The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord. It was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door model, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With the transverse engine mounting of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Early models of the Civic typically included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. As the years went by, it has become much more upscale with options such as air conditioning, power locks, power windows, leather upholstery, satellite-linked navigation, and a six-speed manual transmission. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type-R, Civic GTi and Civic SiR. The Civic has been rebadged for international markets with such models as the Honda Ballade and Honda Domani/Acura EL. The Civic platform also served as the basis for the CR-X sport compact, the CR-X del Sol targa convertible, and the CR-V compact SUV. As of 2006, a total of 16.5 million Civics had been sold worldwide, with 7.3 million of them in the United States. By 2010, Civic has been the top-selling car in Canada for thirteen years. With high gas prices and a weak economy in June 2008, the Civic supplanted the Ford F-Series to become the top-selling vehicle in the United States for that month. In Japan, production of non-hybrid Civic for domestic market ended in August 2010, production of Civic hybrid for home market ended in December 2010. In recent years, customers shifted to minivans and compact cars like Honda Fit. Honda launched Fit hybrid in October in Japan. However, production of Civic and Civic hybrid for export markets will continue.
Audi R8 V10 v Honda Civic Type R Mugen - autocar.co.uk
The first generation Honda Civic was introduced in 1972, but sold as a 1973 model. Equipped with a 1,169 cc (71.3 cu in) four-cylinder engine, the first generation Civic was designed to compete with American compact vehicles and offered features such as front power disc brakes and reclining vinyl bucket seats and AM radio. The Civic was available as a coupe, both a three- and a five-door hatchback, as well as a five-door station wagon. Due to the 1973 oil crisis, consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles was high.The second generation Honda Civic was introduced in 1980. It was larger, had a more angular shape, and came with increased engine power. All Civic engines now used the CVCC design, which added a 3rd valve per cylinder; this introduced lean burn swirl technology. The base 1335 cc ("1300") engine made 55 hp (41 kW), with an optional 1488 cc ("1500") engine giving 67 hp (50 kW). Three transmissions were offered: a four-speed manual (on base models), a five-speed manual, and a two-speed semi-automatic that was unique to the industry.The third generation was released in 1984. The separate five-door hatchback and wagon models were merged into a four-door "shuttle wagon" or "wagovan" sometimes referred to colloquially as a "breadbox" due to its appearance. An additional two-seat coupe style—labeled CRX—was introduced, noted for its compact dimensions and light weight. The third generation Civic saw the introduction of the long running four-cylinder D series engine including a new 1.5 L (91.5 cu in) CVCC engine. 1984 also saw the release of a high-performance Si model for the Japanese market, featuring upgraded suspension and the 1.6 L (97.6 cu in) DOHC ZC engine which was rated at 130 PS. Si models were offered in the US as a 3-door Civic Si hatchback and the CRX Si variant with a 91 horsepower (68 kW) fuel injected SOHC 12-valve engine. A 4WD engine with different transmission mounts was introduced for the first time in 1984, and later upgraded in 1987. It delivered a fuel economy commensurate with today's AWD SUVs of around 28mpg highway. The AWD system was push-button operated and called "realtime" because it could be engaged and disengaged while driving. The manual transmission featured a synchronized 6th gear, called "SL," which was used for very low speeds. For 1988 the Civic was redesigned with increased dimensions and a lower hood line. A wide range of models and trim levels were offered for various markets around the world. The most notable of which include The Japanese market SiR, the European VTi (both featuring the new B16A DOHC VTEC engine), the UK/European 1.6i-16 (DOHC D16A9 engine) and the New Zealand market GTi (featuring full leather interior and a tuned version of the successful SOHC D16A7 engine). All U.S. models featured electronic fuel injection, but carbureted models were still available elsewhere. The fourth generation saw the introduction of a fully independent rear suspension across the entire model range.[Introduced in 1992, the redesigned Civic featured increased dimensions, as well as more aerodynamic styling. The wagon variant was now only available in the Japanese market where the previous generation wagon was carried over until 1995. The efficiency of the previous HF model was replaced by the VX hatchback which, with an EPA rating of 48/55 MPG, was Honda's most fuel efficient model sold at the time. In North America the Si featured a SOHC VTEC valve train, where as the VX featured the VTEC-E. The Japanese Si featured a DOHC non-VTEC valve train D16A9. In New Zealand the powerful Civic GTi was revised. Continuing in the sporty tradition of the original Civic SiR, Honda sold several similarly equipped variants of the fifth generation car, still referred to as the Civic SiR, in Japan, Asia, and Europe.
The sixth generation featured updated styling although less radical than previous redesigns. Suspension and engine options were their first Natural Gas Powered Civic, the GX. In 1996-2000 they made the EX, DX, LX, HX, CX, Si; all base models were made with 1.6L engines. The EX-CX are all SOHC (D16) and the popular Si is a DOHC (B16A2) The first civic SI coupe EM1 was introduced in 1999.The seventh generation was released in 2001. While the redesign retained the previous generation's exterior dimensions, interior space was improved in part by using a flat rear floor thus bumping up Civic to a compact car size segment. The front suspension was changed from that of a double wishbone to a MacPherson strut, in order to lower costs, as well as allow more engine bay room for the newly introduced Honda K-series engine. Power was also increased on some trim levels.For the 2006 generation Honda split the model into two different platforms, one primarily for the home market and North America and the other designed for the European market using a simpler rear suspension from the Honda Fit and more aggressive styling. Although the North American and the home market model differ externally, they are mechanically identical. The European model is available as a three and five-door hatchback while the Japanese/North American model is available as either sedan or coupe. Both Si and Type-R trim levels continue although the Japanese and European Type-R while sharing the same size engine are mechanically different. In the US an improved version of the Si tuned by Honda tuner Mugen is offered featuring cosmetic alterations and changes to the suspension and exhaust system. The Acura version of the Civic not only received the design change, but also saw a new nameplate, changing from the Acura EL to the Acura CSX.For 2009, the Civic received a minor face lift, including a slight redesign to the front and rear. The exterior changes include a new honeycomb-designed grill in the front, as well as revised wheels, with many more spokes than the original five-spoke rims, and a bar of chrome trim above the license plate area for the sedan. The chrome strip where the Honda front logo is was also refined with sharper edges on both ends. The design for the area of the grill where the fog lights are placed was also slightly revised to include differing designs for Civic models with fog lights and those without. The interior changes included bluetooth compatibility and an optional leather wrapped steering wheel in the LX model. A sportier LX model was also added, called LX-S. This trim level adds a rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tip, and black sports seats. The car retains many of its design cues and technical specifications from the pre-2009 model, including its 1.8 liter inline-4 engine and two-tier dashboard with a digital speedometer.On December 13, 2010, Honda unveiled a sketch of the new ninth-generation Civic which was described as "energetic, sleek and aerodynamic." Both coupe and sedan concepts were shown on January 10, 2011 at the 2011 North American International Auto Show. The production version of the ninth-generation Civic based on the revealed concept went on sale in the U.S. on April 20, 2011. Gasoline, hybrid and natural gas variants will be offered. The gasoline-engined lineup includes a sedan, coupe and two Si performance versions.
The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour is the best car for you if you want a friendly galoot of a four-door hatchback that drives far better than meets the eye. The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour gets a slightly rearranged dashboard layout but otherwise carries over unchanged. The 2011 Crosstour represents the sophomore edition of a radical Honda that turns the Accord sedan into a new-age crossover SUV station wagon. Priced in the $31,000-$37,000 range, Crosstour seats five in roomy comfort and is available with all-wheel drive (AWD). Honda calls this bulbous-tail fastback a “crossover utility vehicle” and bravely casts it as the flagship of the Accord line. The 2011 Accord Crosstour is aimed at taste-makers who have a family and don’t want a three-row SUV. There apparently are not legions of those folks in the market for a new car – Crosstour sales have been modest. Wait for the 2012 Crosstour if you’re keen on a four-cylinder version and want to roll the dice that Honda will introduction one for model-year 2012. The 2011 Crosstour comes only with a V-6. That helps keep its starting price several thousand dollars above that of its closest rival, the Toyota Venza, which offers both four- and six-cylinder engines and handily outsells the Crosstour. Buy the 2011 Accord Crosstour if you’re not in a gambling mood and envision a role in your life for this atypical but appealing stew of automotive genres. Barring introduction of a four-cylinder model, the 2012 Accord Crosstour isn’t expected to gain any features worth waiting for, though it could represent the final year before Honda treats this crossover to freshened styling.
The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour’s styling is a carbon copy of the 2010 model’s. Crosstour is a four-door hatchback with a trendy coupe-like roofline. It’s based on the underbody structure of the midsize Accord sedan and shares the car’s basic dashboard design and cabin décor. Crosstour doesn’t have an SUV-tall step-in height but does ride higher than the Accord sedan and has a more commanding seating position. Its wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear axles – is virtually identical to the sedan’s. And though the body bears an Accord-family resemblance it’s designed to convey a more powerful presence. Crosstour is slightly wider and longer than the Accord sedan and is a significant 8 inches taller, for much more interior volume. This is a commodious passenger compartment outfitted in high-quality materials. Crosstour’s hatch lid lifts to reveal 25.7 cubic feet of nicely finished cargo space, double the volume of Accord’s trunk. Crosstour has 51.3 cubic feet with the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded, but similarly sized competitors with less-slanted tailgate shapes, such as the Toyota Venza and Subaru Outback, have more than 60 cubic feet of cargo space. In the only model-year 2011 change, Honda slightly reconfigures the central portion of Crosstour’s dashboard, moving some of the more frequently used climate controls – defroster buttons, for example – closer to the driver and creating a more compact audio array. It’s a minor but welcome change that more logically groups Crosstour’s rather abundant number of switches and knobs. The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour continues with a three-model lineup: EX, upscale EX-L, and top-of-the-line EX-L with navigation, which Honda calls the EX-L Navi. The only styling distinction is that the EX has 17-inch alloy wheels and the EX-Ls have fancier 18-inch alloys. Fuel-economy ratings for the 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour get a slight bump over their 2010 ratings. With front-wheel drive, the 2011 Crosstour remains rated at 18/27 mpg city/highway. With AWD, the 2011 Crosstour is slightly more fuel efficient than its 2010 counterpart at 18/26 mpg compared to 17/25. The Crosstour runs on regular-octane gas.
Crosstour borrows Accord’s most powerful engine and fortifies its suspension to support an additional 300 pounds of curb weight (an additional 500 pounds with AWD). A four-cylinder engine isn’t consistent with Honda’s initial positioning of the Crosstour, so the 2011 model returns with a 3.5-liter V-6 as its sole engine. It has 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque and is equipped with Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management system, which automatically runs it on three or four cylinders to save gas in low-demand cruising. Honda reserves six-speed automatic transmissions for cars from its premium Acura division, leaving the 2011 Crosstour to repeat with a five-speed automatic. This transmission lacks manual-gear-control via a separate shifter gate or steering wheel paddles but does benefit from Honda’s new shift-logic programming for better engine-speed management, particularly during cornering. Like the Accord, Crosstour has front-wheel drive, but unlike the car, it’s available with all-wheel drive. While Venza makes AWD available even on its lowest-priced four-cylinder model, Honda reserves it as an extra-cost feature for the top-line Crosstour EX-L. Typical of a crossover AWD system, Crosstour’s defaults to front-wheel drive but can automatically shuffle power between front and rear wheels to sustain traction. Crosstour has an SUV-credible 8.1 inches of ground clearance (a couple of aero-enhancing plastic tabs below the front bumper hang lower), but it isn’t designed for off-road use. Towing capacity is a modest 1,500 pounds. In all, Crosstour drives and rides like the slightly inflated Accord that it is – and that’s a good thing. Alert V-6 acceleration and athletic road manners distinguish Accord among midsize sedans and the same virtues help Crosstour drive with more precision than midsize crossovers with more conventional-SUV styling and the taller center of gravity that entails. Factory options are not part of Honda’s marketing strategy. The carmaker instead equips each model in a lineup with a specific set of features based on careful study of buyer preference. The policy simplifies assembly and therefore promotes quality, though it does compel Honda shoppers to sometimes climb the model ladder to acquire a desired feature – and in the process, pay for items they might not otherwise have purchased. The 2011 Honda Accord Crosstour doesn’t deviate from this plan. It continues with a nice array of standard features while again reserving perks like leather upholstery and a navigation system for the uplevel EX-L model. Among features standard on all 2011 Crosstours: dual-zone automatic climate control, heated mirrors, power moonroof, power front seats, and manual tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio and cruise buttons. Antilock four-wheel disc brakes, traction and antiskid control, torso-protecting front side airbags, and head-protecting curtain side airbags also are standard. The standard audio system is a 360-watt unit with seven speakers and an iPod auxiliary jack. EX-L models add Bluetooth cell-phone linking and a USB iPod interface. EX-L Navi models get the navigation system with voice activation and a rearview backup camera.
