2012 Honda Civic Updated Information

Honda makes a more civil Civic
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Honda decided to remake the Civic with further environmental awareness – not because of the current social climate but because that’s what Civic has stood for since its introduction in 1972.

Honda is promising the all-new 2012 Civic will better address the diverse needs of the compact car buyer when it launches in spring 2011, including a renewed commitment to fuel economy.

A component of that is aerodynamics, with the new Civic sedan’s snout bearing more than a passing resemblance to both the Insight five-door hatchback Insight hybrid and the FCX Clarity fuel-cell sedan. The coupe’s nose is pointier, with a smaller grille.

It will again be available in coupe and sedan bodystyles, both in various trim levels, and with a hybrid sedan still in the mix.

“The Civic is the only model in the industry that can deliver on all fronts – fuel economy, sporty performance, smart packaging, alternative fuel and long-term value,” said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of sales for Honda Canada Inc. “For the ninth-generation Civic, we are emphasizing improved fuel economy across the board, from the hybrid sedan to the sporty Si models.”

The Civic Hybrid sedan will come with aerodynamic components for improved efficiency as well as Honda’s ECO Assist technology, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback to promote more efficient individual driving styles. It will be available on coupe and sedan models, as well – the first such application in gasoline only models.

Its impact is considerable, with the 2012 Honda Civic sedan, for example, carrying an estimated fuel economy rating of 7.2 L/100km in the city and 5.0 on the highway (a 12% improvement on the current model).

A two percent improvement in fuel economy is also being touted for the Civic Si coupe and sedan, despite the models’ 2.4 litre four-cylinder engines (linked to new six-speed automatics?!? I do believe that they mean manual transmission) that make an anticipated 200 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque (a 22% increase).

The regular Civics get motivation from 140 hp 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, with a choice of five-speed manuals or five-speed automatics, while the Hybrid uses a 110-hp 1.5-litre “four” with a continuously variable transmission. All engines use i-VTEC, Honda’s variable valve timing and lift system) for improved power and economy.

The interior is an evolution of the current Civic’s two-tiered design, with the centre stack angled toward the driver to create a plane cockpit feeling. The steering wheel is also evolved from the current meaty tri-spoke design.

More details and final pricing for the new 2012 Civic will be announced closer to the car’s on-sale date. Civic coupes and sedans will be built at Honda’s plant in Alliston, Ont.

Summary:
Year/Make/Model
2012 Honda Civic
Trim level
Exp. DX; SE; EL; Si
Price range
not yet set
Options
leather upholstery; automatic transmission; sunroof
EnerGuide fuel economy ratings
Est. 7.2 city; 5.0 hwy (sedan)
Competitors
Chevrolet Cruze; Fiat 500; Ford Focus; Hyundai Elantra; Kia Forte; Mazda3; Mitsubishi Lancer; Nissan Sentra; Toyota Corolla; Volkswagen Jetta

Source;
http://www.autonet.ca/autos/search/newmodels/2011/02/25/17408176-autonet.html

Honda China: 2012 Honda Civic

Honda will launch the new Civic for the Chinese market on the Shanghai Auto Show in April. The Civic is made in China by the Dongfeng-Honda joint venture. Engines for China: 1.8 and 2.0. The new Civic will be listed within in May of June. On pic one early Civic seen in the Dongfeng-Honda factory.

Source (via TOV);
http://www.thetycho.com/new-honda-civic-to-be-debut-at-the-shanghai-auto-show/

A Closer look at the 2012 Honda Civic Sedan 'Concept'

2012 Honda Civic Trim Levels and Colours available for Canada

2012 Honda Civic DX Sedan Manual Transmission (no Automatic)
-Base model, not expecting Air Conditioning (?).....
NH-578 - Taffeta White with Grey Interior
NH-700M - Alabaster Silver Metallic with Grey Interior
NH-731P - Crystal Black Pearl with Grey Interior
NH-737P - new Grey with Grey Interior
B-561P - new Blue with Grey Interior

2012 Honda Civic LX Sedan Manual and Automatic Transmissions
-Expect Air, Tilt, Cruise, XM, Bluetooth, etc....
Same colours as above only adding;
R-543P - new Red with Grey Interior
YR-578M - Urban Titanium Metallic with Grey Interior

2012 Honda Civic EX Sedan Manual and Automatic Transmissions
-Expect Moonroof, etc....
Same colours as above only changing;
YR-578M - Urban Titanium Metallic with new 'GG' (???) Interior

2012 Honda Civic EX-L Navi Sedan Automatic Transmission (no Manual)
-Expect Leather, Navigation, Backup Camera?!?, etc....
Same colours as EX

2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan 6 Speed Manual Transmission (no Automatic)
-2.4Litre 200hp engine, performance version, etc....
NH-578 - Taffeta White with Black Interior
NH-731P - Crystal Black Pearl with Black Interior
NH737M - new Grey with Black Interior
B-561P - new Blue with Black Interior
YR-589P - new Orange with Black Interior

No pricing yet, and no official equipment list yet, except the fact that there is now a Civic with Navigation!

Source;
Honda Canada

Globe and Mail: Honda unveils 2012 Civic

New model will start rolling off the assembly line in April;

Just as the Honda Civic Coupe “concept” was making its Canadian premiere at the Canadian International Auto Show last week, the company released details and photos of the actual production coupe, sedan and hybrid versions, scheduled to arrive this spring in Canada.

The 2012 Civic is to start rolling off assembly lines in Alliston, Ont., and Greensburg, Indiana, in April, and it’s obvious that fuel economy will remain a calling card of this Civic, even in non-hybrid versions. Its base 1.8-litre engine will produce 140 hp, as well as fuel efficiency ratings of 7.2 litres/100 km city/5.0 highway, a 12 per cent improvement over the miserly current Civic four-door.

But Honda is also dropping a notably larger 2.4-litre engine into the Si versions of the Civic, both sedan and coupe (no hatchback yet, unfortunately). Top-end power is not much changed, at 200 hp versus 197, though the driver is most likely to feel the added torque, which is bumped up to a peak of 170 lb-ft versus the current model’s 139 lb-ft.

So the top-line performance Civic will not require as much redline-screaming for quick passing, although a new six-speed transmission for Si models may still encourage such shenanigans for fun. Even with the increased displacement and torque, fuel economy is said to be increased by 2 per cent.

For those enamoured with the rakish Ford Focus sedan or hatchback, or the similarly eye-catching Hyundai Elantra, the Civic is not going to come close to generating the style points of those two, or of the current-generation Mazda3. Redesigned for 2010, the Mazda3 was the vehicle that came closest to knocking the Civic off of its 13-year perch at the top of the Canadian car sales charts. In the long tradition of the Civic and Toyota Corolla, it's steady as she goes on the design front, lest some wayward curve offend any particular aesthetic sense anywhere in the world.

Granted, this is no major surprise, since the “concept” versions of the Civic coupe and sedans shown at the Detroit, Montreal and Toronto auto shows were clearly very near production models. Still, some may lament the loss of the concept’s striking centre-mounted exhaust, smoked grey wheels and LED fog lights didn’t make it to production.

During a visit to the Alliston plant last fall, Honda executives said the delay in rolling out a new Civic was because spiking fuel prices in 2008 convinced the company that the ’12 Civic had grown too heavy, and that it had to focus on fuel economy and stop the perpetual enlargements that have come with every new Civic generation. But other accounts say the delay was a result of a spending freeze prompted by the global financial crisis, while some reports say Honda execs saw what was coming down the pipe from other auto makers, Ford and Hyundai especially, and simply knew they had to do better.

No fuel economy estimates were released for the Civic hybrid sedan, but it will be powered by a 110 hp 1.5-litre four and a CVT, similar to the CR-Z, though with no manual option.

Source;

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/new-cars/auto-news/honda-unveils-2012-civic/article1916530/

All-New 2012 Honda Civic Emphasizes Style, Fuel Economy and Performance

02/17/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.
Featuring the widest array of engine choices available in its class, the 2012 Civic is designed to even better meet the diverse needs of the compact-vehicle buyer when it launches this spring.

The entire redesigned ninth-generation Civic lineup will become more fuel efficient with two models – the all-new Civic HF and the Civic Hybrid – each delivering fuel economy estimates of more than 40 mpg on the highway.

Built on the tradition of Honda fuel efficiency, the economical Civic HF model will be the most fuel-efficient gasoline-only powered Civic in the lineup when it launches this spring. Equipped with a 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine, the Civic HF is targeted to earn EPA-estimated fuel economy1 of 41 mpg on the highway. The 2012 Civic Hybrid, which will be outfitted for the first time with a lithium-ion battery and a larger 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, is expected to achieve an EPA-estimated city/highway combined fuel economy1 of 45 mpg, an improvement of 4 mpg compared to the current Civic Hybrid. Both the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models will be equipped with aerodynamic components for improved efficiency and Honda ECO Assist™ technology, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback to promote more efficient individual driving styles.

"The Civic is the only model in the industry that can deliver on all fronts – fuel economy, sporty performance, smart packaging, alternative fuel and long-term value," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda Motor Co.,Inc. "For the ninth-generation Civic, we are emphasizing improved fuel economy across the board, from the hybrid sedan to the sporty Si model."

In addition to the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models, the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic GX Natural Gas models are also estimated to achieve improved fuel economy compared to the current models. The Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy2 of 39 mpg on the highway, an improvement of 3 mpg when compared to the current model. The Civic Natural Gas vehicle is anticipated to earn a 7 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the current model. The Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic Natural Gas models will all be equipped with the Honda ECO Assist technology.

Along with improved fuel economy, the new Civic lineup also delivers more performance, particularly with the Civic Si. The Civic Si sedan and coupe models will be equipped with a larger, more powerful 2.4-liter engine as well as a new 6-speed manual transmission. The new engine is anticipated to deliver 200 horsepower with 170 ft-lb of torque. Even with the larger engine and a 22 percent increase in torque, Civic Si is targeted to achieve an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy1 of 31 mpg; an increase of 2 mpg when compared to the current model.

The 2012 Civic lineup includes a sedan and a coupe with conventional gasoline models, a new "HF" high fuel economy version, two sporty "Si" performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant. Additional information on the new 2012 Civic will be announced closer to the on-sale date. For more information on the current Civic and other Honda models, please visit http://www.hondanews.com/.

(Don't forget for us Canadians that these numbers are with the US Gallon vs what we use with the Imperial system, the US gallon is bigger)....
Civic HF, Sedan, Coupe and Natural Gas Specifications
140 horsepower, 1.8-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine
5-speed automatic transmission
ECO Assist technology
EPA-estimated Civic HF highway fuel economy: 41 mpg
EPA-estimated Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe highway fuel economy: 39 mpg

Civic Hybrid Specifications
110 horsepower, 1.5-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine (combined gasoline + electric)
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Lithium-ion battery
ECO Assist technology
EPA-estimated Civic Hybrid city/highway combined fuel economy: 45 mpg

Civic Si Specifications
200 horsepower and 170 lb-ft, 2.4-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine
6-speed manual transmission
EPA-estimated Civic Si highway fuel economy: 31 mpg

1Preliminary EPA mileage estimates determined by Honda. Final EPA mileage estimates not available at the time of printing. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

2Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Source;
Honda

Honda's big hopes for a new Civics generation

GREG KEENAN — AUTO INDUSTRY REPORTER
MARKHAM, ONT.— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 7:49PM EST
Last updated Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011 8:55AM EST

If Honda Canada Inc. (HMC-N43.950.150.34%) president Masahiro Takedagawa is worried about the Civic plunging out of first place in compact car sales last month, he’s not showing it.

Sales of Honda’s most important vehicle stumbled badly last month, dropping 51 per cent compared to the previous January. They sat behind sales of five other compact cars: the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus.

“January was a bit unlucky,” Mr. Takedagawa said in an interview, attributing some of the drop to snowstorms wreaking havoc on sales.

“We do also have the snow blower,” he joked. “That helps a lot.”

Honda’s snow blower is not, however, the Civic, which has been the best-selling passenger car in Canada for the past 13 years and the product that has come to define the company in this country.

While the results show just a single month of sales, the presence of cars from two of the Detroit Three auto makers ahead of the Civic is almost unheard of in the compact segment, which represents the biggest chunk of the Canadian market.

The January results underline how the competitive landscape in Canada has become tougher for Honda – and other Japan-based auto makers that have relied on compact cars – amid the rise of Hyundai, the new emphasis Ford is putting on passenger cars and GM’s rebound from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

They also come after a year that saw Honda underperform in the Canadian market. Its sales rose 1 per cent versus a 7-per-cent advance for the market as a whole, at a time when Honda was expected to benefit from the recall crisis that afflicted its arch-rival Toyota Canada Inc.
Mr. Takedagawa and other senior executives are fully aware of the competition.

“Each of our brands, while being well regarded in the Canadian marketplace, is facing significant, unique challenges which must be overcome,” Jerry Chenkin, Honda Canada’s executive vice-president, said last month in a memo to dealers of the company’s Acura luxury brand. “We must develop a more robust marketing effort to ensure that our brand messages resonate with Canadians.”

As Mr. Takedagawa put it: “Marketing, advertising, incentives, discounts; it becomes war, particularly in the compact segment.”

Honda’s immediate response to the disappointing January results was to boost advertising and slap a low interest rate incentive of 0.9-per-cent financing for up to 60 months on the Civic and the second-best seller in Honda’s lineup, the CR-V crossover utility vehicle.

A longer-term solution will arrive in April – in the form of the ninth generation of the car that launched the company’s sales in Canada in 1973.

Honda has shown only concept versions of the car so far and will do so again on Thursday at the opening of the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Mr. Takedagawa offered one detail: The wheelbase on the 2012 Civic has been shortened by 30 millimetres, providing a sportier ride.

There will be other innovations and upgrades, particularly to electronics components, he added.

“We [will] try to minimize the price increase, but enrich content,” he said in the company’s sparkling new head office in Markham, Ont., north of Toronto. “We don’t believe this is the situation to increase dramatically the price.”

He’s relying on a 22-per-cent jump in Civic sales – to 70,000 this year from 57,501 last year – to propel an overall gain in Honda’s sales to 150,000 from 141,070 in 2010.

But industry sources say the new Civic will have to be dramatically better than the Elantra, Focus, Cruze and others in the segment to generate those kinds of sales numbers.

Mr. Takedagawa also pointed to the redesigned Odyssey minivan that was introduced late last year and a new CR-V coming at the end of 2011 as other vehicles that will help boost sales.

“Everybody has a lot of new product,” said Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ont. “How do you distinguish yourself?”

As for last year, Mr. Takedagawa and Mr. Chenkin point to a shift in the market to pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles as one reason for Honda’s underperformance. That shift appears to have been driven in part by Canadians’ comfort with gas prices above $1 a litre.

“We saw some crazy advertising where a manufacturer is offering a $14,000 rebate on a pickup,” Mr. Chenkin said. “You can buy a lot of gas for $14,000.”

The CR-V and other crossovers performed well in the market shift, but Honda’s Ridgeline, a combination of pickup and SUV, doesn’t compete directly with the Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram pickups, all of which experienced double-digit sales gains last year.

Mr. Takedagawa said he spent much of last year focusing on reducing a vast oversupply of vehicles at the company’s dealers in Canada, reducing the days supply of vehicles – a key measure in the auto industry – to a healthy 56, from more than 100 last March.

Honda has also restructured its marketing and sales initiatives in Canada so that there are now three distinct brands representing Honda, Acura and the motorcycle and power business.

In addition, about 50 salaried employees and executives have opted for early retirement after the company offered such incentives for the first time in its history in Canada.
______
THE NINE LIVES OF THE HONDA CIVIC
1972
First generation
The car that started the Honda ride in Canada in 1973 offered great fuel economy at a time of soaring gas prices, based on its four-cylinder engine, light weight and front-wheel drive.
Canadian sales, 1972: 747
––––
1979
Second generation
The 1979 redesign included a new version of the fuel-efficient CVCC engine, plus four-door sedan and station wagon versions of the subcompact.
Canadian sales, ’79: 19,880
––––
1983
Third generation
The boxy 1983 Civic had more interior space and came in three-door, four-door and five-door versions.
Canadian sales, ‘83: 18,903
––––
1987
Fourth generation
By 1987, Honda was offering five different engines and a double-wishbone suspension. The auto maker began assembling the car in Alliston, Ont., that year and added a second shift of workers in 1988.
Canadian sales, ‘87: 25,831
––––
1991
Fifth generation
Styling changed dramatically in 1991. A new VTEC engine replaced the CVCC, including a 170-horsepower version.
Canadian sales, ‘91: 50,320
––––
1995
Sixth generation
The sixth generation, available beginning in 1995, offered evolutionary changes in styling and included the option of a variable speed automatic transmission.
Canadian sales, ‘95: 33,386
––––
2000
Seventh generation
The Civic continued to get bigger with a 2000 redesign. By now, it was competing in the compact segment in North America.
Canadian sales, 2000: 60,407
––––
2006
Eighth generation
By 2006, Civic is much more global, tailored to different tastes in different markets and being produced at a Honda plant in China for the first time.
Canadian sales, ‘08: 72,463, an annual Canadian sales record.
––––
2012
Ninth generation
The 2012 version will start rolling off assembly lines in Alliston and Greensburg, Ind., in April. There are 930,000 Civics still on the road in Canada, representing about 4 per cent of the existing Canadian fleet of 22.3 million vehicles. Cumulative Canadian sales total 1,569,465 since 1973.
Greg Keenan

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/hondas-big-hopes-for-a-new-civics-generation/article1907083/page2/

2012 Honda Civic spotted on a Transport Truck in Japan (w/pic's from a Brazil site)

Looking at the front end you really have to look to realize that this is a full redesign, rear end and side profile is definately all new, looking forward to seeing the interior....

Source;

http://www.noticiasautomotivas.com.br/exclusivo-novo-civic-2012-em-cegonha-no-japao/

Temple of Vtec Find: ~200hp 2.4L For Civic Si Confirmed, R18 for other 2012 Civics

Interesting, glad to hear the Si will get the 2.4l but I'd like to see more than the 200hp, say something like 225hp or more....
As we get closer to the FMC (Full Model Change) of the 2012 Civic, we've been hearing a little bit more about the updated engine family. First of all, the K24 that we've been telling you about for nearly a year is locked in. We've known about it for a long while, and we've also understood that it will be very similar to the TSX's K24 (complete with the tuner-unfriendly cast-in exhaust manifold), but the question mark has been "how much power will it develop?". Assuming our sources are correct, the upsized engine will be rated very close in power output to the current K20Z3. We don't know the exact number but it sounds like the rating is going to be in the range of 200-205hp. Obviously, with 20% more displacement we can expect the torque output to be significantly better than what the K20 delivers; it will likely in the neighborhood of 170lb-ft, as it is with the TSX.

In other Civic engine news, we're hearing that the non-Si Civic models will march forward with the same fuel-sipping 1.8L R18 engine that was introduced with the 8th generation models. We don't currently have any information concerning potential changes to the rated output but you can bet Honda will figure out a way to squeeze more fuel efficiency from it.

The 2012 Civic will appear in showrooms in the April/May 2011 timeframe.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=955174

2012 Honda Civic Interior

Here's a good shot of what the Next Gen Honda Civic's interior will look like....

2012 Honda Civic Concept Video

Car and Driver: Honda Civic Si Coupe and Civic Sedan Concepts - Auto Shows

And now for car and driver's take....

This pair of Detroit concepts point directly to the next-gen 2012 Civic, which will come in regular, Si, hybrid, and natural-gas versions.
BY TONY SWAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY AND THE MANUFACTURER January 2011

The Honda Civic, a perennial compact bestseller, is being readied for a major makeover, and this is essentially what the coupe and sedan will look like when they go on sale this spring as 2012 models. We say essentially, because the cars unveiled at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit—coupe and sedan body styles—were presented as concepts.

This is typical Honda preview tease, but aside from the 19-inch wheels and some minor exterior trim, the concepts are very faithful representatives of the production cars’ styling. Clearly, Honda was going for an evolutionary take on the current Civic’s shape. Also typical of Honda preview, very little substance accompanied the showbiz reveal ceremony. No specifications, no price info.

Insider Tips and Guesstimating
However, we do have some insider hints regarding these preview princesses, as well as some educated guesses. Honda verified that these cars will actually be slightly smaller than the old models, and lighter, too; our guesswork has us figuring on updates in chassis rigidity, improved aerodynamics, improved crashworthiness, more refinement, and continued high marks for fun-to-drive.

What we do know about powertrains and model availability: The sedan and coupe will both be available in workaday variants, and the Si coupe concept shown here clearly heralds the return of that hopped-up model. Honda also said that the 2012 Civic sedan will come in three additional flavors: Si, hybrid, and natural-gas.

The hybrid will upgrade to lithium-ion batteries (from NiMH) and the latest version of Big H’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system, and the availability of the natural-gas Civic GX will be broadened to cover the entire country. (The current GX is available only in Oklahoma, Utah, New York, and California.) No detail was given on the base or Si models’ i-VTEC gas engines or transmissions, although Honda did say they’d be more fuel-efficient. We figure on evolutionary changes yielding small power increases, plus five- and six-speed manual transmissions and a new six-speed automatic in place of the old five-speeder.

It will be a while before Honda reveals any pricing info, but we estimate a base sticker of about $17,000 for the entry sedan and coupe, soaring to over $25K for top-spec trims. Hot-rod Si models will probably start at a little over $23,000.

This will be the ninth generation of Honda’s Civic line, which dates to 1973. Although it constantly battles Toyota’s Corolla in the compact sales charts, the Civic’s blend of thrifty operation, durability, innovation, value, and lively dynamics have made it a long-time Car and Driver favorite and a five-time 10Best winner. We’re looking forward to seeing if this latest one picks up the mantle.

Source;

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q1/honda_civic_si_coupe_and_civic_sedan_concepts-auto_shows

2011 North American Auto Show: 2012 Honda Civic Coupe Si Concept

Honda dusted off concept versions of the ninth generation Civic Coupe and Sedan at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show today, and the automaker says that along with mildly updated exteriors, both vehicles will wear improved interiors compared to the current-generation Civic. Judging from the history of Honda concepts, there's a good chance that the production versions of both the four and two-door Civics will be very similar to the vehicles you see above. That means that the Civic Coupe will wear styling influenced heavily by the current Accord Coupe.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/10/detroit-2011-honda-civic-coupe-and-sedan-concepts-are-visions-o/