понедельник, 8 октября 2007 г.

2007 Honda Civic


A lot of words come to mind when thinking of Honda four-doors: practical, reliable, dependable, and mostly boring. There's nothing wrong with making that type of vehicle….Honda has sold millions of them. But what do you do if you're looking for a little sport in an economical and practical four-door and you don't want to break the bank. Well, you could start off by looking at the four-door Honda Civic Si.

Conditions for the test drive were incredible (isn't the Bay Area great), with clear skies and eighty to ninety-degree temperatures. I drove a combination of highway, city surface streets, and winding back roads. I think the conditions in which we tested the car will be consistent with how most people will drive the car.

On a side note, I would like to sincerely thank a good friend for allowing us to drive his brand new Civic with less than 1,300 miles on it. Thanks for trusting us with your new ride, Jason.

Build
This is the 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan. It comes equipped with a 4 cylinder 2.0 liter motor that pumps out 197 horsepower at 7800 RPM and 139 pound-feet of torque at 6100 RPM. The motor is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Power is delivered to the road via a front-wheel drive system with a limited slip differential ending in 17 inch, split five spoke alloy rims shod with Michelin Pilot P215/45R17 tires.

Fit and finish is normal Honda excellent. The body panels align properly and the doors close securely.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics
The Si has a very modern looking interior, with flowing lines and an intelligent design. The instruments are easily visible behind a three spoke steering wheel and the controls are easy to understand and use. However, I did find one area of major concern. The speedometer is placed at the top of a double-stack instrument cluster and is almost impossible to read under direct sunlight. While this design is very distinctive and attractive, it loses points for practicality and is a little disappointing considering normally excellent Honda engineering.

The cloth covered seats are firm and have side bolsters that do a commendable job keeping you in place during spirited driving. This makes for a fairly sporting seat that maintains an appreciable comfort factor. The cloth material which adorns the seats and other surface areas of the interior is very attractive, but acts like Velcro with hair and other debris. Keeping this interior clean will require a little more effort than leather or vinyl. Rear seat leg room is adequate, but becomes a bit crunched when the front seats are place in the full rear position.

The rear seats fold down to provide additional cargo area, but if you want to carry bicycles or other large items, a roof rack will be in order.

It appears that Honda may have left out a little insulation in the interests of keeping this car light. It's not exactly noisy, just a little more noisy than most cars at this price level.

Performance
The Civic Si boasts a197 horsepower i-VTEC engine with 139 pound-feet of torque….yaaawn. Where's the sport in this Civic Si? Wait a minute,…I'm starting to feel something. There it is, just had to get over 6000 rpm to find it. All kidding aside, this is a very nice little motor. Smooth, high-revving, and no quit. This motor is well-served by its six speed manual. Stir the gear-box frequently and keep the RPMs over 6000 and this is a fun ride. This car makes you want to accelerate just to hear that great exhaust note. Not bad at all for a normally aspirated 2.0 liter.

I did notice that the shifting on this vehicle felt a bit vague. I don't think there's anything wrong with the transmission, it could just use a better shifting linkage that would allow more positive shifts.

Handling
Honda did a good job with the handling and ride quality of this vehicle. The ride itself is firm without being harsh or jarring. Handling is confidence inspiring and the Michelins are predictable and forgiving. There is some minor body roll during left to right transitions, but nothing that would prevent you from enjoying some spirited driving. I tested this vehicle on Calaveras Road, which sports some very narrow, tight turns, and very little room for error. This is the same road on which I tested the Ford Shelby Mustang several weeks back. The Honda is much easier to drive fast under these conditions. Given the same driver, the Honda would beat the Mustang on this road. Braking power is good and I experienced no fade under our limited test conditions.

Styling
Honda Civic sedans have always been fairly boxy in nature and it seems that Honda has always been satisfied to leave it to the aftermarket to improve this car's looks. Not the case with this Civic sedan. The exterior design is smooth and flowing. And the Si package looks like it originated in the aftermarket. Nothing too crazy, but eye-catching none-the-less. I think they did a great job with the exterior design of this vehicle. It looks very modern and should age well.

Value
The MSRP for this vehicle is $22,085. If this vehicle is as reliable as other Civics have been through the years, it will be a great value. Well designed, sporting, good looks, and fairly practical.




Source: http://fresh-auto-reviews.blogspot.com/2007/10/2007-honda-civic.html

четверг, 4 октября 2007 г.

Hot Wheels - Honda Civic Type-Rv MG ZS 180 v Clio 172 v VW Golf V5


Honda's marketing men must be pinching themselves to check if they're dreaming; the launch of the Civic Type-R couldn't be more perfectly timed. Interest in hot hatches is soaring, yet the car that has probably been most influential in bringing about this resurgence, the Ford Focus RS, has been unexpectedly delayed. Again. Which means that right now the Civic Type-R is easily the most potent hot hatch you can buy.

And that's not all. The RS Focus floated the notion that an affordable 200bhp driver's car doesn't have to be four-wheel drive, just after Subaru fumbled ΂- big time ΂- with the new Impreza. The WRX's 'challenging' looks and less focused dynamics have made devotees think again ΂- and the 197bhp, sub-΂£16K Civic is right in the frame.
Our Civic reception includes a couple of surprises, though the Renault Clio Sport 172 isn't one of them ΂- we rate it the finest hot hatch made today. Although it's the best part of 30bhp shy of the Honda, it's not short of grunt, and power isn't its only asset.
The cars the Civic won't have been expecting are the MG ZS 180 and the Volkswagen Golf V5. The unlikely ZS is the most impressive of the new range of sporting cars that MG Rover has created in double-quick time from the raw materials at its disposal. Not even an Impreza P1-style rear spoiler and colour scheme can hide the fact that it's a made-over Rover 45, but with a 175bhp V6 under its bonnet it has guts and character, and its chassis is impressive, too. The 170bhp V5 is the most powerful front-drive Golf that VW makes, out-stripping the 1.8 20v turbo GTI by 20bhp, and with the optional sports suspension and 17in wheels, it has at last made a hot hatch of the reassuringly competent but thrill-free MkIV.

The Golf is far and away the most expensive contender at over ΂£18K (including the sports pack) while the Clio and ZS undercut the Civic by a fraction, the Renault retailing at ΂£15,459, the five-door MG at ΂£100 more. We could only get a four-door ZS (΂£16,395), which makes this an eclectic bunch, though it's the Honda whose shape raises the most eyebrows.
If the Civic points to the future of hot hatches, I'm not sure I want to go there. The Type-R displays all the hallmarks of a serious hot hatch but the metal from which it is wrought is resolutely practical. The hot hatch has always been the spicy version of a bread-and-butter design, of course, but in this sector the basic hatch has never looked so much like a sliced loaf.
The Civic is a mono-box design, a hatch built taller and boxier than is traditional to give more interior space for the same road-shadow. Things have been moving this way for some time, what with the Fiat Tipo and latterly the Focus, but the Civic doesn't even attempt to disguise its boxiness. Its low-raked screen gives it a mini- MPV feel, an impression that's reinforced by its dashboard-mounted gearshift. If you've driven a Peugeot 806 or a Mercedes-Benz Vito van (or even a Citro΃«n 2CV), it'll seem familiar, and you can't fault the logic ΂- you sit high up, so a floor-mounted shift would be wand-like. Still, it's very odd to see the stubby, turned-metal Type-R gearknob on the end of a short, rubber-gaitered arm sprouting from the dash.
I'll be honest; I didn't expect to like the Honda, but by the time I meet up with the rest of the group for an early-morning rendezvous near Telford, I do. There haven't been many opportunities to delve into its dynamics, but initial impressions are that it is neat, keen and grippy, a car that responds well to smooth, considered inputs. Dry-road traction is terrific, though there's some steering tug out of tighter turns, and also a little ambiguity before it settles into fast sweepers. All will be revealed as we head deep into north Wales but I'm already a fan of that gearshift. It takes a bit of getting used to but the fact that it's just as tight and snickety as any other Type-R shift we've tried helps, and there's a logic to having it so close to the wheel, as any Touring Car driver will tell you.
Climbing into any other car after the Type R, you find yourself groping the dashboard vents, and I've soon got my fingers stuck into the MG's grilles. A more stark contrast with the Honda you won't find in this group; the architecture of the ZS is the most elderly here, a fact that swatches of blue seat-leather and pale-faced dials with chrome screw-heads can't deflect attention from. It didn't help that while we scoffed breakfast an old five-door Civic parked up next to the MG, giving the lie to its genealogy.
The ZS fits like a suit that's one size too small, the narrow driver's seat clamping your thighs, the gear lever feeling restricted in lateral movement. Still, the 2.5-litre V6 fires up with a generous, rich growl and once it's got into its lazy-sounding stride it delivers what the Civic lacks ΂- mid-range torque. The Type-R's 197bhp might grab the headlines, but with 145lb ft of torque delivered at almost 6000rpm, it lacks the ZS's low-rev positivity, which peaks with 177lb ft at 4000rpm. Only the V5 Golf comes close, with 166lb ft at 3200rpm but, as we shall see, it doesn't feel that strong.
The surprise is that the MG puts its urge to use so effectively. The ZS has one of those chassis that doesn't take any getting used to; it feels right straight away and stays accurate and poised as you ratchet up your speed and commitment. Sure, you know there's a chunk of weight over the front wheels but this doesn't spoil the steering or make the tail feel left out.
In its own way, the Golf looks as big as the Civic, the optional 17in rims being the only ones I've seen that look in proportion to the body. Beyond the wheels and the V5 badges you'll search in vain for any other indication that this is no more than a cooking Golf. Inside it's similarly non-committal, the cabin furniture well put together but oh so plain, and straight after the MG its spaciousness makes you feel small.
The appeal of this Golf over the GTI isn't only that it has more power, though that was certainly needed. No, what you get is an engine note with character. The four-cylinder 20-valve engine that can be found in every go-faster model in the VAG portfolio, from Skoda Octavia RS to Audi TT, is utterly charmless but the 20-valve V5 warbles and thrums like a muted Audi Quattro in-line five. Shame it does bugger all else, then.
The last V5 we drove felt pretty frisky, but this time, and judged against these cars, it's lacking enthusiasm at low revs and doesn't perk up in the mid-range, either, leading you to expect a scintillating rush for the red line and an accompanying five-pot yowl. Don't hold your breath. Where that 170bhp is, we've no idea. Consequently, the chassis doesn't get much of a work-out, though it feels up for a bit of fun. The steering is rather light but there's strong grip and the ride is the most impressive of any car here, proving supple at low speed and beautifully controlled at high speed.
It's clear why the Clio is our current favourite within a few hundred yards. But even before you get in and drive, the Renault is scoring points off the others. For starters it looks like a hot hatch should ΂- small, compact, quietly aggressive. We prefer the original 172 on this score but it has nothing to fear from the rivals lined up here. The MG is trying a bit too hard, the Golf is hardly trying at all, and the Civic, well, all the detailing is there ΂- the sexy alloys, skirts, splitters and spoilers ΂- but there's so much more of it. It looks like a hot hatch that's swallowed a potting shed.
From behind its rather large steering wheel, the Clio feels small but not cramped, feisty but not coarse, and solidly built. The gearshift could be a bit slicker and the footwell a bit roomier but the supple, almost soft ride is allied to responsive handling and weighty, accurate steering. Turn in and it rolls but the nose stays nailed and the tail shifts helpfully. After the others it's surprising just how much the tail dictates the attitude, yet it never feels like it's going to turn nasty on you. There's oodles of punch from that 2-litre engine, too, right from tickover to the red line.
On give-and-take roads the MG feels almost as quick as the Renault, with superb, unfadeable brakes. Its neat, decisive handling makes you wonder if the Clio has to move around quite so much. The V6 gets a bit breathless over the last 1000rpm and the throttle and clutch pedals feel a bit squidgy, like they're pressing into the carpet, but overall it's an impressive car to hustle along.
The more you drive the Golf, the more you suspect that it's relying on grip rather than handling. You find yourself turning in much earlier than you ought to give the chassis time to respond and although it will keep up a decent pace there's not much adjustability on offer and little feedback about what the tyres are up to. Even on switchback roads it's hard to get a reaction because the throttle response is so damped ΂- it feels like drive-by-elastic. As an indication of how sleepy it feels, co-ed Meaden in the Civic had no trouble holding station as I wrung the Golf out, and he didn't even need to venture into the VTEC zone.
That's i-VTEC, to give it its proper name. This revised system still gives the engine that distinct top-end kick from 6000 to 8500rpm when the high-lift cam kicks in, but now also features variable inlet cam timing, giving it more flexibility across the whole rev-range. The Civic is a very quick car and no mistake, though it's not truly satisfying unless you're making it scream, or 'driving it like you stole it', as Meaden put it.
Against the watch the Type-R is uncatchable. Even in slightly damp conditions it scrabbled to 60mph in 6.8sec, leaving the Clio and ZS just the wrong side of seven, but by 100mph it's a whole three seconds faster than any rival here. The surprise is that the MG matches the Renault every step of the way, right through the gears. Comparing TED times (our overtaking test) presents a similar scenario, the Civic seeing off our imaginary truck in just 5.1sec, the rest managing no better than 5.5sec.
Meaden criticised the Civic he drove on the launch for feeling rather inert, handling-wise, but this one feels much livelier. Whether it's the roads or the car is hard to say. The steering is still a bit numb, but the front end digs in keenly and the tail will slide if you back off sharply. It's rather snappy as opposed to the fluid, gradual transition you get in the Clio, though, and you have to be quick to catch it. That said, the only real foible is that the tail doesn't settle cleanly when you steer the Civic into a fast curve, necessitating a small steering correction.
These are mere details. As a package, the Civic is hard to beat. The expensive Golf certainly isn't up to the task, even with sports suspension. There are plenty of reasons for wanting to own one but few of them involve evoness. The MG ZS 180 is the surprise of the bunch, proving to be a thoroughly well sorted car with character and ability in equal measure. It made a lot of friends in Wales and ranks as the best driver's car that MG Rover has made in a long time. It's sharply priced, too, and if you can live with the looks (and the fuel bills) you'll be very happy.
However, the Civic has only one rival that's capable of spoiling its party ΂- the Clio. They're equally rapid but in markedly different ways, the Civic frantic, the Clio gutsy. They'll get down the same road at pretty much the same pace, too, but again with very different styles. The Civic demands a neat, decisive approach and gets a bit edgy at the limit, while the Clio is softer, helpfully responsive and marvellously malleable. It's a matter of taste, then.
In five years' time this class might be dominated by mini-MPVs with dashboard gearshifts. For the time being we have a choice. We prefer the Renault because its ability is more easily accessed and exploited, and also because it looks and feels like a hot hatch should. Get it while you can.




Source: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/19340/honda_civic_typer_v_mg_zs_180_v_clio_172_v_vw_golf_v5.html

среда, 3 октября 2007 г.

The Three R's - Honda Civic v Honda Integra


The Three R'sIs Honda short-changing us by importing the Civic but not the new, sleeker, sportier-looking Integra? And is the old Integra better than either of them? There's only one way to find out...Text: John Barker / Photos: Kenny PFebruary 2002Honda UK has decided it's not worth offering the new Integra Type-R for sale here. It's too close to the Civic Type-R, apparently. Maybe for Honda it is, but what about for you and me, the enthusiasts? You can get one from a specialist importer such as Warrender for a little over ΂£20K, though that's for the stripped-out, wind-up-windows, non-air-con version. For deluxe spec you can expect to pay around ΂£23,500, which isn't bad considering the 180bhp Audi TT, 3.0-litre Alfa GTV and BMW 325Ci all cost over ΂£24K. It only looks pricey when you consider that essentially you're getting the ΂£16K Civic Type-R's hardware in a different box. Or, rather, not in a box.

And that's central to this discussion. Because to pay ΂£7K more for the Integra you've got to either a) love the idea of the Type-R Civic but hate the looks, b) be bowled over by the Integra's looks, or c) believe it's significantly better to drive than the Civic. There is also a fourth reason, d), as voiced by the owner of the new Integra you see here, Russell Martin. It's simply this: 'The Civic is fine but I could afford the Integra, so I bought it.'
Can't argue with that, nor with the fact that he's got himself a very exclusive coupe. Right now there are just three in the UK and Russell knows where two of them are at any time because one is his and the other is his partner Alison's.
He's a bit of a Type-R fan, then? You bet. While he was waiting for the Integras to arrive, Warrender had his part-ex'd Mitsubishi Evo up for sale in their showroom, leaving him car-less. So they kindly lent him a Japanese-spec last-generation Integra. He liked it so much he bought that too. It's the third car in the pictures and we'll come to it a bit later.
Head-on or from the rear, the 2001 Integra is distinctly different to the old model, yet in profile the genealogy is clear. It's grown a bit in all directions, though perhaps most obviously in height ΂- it stands 60mm taller than the old model, allowing room for crash-helmeted heads... The body is said to be twice as stiff, yet the weight penalty for this toughening and the mild expansion of its dimensions is only 72kg, giving a kerb weight of 1173kg. Russell has done his homework and reckons that's the figure for the stripped version. His is probably nearer 1250kg.
That makes the comparison with the Civic even more interesting because although the 2-litre i-VTEC engine fitted to both is pretty much the same unit, in the Integra it's rated somewhat higher ΂- 217bhp versus 197. A quick stab at a calculator reveals a power-to-weight ratio of 176bhp per ton for the Integra against 167 for the Civic.
Russell is a keen driver and a top geezer and was happy to see his Integra figured at Millbrook when we were putting the Civic and its group test rivals through their paces, allowing direct comparison of the performance of the two Type-Rs. Or so we hoped. Conditions were erring towards damp, with random squalls of rain blowing in, so we couldn't be sure that the two enjoyed identical (or ideal) conditions.
The configuration of our Datron test gear means that only the standing start figures can be instantly assimilated. In-gear flexibility ΂- 30-50mph, 40-60mph, etc. ΂- requires a calculator and a mug of tea. On the spot at Millbrook, a cursory glance showed that the Civic was the quicker car: having posted the same 0-30mph time, it delivered a sub-7sec 0-60 while the Integra just wouldn't dip below 7. Had I looked further down the tape I'd have seen that by 100mph the Integra had not only clawed back the deficit, it had turned it into an advantage ΂- 16.7 plays 16.9sec.
Back in the office, it was gratifying to see the full range of figures emerge and confirm the impression that the Integra has a stronger, beefier delivery. The Civic is bloody quick, no question, but somehow its performance feels 'thinner'. Compare the in-gear acceleration and TED times in the performance table and you'll see that the Integra is more responsive right across the rev range in every gear except, oddly, sixth.

Performance only gets you so far, though. Here at evo we're more interested in what a car can do with what it's got, and it's at this point, on-road, that the two cars ought to diverge more decisively.
The Integra has the same wheelbase as the Civic but is almost 250mm (5in) longer nose to tail, some 35mm (1.4in) lower and its wheels tracks are slightly wider. Positive differences. They share the same suspension, with MacPherson struts up front (Honda has resisted fitting them for years in place of its beloved double wishbones) and a quasi-double wishbone set-up at the rear. The extra you pay for the Integra does buy you some premium features, though ΂- a Torsen limited slip differential and a Brembo braking system.
The Integra feels instantly different to the Civic, and for exactly the reasons you expect. You drop down into its lower-built bodyshell and find yourself at the centre of things, the blood red Recaro gripping your hips more assertively and the more stylish facia wrapping around you. This is one of Honda's best cockpits; busy but not cluttered, sporty with its silver dials, but not overblown. The materials chosen are a definite cut above the Civic's, too.
Clamped into the Integra, it feels as if you're sitting three feet lower than in the Civic, yet chasing the hatchback's square rump shows that it's only a matter of a few inches. Still, as any race car engineer will tell you, the lower you can get the major masses ΂- engine, gearbox, driver ΂- the better a car will handle.
The Integra does feel better configured for snicking in and out of bends but it's that Torsen diff that's responsible for the very different feel. It's quite forceful in its action and the Integra's steering is already a good few shades heavier than the Civic's. You need to apply more muscle to turn in and then keep up the pressure as you power through because if the inside wheel loses grip, say because it has hopped over a mid-bend bump, the Torsen responds instantly. In a front-driver with a free diff like the Civic, that bump will result in a smidge of understeer and a lightening of steering weight as drive escapes as slip. But with a Torsen, drive isn't allowed to escape; the diff diverts drive to the outside wheel, and the car tugs into the apex.
This takes time to get used to. Under full power the Integra feels quite willful down your average British B-road (are roads smoother in Japan?), especially in the damp, because until you've dialled into it, every time you expect the Integra to understeer wide it seems to find an invisible lamp-post to hook its arm around. On a track, where everything is smooth and predictable, I'm sure the Torsen is a boon, but in the unpredictable world of road driving, the simple, predictable reactions of the Civic are easier to exploit.
To be honest, in the dry the cornering speeds of the two Type-Rs really aren't so different, either. As far as is prudent to push them on-road, neither car makes a great play of getting the tail mobile to assist turn-in or mid-corner balance. The Integra finds more bite, sure, but the inside front tyre of the Civic rarely spins up, and when it does you're expect it to, so you cut a tighter line accordingly.
It's odd, though. Logic suggests that the lower-slung car should corner more keenly. I couldn't help feel a tinge of deja-vu each time I hopped out of the Integra into the Civic. It reminded me of driving the bizarre Peugeot 806 racer that competed in the Spa 24-hour race a few years ago. It looked so ungainly and the driving position was oddly tall, but under its boxy MPV body (housing just one race seat, not seven), were the underpinnings of a full-on Super Touring car. It went surprisingly well, amazingly really (even though it was a bit like being in the front seat on the top deck of a double-decker), with strong grip and plenty of poise, yet it did feel remote.
That's how it is with the Civic. It feels remarkably adept at snuffling its way through a series of S-bends, and no slower than the Integra, even if ultimately you feel less embroiled in the action. Dynamically, that's what it boils down to between the Integra and Civic; the steering feel and front-end responses you can argue for equally. Being a hardcore driver, Russell knows this. He's impressed by the Civic, even though it has run out of suspension travel a couple of times, recognising it as a genuine performance bargain in its class. I reckon he'd have one if he couldn't afford the Integra, but he can, so he hasn't.




Source: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/19393/honda_civic_v_honda_integra.html

вторник, 2 октября 2007 г.

2007 Honda Civic GX: Top 10 Things I Learned



I had the long-term Civic GX for the past week, or at least its keys. I got to see how it performed in a variety of driving conditions, taking it on different errands -- daily commute, trip to Universal City for a press event, taking me to an excellent Editors concert at the Wiltern, and an airport venture that included four days parked while I was in Toronto. Here are some of the things I learned over this period of time.

1) It took too long to fill up the NG equivalent of 3.477 gallons of gasoline. If you don't have a Phill unit, you'd get sick of visiting the natural gas station.
2) I've now watched the NG station video three times. I really need to remember the pass number, but at least I now know not to smoke around a gas pump. So that's why I kept exploding.
3) The Civic GX doesn't do steep hills. I had it floored going up the very steep Hotel Drive in Universal City, but the Civic just couldn't crack 21. It was like going up the opening hill of a roller coaster without the clackety-clack.
4) The trunk can only hold two standard-sized roller bags. That's it. (see photo above)
5) Don't buy a car in Canada. The American and Canadian dollars are now even, but car prices sure aren't. A review of a VW Passat 3.6 Wagon in the Toronto Star listed an as-tested price of $52,820 -- before tax. That car is too expensive here (fully loaded around $40K), but Jiminy Christmas.
6) Speaking of expensive, the Civic GX is the most expensive Civic model, yet has fewer standard features than an LX (no aux jack for instance).
7) The Civic GX isn't sold in Canada. That's a good thing, it would probably cost $38,000. You'd also need a pack of huskies to get it up a snowy hill.
8) After standing for four hours in a cramped Wiltern Theatre, you'll find that the Civic GX has the world's most comfortable seats.
9) If you hold up your digital camera and/or cell phone during a sizeable portion of a rock concert, you're both a tool and an idiot. Congratulations, you've just watched a concert going on right in front of you through a 2-inch screen. Your friends really don't care, the photo quality will be lousy and the video will sound like Marlee Matlin was operating the sound board.
10) Despite being slower than maple syrup, the GX is still a Civic and it's pretty fun to drive around town.

James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 3,111 miles


Source: http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/1505

понедельник, 1 октября 2007 г.

2008 Honda Civic Lineup for the US Market

The 2008 Honda Civic features a technologically-advanced Civic Sedan and Coupe lineup highlighted by a Civic Hybrid, a dedicated natural gas-powered Civic GX and a high-performance Civic Si.

New for 2008, the Civic EX-L Sedan and Coupe introduce a leather-trimmed interior to the Civic lineup for the first time. A Civic MUGEN Si Sedan also debuts for the 2008 model year with a high-performance suspension, forged aluminum wheels, aerodynamic body styling and a sport-tuned exhaust system.

"Quality construction, a technologically-advanced and spacious interior, and fun-to-drive performance put the Civic in a class of its own," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The availability of high-performance versions, a hybrid and a dedicated natural gas vehicle also makes Civic one of the most diverse vehicles in the automotive industry."

A sweeping roofline and a sleek windshield angle convey an advanced, one-motion profile with a low and wide stance tailored into two distinctive sedan and coupe body configurations. The interior focuses on sophisticated styling with a two-tier instrument panel, comfortable seating and accommodating storage areas with room for mobile phones, MP3 players, compact discs and more.

Available features include a Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with voice activation and a 350-Watt AM/FM/CD/MP3/XM® Satellite Radio Premium Audio System with seven speakers including a subwoofer. The Civic EX-L Sedan and Civic EX-L Coupe add heated seats and side mirrors along with leather trim to the steering wheel, seating surfaces and center armrest to the Civic EX list of features.

Every 2008 Civic integrates a wide array of standard safety technologies that include the Advanced Compatibility Engineeringâ„¢ (ACEâ„¢) body structure; side curtain airbags; driver's and front passenger's side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and dual-stage, dual-threshold driver's and front passenger's airbags (SRS). Active front seat head restraints are designed to help reduce the severity of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. Standard active safety features include an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with brake assist and electronic brake distribution, front seatbelts with automatic tensioning system and load limiters, and a pedestrian injury mitigation design incorporated into the front exterior of the vehicle. Driver and front passenger seatbelt reminders and daytime running lights are also standard equipment.

Four engine and four transmission choices range from a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine (Civic DX, LX, EX and EX-L), with either a 5-speed manual or an available 5-speed automatic transmission, to a 197-horsepower, 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine (Civic Si) with a 6-speed manual transmission. The Civic Hybrid is powered by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) gasoline-electric hybrid technology to enhance both fuel economy and performance, and is equipped with a continuously variable transmission. The Civic GX, having earned the distinction of "cleanest internal combustion vehicle in the world" by virtue of its certification, is powered by a dedicated natural gas version of the Civic's 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine - and is equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Both Civic Hybrid and Civic GX are classified as Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (AT-PZEV) by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The Civic GX is further certified by the EPA as an Inherently Low Emissions Vehicle (ILEV).

Built on a high-rigidity unit-body platform, the Civic is designed to deliver precise, sharp and refined handling performance with its MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension.

The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System1, available on Civic EX, EX-L, Si and Hybrid models, has a 6.5-inch motorized display that opens and closes for access to the internal single-disc CD player and a digital audio card reader that can play MP3 and Windows Media® Audio (WMA) files from CompactFlash® cards (via a PC card adapter). The navigation system features more than 7 million points of interest and the voice activation can control the navigation menus and the audio system, along with entering city and street names.

Auxiliary audio input jacks are standard equipment on Civic LX and above trim levels (and Civic GX for 2008 ) and allow for portable music device playback through the audio system. The Civic LX Coupe has a six-speaker 160-watt audio system with a CD player (four speakers for the LX sedan). All audio systems feature are capable of playing MP3 and WMA formatted CDs. Standard Speed-sensitive Volume Control (SVC) that automatically adjusts the volume based on vehicle speed. Audio displays include CD/MP3 text readout, and all coupes (except for the DX) plus the Civic Si Sedan provide a customizable welcome screen (exclusively on models without the available navigation system).

Standard features on the Civic DX include a 140-horsepower 1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission (5-speed automatic available), power windows, 15-inch steel wheels with covers, and P195/65R15 tires. The Civic LX adds air conditioning, cruise control, power door locks, 16-inch steel wheels with covers, P205/55R16 tires, keyless entry, a 4-speaker 160-watt AM/FM Audio System with CD Player (MP3/WMA enabled), auxiliary audio input jack, center console with sliding armrest, progressive blue illumination instrument panel meters, auto up and down driver's power window, and a folding rear seat. The Civic Coupe LX adds a 6-speaker audio system.

In addition to all of the Civic LX features, the Civic EX Sedan and Coupe adds or replaces: alloy wheels; 60/40 split folding rear seat; one-touch power moonroof; ambient console lighting; and the availability of the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Activation, which also includes XM Satellite Radio. The Civic EX-L adds a leather-trimmed interior, heated seats and heated door mirrors to the Civic EX list of features. The Civic EX and EX-L Coupe exclusively features a 7-speaker with subwoofer AM/FM Audio System with CD player (MP3/WMA enabled).

The Civic Si Sedan and Coupe serve as the performance cornerstone for the Civic line-up with a 197-horsepower, 16-valve, DOHC 2.0 liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine mated to a close-ratio, 6-speed manual transmission. A helical-type, limited-slip differential enhances traction in high-performance driving situations. The Civic Si sport suspension adds firm spring, damper and stabilizer bar tuning along with exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels and high-performance tires. Exclusive exterior features include a low-profile rear wing spoiler and Si emblems. The sports-oriented interior adds specially-bolstered synthetic suede seats with red fabric stitching and unique trim panels.

Built on the foundation of the Civic Si Sedan and tuned by the prestigious racing and aftermarket performance company, MUGEN, a Honda-prepared Civic MUGEN Si Sedan debuts for 2008 and adds a high-performance suspension, forged aluminum 18-inch lightweight alloy wheels, a full aerodynamic body kit with an adjustable rear wing spoiler and rear diffuser, and a sport-tuned exhaust system.

The Civic Hybrid with its advanced IMA hybrid technology achieves the highest fuel economy of any 2008 Honda automobile with an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy of 40/45 miles per gallon . The Civic Hybrid is equipped with Advanced-Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) equipment and a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Civic Hybrid can deactivate up to all four of its cylinders and operate using only the electric motor in certain low-speed cruising situations. Power is provided by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine and a 20 horsepower electric motor, producing a combined 110-horsepower @ 6000 rpm and combined 123 lb-ft. torque @ 1000-2500 rpm.

The ultra-clean Civic GX produces near zero emissions, enables owners to become eligible for a $4,000 federal tax credit and can refuel with an available, first-of-its-kind "Phill" home refueling appliance by FuelMaker Corporation (available through qualifying Honda dealers in California). The 2008 Civic GX is the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger car available to retail customers in the United States and achieves an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 24/36 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent5. Currently, natural gas is approximately thirty-five percent less expensive than gasoline when purchased at a refueling station, and can be more than 50 percent cheaper than gasoline when supplied by a Phill home refueling appliance. The Civic GX is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet both Federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission certification standards. The Civic GX is available to consumers at qualified Honda dealers in the states of California and New York and is also available to fleet customers nationwide from qualified Honda dealers.




Source: http://www.nihoncar.com/en/news_details.php?id=590