Honda's C-segment model, the Civic, has undergone a full model change to its 11th generation, and the Japanese specification was unveiled to the press for the first time. This announcement only revealed the exterior, interior, and main specifications, with details to be announced at the official launch in August. Sales are expected to begin around autumn.

Launched in 1972 with the groundbreaking CVCC engine and a 2-box FF style, the first-generation Civic quickly became a hugely popular model worldwide. Since then, over 27 million units have been sold in more than 170 countries, and last year's annual sales of 680,000 units continue to make it the main model supporting Honda's backbone.

In Japan, while the first seven generations were popular as compact basic cars and sports models, sales slowed from the 8th generation onwards as it became a larger global car, with the 10th generation selling a somewhat disappointing 35,000 units.

Amidst this, a preview event for the new 11th-generation Civic was held, with Chief Development Officer Yosuke Sato taking the stage. "For the development of the new model, we thoroughly researched each generation of Civic to explore its unchanging values. Furthermore, to understand the values of our next target users, we conducted surveys with dealers and customers, and even visited owners' homes. We found that what is desired in a Civic is an approachable presence combined with a sense of richness and exclusivity. The target users are those born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, known as Generation Z, who have grown up with the internet," he explained, outlining the project's origins.

The development direction was set to be "like a breath of fresh air," a phrase once used by a journalist at the time of the first Civic's launch. This led to the grand concept of "Exhilarating Civic." Among the various Civic generations, the third generation, known as the Wonder Civic, was cited as the symbol, and its open, glassy cabin and light, sleek body became the concept for the new model's packaging.