lever in the Civic 5-door.
It will also feature in the 3-door. The position of the gear lever has been
carefully considered to ensure it feels perfectly natural in everyday driving.
The lever’s proximity to the steering wheel makes gear shifting more convenient
and safe but does not detract from the change having a sporty feel. In addition,
its position frees up floor space, which together with the flat floor means
the Civic offers front-to-rear and left-to-right ‘walk-through’ access.
Superb fit and finish
One of the most tangible
indications of the new Civic’s enhanced quality is the extremely close
tolerances accomplished with the body panels, which greatly improves fit and
finish appearance. Achieved in large part through new and advanced manufacturing
techniques, the tighter tolerances have resulted in most gaps being halved,
and in some cases reduced almost to zero.
Attention to detail is apparent
both inside and out. Flush surfaces and reduced gaps for superior interior fit
and finish complement a higher grade of materials to impart an air of high quality.
Refinement mirrors build
quality and NVH characteristics have been targeted in all areas – engine noise
under acceleration, for example, is reduced by 3 dB(A). The Civic benefits from
a raft of sound-deadening measures including sophisticated engine mountings,
high body rigidity, rubber mat insulators and urethane foam.
Versatile load bay
In addition to generous
occupant space, the new Civic 5-door is more versatile than ever when it comes
to carrying luggage. Boot capacity of 370 litres (VDA) can be increased to 732
litres (VDA -rear seat folded, to window line). The double folding rear seat
features a 60:40 split, and in conjunction with the wide-opening tailgate offers
outstanding load carrying ability and flexibility.
1.4 and 1.6 litre engines
offer sophisticated engineering solutions
Two new, highly efficient
16-valve four-cylinder engines provide power. Some 10% lighter than their predecessors,
both have been engineered for greater torque and therefore improved driving
flexibility. The SOHC units are also more refined, more economical and are cleaner
than previously.
The smaller, 1.4 litre engine
produces the same 90 PS (66 kW) as the outgoing unit, but this power is delivered
at a lower 5,800 rpm. More importantly, torque is boosted from 126 Nm at 4,600
rpm to 130 Nm at 4,300 rpm.
Maximum torque from the
110 PS (81 kW) 1.6 litre VTEC II engine is equally impressive. Now 152 Nm at
4,300rpm, it is a significant improvement on the 143 Nm developed at 4,800 rpm
of the 1.6 litre unit in the previous Civic 5-door.
Sparkling performance
and improved fuel economy
Aided by the new Civic’s
aerodynamic body shape, this translates into sparkling performance figures and
improved fuel consumption. The entry-level 1.4-litre model (manual transmission)
dispatches the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in 12.1 seconds and is capable of reaching
108mph. The figures for the equivalent 1.6-litre model are respectively 114mph
and 10.4 seconds.
Fuel economy figures are
still to be confirmed, but Honda internal testing has shown improvements of
at least 10% across some cycles.
Emissions
Both engines substantially
exceed EU2000 emissions requirements. In addition, in some markets that benefit
from relevant tax breaks, the Civic complies with the stringent EU2005 levels
which are not mandatory for a further 5 years.
Manual and automatic
transmissions
Both engines can be matched
to either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions, in all but the
entry-level 1.4i S model. The electronically controlled automatic, with extended
torque converter lock-up for greater economy, features improved shift precision
and incorporates Grade Logic, Honda’s intelligent ratio selecting system.
The manual transmission has been designed to give drivers shorter, more precise
shifting.
New suspension front
and rear
Front and rear suspensions
are all-new, and deliver enhanced ride quality and sportier handling, in addition
to endowing the packaging benefits already described. Toe control link MacPherson
struts have been selected for the front suspension, while at the rear a new
reactive link double wishbone set-up provides rear wheel toe-in under braking
for greater stability. Ride comfort has been improved by reducing the spring
rates of the front and rear compliance bushings, while overall suspension rigidity
is increased for better control and stability. Larger, 15 inch wheels on 1.6-litre
models aid comfort and are fitted with low rolling resistance tyres for better
fuel economy. Alloy wheels are standard on SE Executive versions of the new
Civic.
Electric Power Steering
(EPS)
The new Civic is Honda’s
first volume model in Europe to feature Electric Power Steering (EPS) the benefits
of which include enhanced fuel economy, programming flexibility and smoother
operation. Similar to the system in the Honda Insight, EPS features a steering
gearbox mounted in a high, central position and long tie-rods that allow improved
toe control. In fact, the characteristics of the toe control link MacPherson
strut front suspension are more akin to those of a double wishbone design. Improved
balance between front and rear roll centres, modified steering gear ratio and
a more linear steering response combine to provide the Civic driver with an
outstanding level of control and feel.
Safe and secure
A comprehensive package
of anti-theft equipment together with a body structure that is easier to repair
than its predecessor is expected to lead to lower insurance ratings. These are
currently under assessment by the ABI.
Recyclability
The new Civic offers a high
level of recyclability, with 98 per cent of the plastics used in the interior
able to be reprocessed and reused. This is something of a milestone in car production
terms and a further indication of Honda’s progress in this area.
