This month’s car is Honda Civic. This car is a car everyone knows about, and it also has a lot of generations, which will make this car of the month post a bit longer than it usually is.

Honda Civic. I’m sure you’ve heard it at least once. It’s a pretty old car which has a lot of generations, and also considered a mythic car everyone knows about. In this month’s car, I’ll talk about it’s history.

Honda Civic is a series of cars designed and produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The Honda Civic series started in 1972, and it was one of the first cars produced by the company, which was then one of the leading motorcycle brands.

First Generation (1972)

The first generation of Civics which started it all were FWD hatchbacks or sedans, and went from 2 to 5 door, depending on the specific version.

The available engines went from 1.169cc to 1.488cc. All the available stock engines were 4-cylinder.

The first generation of Civics didn’t include a catalytic converter, as contamination regulations weren’t such thing.

Second Generation (1979)

7 years after the first Civics, the second generation was released. It generally was a 3-door FWD hatchback, but also included other options, such as: 4/5-door sedan or 5-door hatchback. The Honda Civic was improved in all aspects compared with the previous generation: more comfortable, increased power, larger bodywork and frame…etc.

The minimum stock engine displacement was increased to 1335cc, but the maximum displacement wasn’t changed.

These were the available transmissions:

• 2-speed Hondamatic
• 3-speed automatic
• 4-speed manual
• 5-speed manual

Third Generation (1983)

This brand new generation of the Civic had a wheelbase several inches longer than the past generation. The engine power was very similar to the second generation Civic.

Available engines:

• 1187cc I4
• 1342cc I4
• 1488cc I4
• 1590cc I4

A big improvement on a specific model was the 4-wheel drive improvement on the 5-speed manual version, increasing traction and handling.

Several sport versions of the third generation Civic were released such as the Honda Civic S, which included sport seats and a rear stabilizer bar, amongst other improvements. However, this model was only released for Europe and the US.

The most popular version of this car was the CR-X (or just CRX) version, with reduced weight and compact dimensions.

Fourth Generation (1987)

The next generation of Civics was once again bigger. The most notable change was the increase in power, because of the new Honda engine called B16A included VTEC, which notably increased the power. Also, all models included an electronic fuel injection.

Another important performance and comfort improvement was the independent rear suspension on every version of this generation.

The available engines went from 1.3L all the way up to 1.6L. 8 different engines were available, 7 from the Honda’s engine D series and 1 from the B series.

Fifth Generation (1991)

Introduced in 1991, the fifth generation of Honda Civic was released. It included (again!) increased dimensions, and a more curved bodywork, which increased reduced the air resistance.

The VX version was Honda’s most sold car for years due to the low fuel consumption. The best engine from this generation could produce up to 125hp. The 1.6L engine variants included VTEC.

Regarding the transmission, manual or automatic were possible on any version from the fifth generation.

Sixth Generation (1995)

The sixth generation of Honda Civics were introduced in 1995. All base models included 1.6L engines, and due to the constant improvement in mechanics, a 1.6L VTEC engine could now generate up to 160hp.

An important event for the Honda Civic was the release of the first generation of Honda Civic Type R in 1997, a high-performance series based on the original Honda Civic.

This time, 3 bodyworks were available: sedan, coupe and hatchback.

Seventh Generation (2000)

The seventh generation was released in the year 2000. The dimensions remained the same (finally!) as the past generation.

The interior space was improved by adding a flat rear floor, which made this generation of Civics go into the compact car section.

Also, the engine space was increased to fit in the all-new Honda K series engine, which was generally more fuel efficient and powerful than past generations.

Finally, this generation included the first hybrid Honda Civic, which included a 1.3L engine.

Eight Generation (2005)

The eight generation of Civics were mechanically similar to the past generation. The hatchback version of this generation included new and striking headlights and backlights, which were joined by a transparent cristal-like line.

Meanwhile, the Honda Civic Type R continued to develop, this time presenting the FD2 version.

As a fact, approximately 16.5 million of Honda Civics had been sold up to 2005, with half of the cars being bought in America.

Ninth Generation (2011)

Six years later, the ninth generation of Honda Civics were presented, which this time included 4 different bodyworks to choose from: sedan, coupe, hatchback and station wagon.

The available engines went from 1.6L up to 2.4L. A hybrid version was available, which included a 1.5L engine.

Surprisingly, the ninth generation of Civics were never introduced in Japan.

Tenth Generation (2015)

The main target of the tenth generation of Civics was the US market. This generation included a brand new sport-look hatchback bodywork. This model also contained a new digital speedometer and tachometer, with some new digital features which differs this generation from the past one in matter of technology.

Some of the engines included a turbo, and most of the engines included VTEC, which was present in many Honda cars.

The FK8 Type R also included that high-performance look.

However, it wasn’t a success, as the sales were lower than any other Civic generation.

Eleventh Generation (2021)

The most recent generation of the Honda Civic was presented in 2021, and removed that sportsy look from the past generation, probably because of the low sales the past generation obtained. The sedan version is only available for the US, and not for Australia, Europe or Asia.