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October 20, 2021
Test Drive: The New Civic—The 6MT Model is Flawlessly Executed
Honda CIVIC EX | HONDA CIVIC EX
Test Drive: The New Civic—The 6MT Model is Flawlessly Executed
Debuting in 1972 as a compact, front-wheel-drive two-box design, the Honda Civic has now reached its 11th generation. The latest model sports a sleek four-door hatchback style. For Civic fans who still cherish the joy of driving, the good news is that the 6MT model has been faithfully preserved. To assess its ride quality, I participated in a public road test drive event centered around the foothills of Yatsugatake.
Text & Photographs by HARA Akira
Exhilarating Civic
The first-generation Civic, launched in 1972, was an innovative model featuring a compact, front-wheel-drive two-box body and a low-emission CVCC engine. It quickly became a globally recognized basic car and a major hit.
Following this, it continued with a compact hatchback style through its second-generation Super Civic (1979), third-generation Wonder Civic (1983), fourth-generation Grand Civic (1987), fifth-generation Sports Civic (1991), sixth-generation Miracle Civic (1995), and seventh-generation Smart Civic (2000). The subsequent eighth to tenth generations grew into a slightly larger mid-size class. While it was perhaps inevitable that sales in Japan, in particular, began to decline as fans who cherished the image of the early Civics felt its distinctiveness was lost, the Civic remains a strong main model for Honda overseas in North America and Europe.
The Civic has now undergone a full model change, becoming the 11th generation. According to Honda, this new model was developed to be a "breath of fresh air" in today's turbulent times, marked by the pandemic and other uncertainties. The completed model has been affectionately nicknamed the "Exhilarating Civic."