The 2016 Honda Civic sedan has just made its debut, not in Frankfurt, but in America. Honda claims that it's completely redesigned from the ground up, and we believe them. From the stunning design to the state-of-the-art engine technology, it's the compact sedan you need to buy.
The tenth generation of one of the most famous Japanese cars ever made is two inches wider, one inch lower and comes with a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase. From the front, it looks like a compact version of the Accord.
The back is even more distinctive, a blend of techie lines from the Insight, Clarity and FCV.
Showing the middle finger to German "premium" compacts like the CLA and A3, the 2016 model year Civic comes standard with LED taillights and daytime running lights. The main beams can also be upgraded to LEDs as an option.
But the real news is under the skin, as the 2016 Civic is available with an all-new 1.5-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine with 16 valves. That's right, we now have the first small turbo engine from the company that's famous for its VTEC systems.
This marks the first time a turbocharged engine is offered in a Honda model made in North America. The company claims it will offer class-leading levels of performance. No precise numbers are available, but we've been told to expect somewhere in the 170 to 180 hp ballpark.
The 1.5-liter will be offered on the EX-T, EX-L and Touring trim levels. Honda has also prepared a new 2-liter VTEC engine for the 2016 Civic. While not turbocharged, this will still be the most powerful base engine in the compact class, so it's not a problem. Buyers will be able to choose between a 6-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that has been tuned for efficiency. Who needs a hybrid when the Civic can do 40 mpg on the highway?
Other notable changes include a revamped strut front suspension and a new multi-link rear suspension mounted to a rigid subframe. To assist with cornering, Honda has also installed a new system called Handling Assist, which uses the brakes to mimic a limited slip differential.
"This tenth-generation Civic is quite simply the most ambitious remake of Civic we've ever done," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co, Inc. "We are bringing more new technology and innovative thinking to Civic than ever before to establish a new benchmark for fun-to-drive performance, fuel efficiency, safety performance and refinement in the compact class."
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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