Honda Civic 2001 - A matter of Civic sense

The new 2001 Civic is the seventh generation model from Honda. Since its debut in 1972 over 15 million Civics have been produced, in 12 countries worldwide, and it is now sold in over 140 countries. The Civic is a mainstay of Honda Motor Company's business as it represents over 30% of the Japanese company's total production with over 700,000 units annually.

For the Middle East the first 2001 models will be the 4-door but the 2 and 5-door models will follow later on. At the recent unveiling of the 2001 Civic range the General Manager of Honda Middle East, Mr Hiroshi Toda said 'The 2001 model was based on Civic's original concept of being a car for the citizens of the world. It illustrates our philosophy of 'man maximum, machine minimum' which has served the Civic well for the past three decades.'

There are many new and impressive features in the 2001 range of Civic models and perhaps one of the most noticeable is the flat floor in the rear of the car, thus enabling rear seat passengers unprecedented spaciousness and room to relax. The 'cab forward' styling also contributes to the larger interior space of the car as well as giving the style of the 2001 model a decidedly different look, whilst still retaining the Civic characteristics.

The trunk area is much larger, again thanks to flat floor technology; it is 14 cm wider between the wheel arches than its predecessor and has a capacity of 438 litres. The new model has new suspension set ups front and rear. In the front Honda have changed from double wishbone type to a high performance MacPherson strut and at the rear there is a newly designed Reactive Link Double Wishbone system that allows the seats to be set further back in the car for greater riding comfort. The new plastic fuel tank contributes to weight-saving and improved power to weight ratio.

The Civic comes with a choice of engines, the 1.5 litre SOHC unit 110 bhp at 5,800 rpm and the 1.7 VTEC SOHC unit producing 130 bhp at 6,300 rpm. The VTEC mechanism on this engine closes off one intake valve during low and mid-range engine speeds to realise higher fuel economy. Then at higher speeds the intake valve becomes operational to assist in the sporty performance and powerful acceleration from the engine.

Thanks to the use of new materials the weight of the engines has been reduced by 10% and this also assists in obtaining better fuel consumption. Civic owners have a choice of a synchronised 5-speed manual gearbox of a 4-speed automatic transmission on all models. The electronically controlled automatic transmission is the same type as that first introduced on the Honda Legend two years ago.

Honda engineers have spent time and money on the body to improve the torsional rigidity by over 50%. The new bodyshell uses High Tension steel for safety and rigidity by 51% of total weight of the body. A welcome by-product of the work done on the body and chassis is a reduction in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels, by 6 decibels, to that of a luxury car many times larger than the Civic.

Inside the car prospective buyers will note even more interesting and appealing features. The seats have been redesigned larger as a European style to accommodate larger people than usually found in the Far East! There are various storage spaces conveniently positioned including cup holders able to take 500cc PET bottles. The VTi, top of range model, has a keyless entry system and there is an optional sunroof available on the EX1 and VTi models.

One of the more pleasing aspects of the interior is the instrument panel with its '4-eye' layout enhancing the car's sporty image. The instruments are clear and easy to read with an unobstructed view through the upper half of the steering wheel. The front console on the dash houses the audio and climate control system switches and knobs. The two-tone interior that is used on the seats and interior panels further enhances the sporty image of the car and also creates a very pleasing and 'easy on the eye' appearance.

The safety of the occupants is also provided to a high level with dual front airbags, on the VTi, which also has ABS and EBD as standard equipment. 3-point ELR seat belts are provided for the front passengers and two of the seats in the rear. The centre rear passenger has a 2-point belt for his use.

Driving Impressions

The most lasting impression one gets after driving the new Honda 2001 Civic is the effortless acceleration and quiet high-speed cruising performance. The gearchanges through the 4-speed automatic transmission are 'seamless' thanks to the electronically controlled system in the gearbox. There is virtually no shift-shock noticeable and even when changing down using the shift lever the system retains a very smooth operation.

The handling of the car is excellent and the new suspension systems. front and rear, certainly work extremely well and give a better ride than in previous models - and they already pretty good! The car steers exactly where you point it and the power-assisted steering is very light and positive in all driving conditions - in the city and on the highway.

There is brisk purposefulness about the new Honda Civic like a young thoroughbred that has just been let out of its stall and is eager to show off its pace and please its rider. The Civic is a car for all drivers. For those who drive sedately and quietly and for those who enjoy the pleasure of driving by using the sporty levels of performance to the full.

There is no doubt in my mind that the 2001 Honda Civic will continue the success story of the previous six generations and remain a force to be reckoned with in the highly competitive compact sedan segment of the local UAE and world markets.