50 Years of the Honda Civic
It would be easy to argue that the original Honda Civic’s success stemmed from being in the right place at the right time, launched in 1972 as the serendipitous antidote to the oil crisis that would follow the year after.
Perhaps the greater achievement, though, is that Honda’s most famous four-wheeled creation has managed to adapt to a changing world, constantly ensuring it was the product people wanted, when they wanted it, for an incredible 50 years.
The first Civics that rolled off the line in July 1972 were powered by a 1169cc four-cylinder unit with just 50hp, while the CVCC engine that followed in ’73 was so efficient it didn’t require a catalytic converter to meet the EPA’s emissions standards, and could therefore run on either leaded or unleaded fuel. It was ahead of the curve in other ways, too, featuring power disc brakes, all-round independent suspension, and even the option of air conditioning.
Fellow Japanese brands Nissan and Toyota were already doing a roaring trade in 1970s Britain, so it’s perhaps no surprise Honda should find themselves pushing at an open door with their new Civic. Its ability to achieve 48mpg meant it rapidly found favour in post-oil crisis America, too.
They did, however, develop something of a reputation for rust. The US importer was forced to offer a programme of replacements, reimbursements and buy-backs after Civics barely out of warranty appeared at salt-belt dealerships with near-catastrophic corrosion. In the end, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall for nearly a million Hondas after suspension arms and critical safety structures were found to have been seriously weakened.
The second generation model arrived in 1979, and ushered in a choice of body styles, from three- and five-door hatchbacks to a practical wagon and a traditional saloon. The latter – rebranded as the Triumph Acclaim – would go on to become the first Japanese car manufactured within the EEC as a way of bypassing a voluntary import limit, and would establish the long-running relationship with British Leyland that would underpin much of Rover’s strategy well into the 1990s.
The third and fourth generations introduced the angular but highly practical ‘bread van’ body shape, as well as the rakish and sporty two-door CRX that was said to have been inspired by the designer’s Alfa Romeo Junior Z.
But it’s perhaps the sixth generation that saw the most famous Civic variant introduced. Bearing the Type R badge already made famous by the Integra and NSX, the EK9 Civic’s strengthened bodyshell, close ratio transmission, 182hp VTEC engine, and almost obsessive weight-loss programme guaranteed it a place in the history books the moment it was launched in 1997. The noise it made as it neared the 8,400rpm redline only cemented its place there still further. The EP3, based on the seventh generation Civic and launched in 2001, did nothing to diminish that appeal.
At nearly every point during the last half century, one could stroll into a Honda dealership and find a Civic that suited your needs. Whether that was an economy-minded shopping car, or a hard-edged, redline-hungry racer for the road, the Civic had it covered.
It’s not hard to see why Honda has sold more than 27 million of them.
Can you think of another iconic Honda model better than the Civic? Let us know in the comments below.
