Civic Full Model Change Announced

September 13, 2000, Japan

Automobile

Tokyo, September 13, 2000 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a full model change for its Civic series of automobiles, which has enjoyed a cumulative production of 13.3 million*1 units and found popularity in 140 countries worldwide since its July 1972 debut. The all new Civic will go on sale September 14, 2000, at Honda Primo dealerships in Japan The seventh-generation Civic represents a full return to the Civic's original concept of being "a car for the citizens of the world." Carrying on the "Man Maximum, Machine Minimum" philosophy that has been a Honda tradition since the first-generation Civic, the new Civics are based on a concept called "Smart Compact." Specifically, development focused on maximizing interior space, offering excellent fuel economy and driving comfort, realizing good safety performance for vehicle occupants and pedestrians alike, and offering clean-running, environment-friendly performance, all geared to set new benchmarks for cars in the compact class.

  • *1Cumulative production as of June 2000 (Honda data)
Civic iE

Civic iE

Civic Ferio iE

Civic Ferio iE

Smart Compact: A New Standard in Compact Cars for the 21st Century

Smart Utility - Riding comfort and a spacious cabin
The achievement of a completely flat floor contributes to a spacious, comfortable interior cabin that allows walk-through.

Smart Design - Good balance of interior space design and exterior styling
Styling gives form to a short-nosed front end and large interior cabin space.

Smart Driving - High-level driving performance and fuel economy
A VTEC engine and a Honda MultiMatic transmission with improved linearity combine exhilarating driving with 20km/liter fuel economy that is the highest in the 1.5-liter class.

Honda G-Control Technology - World-class safety performance
In addition to conducting 50km/h car-to-car collision safety performance testing, Honda has also integrated body features designed to reduce pedestrian injuries.

Primary Features of the New Civic & Civic Ferio

Packaging

  • By minimizing mechanical component space, maximizing interior space through a short-nosed design, and achieving a completely flat floor, the new Civics realize unprecedented interior spaciousness and comfort (rear seat passengers can even relax and cross their legs) that will completely revolutionize the image of compact cars.
  • In addition to a compact engine, a newly developed high-performance strut-type front suspension with simplified construction and a high-mounted steering gear box have been used to achieve a short-nosed design without sacrificing running or safety performance.
  • Chassis components beneath the floor have been redesigned for a better layout that means the interior floor is completely flat, ensuring sufficient ceiling height and aiding smoother entrance and exit into and out of the vehicle.
  • A Rear Active Link Double Wishbone Suspension newly designed for compactness allows the rear seats to be positioned farther back, resulting in a more spacious, flat-floored backseat area offering greater riding comfort.

Exterior

  • The Civic offers flowing, elegant styling characterized by solidity and a feeling of dynamism.
  • The Civic Ferio features a design and styling that maintains the essential image expected of a sedan while at the same time integrating a refreshing sense of sportiness.
  • Fit-and-finish quality has been thoroughly improved to minimize gap and flushness tolerances to unprecedented levels of precision.

Interior

  • Seats have been redesigned to be larger and with a more comfortable low-rebound urethane foam that resists sitting fatigue. Seatback grips have been positioned 20mm higher and made from hard urethane foam to improve gripping ease.
  • Various storage spaces are positioned conveniently, including cup holders able to accommodate 500ml plastic bottles
  • Keyless entry system with "welcome" lamp.
  • Optional smoked-glass sunroof offers a new slim construction 25.8mm thinner than that on the previous model.
  • Manufacturers' option Honda Navigation System includes 6-inch wide screen and integrated AV functions.

Civic Ferio interior features

  • Door grips with sporty styling, soft-fabric inner door finishes, seats with strongly vertical designs, and a round-feeling, wrap-around interior space design produces a calm, comfortable interior.
  • Instrument panel-mounted shift lever enables center walk-through.
  • Varied-shape meters in a "3-eye" layout have been integrated smoothly into the instrument panel to offer an enhanced sense of unity.
  • Tailgate has been set to open to a height of 1,880mm to allow uncramped access by taller users when loading and unloading cargo, while still allowing shorter users to easily reach the pull-pocket.
  • Cargo space with five people aboard is 370 liters*2, which may be increased to a maximum 732 liters*3 if the 6:4 split rear seats are folded down.

Civic interior features

  • Seats with strongly vertical designs and two-tone color coordination combine to enhance the "sporty sedan" image surrounding the car.
  • Extra-large "4-eye" layout meter panel enhances the car's sporty image.
  • Large-capacity 450-liter*4 trunk space (expanded 40 liters*5 compared to the previous model) and an enlarged trunk opening allow easier loading and unloading of large cargo items such as golf bags and suitcases.
  • *2VDA measuring method (Honda data)
  • *3VDA measuring method (Honda data)
  • *4VDA measuring method (Honda data)
  • *5VDA measuring method (Honda data)

Dynamic Performance

Engines

1.5-liter VTEC lean-burn engine (Civic iE; Civic Ferio iE)

1.5-liter VTEC engine (Civic G, G4; Civic Ferio L4)

1.5-liter SOHC engine (Civic B; Civic Ferio B, B4)

Honda has developed a new lean-burn engine with the Company's unique VTEC (variable valve-timing & lift electronic control system) technology at the core. Multi-hole injectors assist the fine misting of the fuel-air mixture, while a new swirl port closes the intake valve on one side during low- and mid-range operation to ensure fuel supply constantly matched to driving conditions. Moreover, combustion chamber shape has also been optimized and the compression ratio increased to further assist in achieving high- combustion efficiency. Coupled with an efficient Honda MultiMatic transmission in the main-selling iE versions, the engine achieves impressive fuel economy ratings of 20km/liter*6 for the Civic Ferio iE and 19.4km/liter*7 for the Civic iE.

1.7-liter VTEC engine (Civic X, X4; Civic Ferio RS)
The VTEC mechanism closes off one intake valve during low- and mid-range engine speeds to realize high fuel economy. Furthermore, at these speeds the engine also maintains strong torque resulting in highly responsive driving. This arrangement also makes for powerful acceleration and sporty running performance.

  • Hydraulic engine mounts effectively minimize engine vibrations.
  • *6Fuel economy in the 10-15 mode
  • *7Fuel economy in the 10-15 mode

Transmissions

Honda MultiMatic (Civic X, iE; Civic Ferio RS, iE)
Honda has revised its MultiMatic CVT for improved feeling of linearity during acceleration and higher fuel economy. The new model also dramatically improves the feeling of engine braking when the accelerator pedal is released.

Electronically Controlled Automatic Transmission (Civic G, B, X4, G4)
This automatic transmission incorporates an active lock-up mechanism to improve fuel economy without sacrificing drivability.

  • The Civic Ferio RS features enhanced tuning and a 5-speed manual transmission designed to appeal to users preferring sportier performance.

Body

  • Torsion and bending rigidity have been improved significantly through the use of body frame parts with larger cross sections, the addition of stiffeners, and the reinforcement of joints and connection points, resulting in a highly stable driving feel.
  • Noise- and vibration-reducing measures include the strategic placement of various kinds of materials to block and/or absorb noise and vibration throughout the car, and to block noise penetration and absorb noise and vibration coming from the engine and road.

Chassis

  • Front Toe Control Link Strut Suspension combines efficient use of space with good driving stability.
  • Rear Reactive Link Double Wishbone Suspension contributes to expanded rear seat space and trunk capacity.
  • EPS (electronically controlled power steering) provides superb steering feeling while contributing to lower fuel economy, resulting in high-running stability and greater comfort.

Safety Performance

  • The Civic and Civic Ferio both feature newly developed bodies incorporating Honda's G-CON impact-absorption technology, helping bring their safety performance during collisions up to meet the highest standards in the world. Crash testing included frontal full-wrap collision at 55km/h, frontal offset collision at 64km/h, side collision at 55km/h, and rear collision at 50km/h.
  • Further, Honda also conducted car-to-car collision testing*8 using independently set objectives based on careful study of the vastly stricter conditions compact cars are realistically subjected to during actual accidents.
  • Body-design measures to reduce pedestrian injury were expanded to offer lower body and leg protection in addition to head protection, further advancing pedestrian safety.
  • Driver- and front passenger-side SRS airbags are included as standard equipment on all versions, with front-seat i-side airbags available as an option.
  • ISOFIX child seat restraint anchorage system for both the left and right rear seats is included as standard equipment on all versions.
  • *8Collision vehicle: up to 2-ton class passenger car; mutual collision speed: 50km/h; offset: 50%

Environmental Measures

  • Significant reduction of harmful and polluting exhaust gas components (HC, NOx) has resulted in emissions values 50% lower than levels stipulated by 2000 regulations. This extremely clean-running performance has been recognized with the Japanese Ministry of Transportation's "Low Emissions Excellence" award.
  • Fuel economy for Civic iE is 19.4km/liter*9 for the Civic Ferio iE and 20km/liter*10 for the Civic iE, both top in the class.
  • All front-wheel drive types are already in compliance with emissions standards set for 2010.
  • Recycling has been taken into account from the development stages, resulting in recyclability of nearly all interior parts and materials and a 90% or higher recyclability rate for the car as a whole.
  • *9Fuel economy in the 10-15 mode
  • *10Fuel economy in the 10-15 mode