40 Years of Innovation - the new 2012 Civic raises the bar once more

For 40 years the Civic has been raising the bar in deliverables for small car owners, and the 2012 model is no exception. Driving performance, style and leading specification put the Civic well ahead of its class. Expressive exterior styling, a high-tech and spacious interior, and fun-to-drive performance throughout the range make a delightful option for customers seeking a quality drive. The 9th generation Civic has been redeveloped from the ground up with a crisp injection of sports styling and performance. With appealing curves and lines inside and out, suggestive of tight and responsive handling, you will just want to drive when you sit behind the wheel of the 2012 Civic range.

The Civic has always been a technology leader, from the first generation 1973 EB Civic with the introduction of the CVCC engine, through to the 16 valve i-VTEC, and flat floor technology in the last model. The 9th generation continues this trend. The 2012 Civic takes on the offerings, quality and presence of prestige models.

There are three models available, the 1.8S, 2.0S and Civic IMA. Each features equipment that is generally only found in top-range models and all three are at the top of their game for drivability, safety and comfort.

“Honda's dedication to research and development and a passion for improvement means that nothing has been left untouched in the creation of this new Civic,” says Graeme Meyer, Head of Marketing for Honda New Zealand.

Exhilarating performance is provided across the Civic range with the adoption of the NP4 engine across the 1.8S and 2.0S models. The IMA model features an i-VTEC, i-DSI based engine incorporating Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) for engine shutdown, and Honda's IMABoost system.

The Civic range gives owners excellent cost savings in fuel consumption, with ADR government tests resulting in Civic IMA achieving 4.4l/100kms (over 22kms/litre), costing under $10 to drive 100kms, the 1.8 Auto 6.7l/100kms ( 15kms/l) and the 2.0s, an impressive 7.5l/100kms (13.3kms/l). This has been achieved through a combination of developments in engines, aerodynamics, transmission and braking technologies.

The new Civic also scores highly on the safety front, with the award of a 5 star rating by ANCAP in recent testing. In addition to this rating, Honda conducts over 1000 real world tests in its two omni-directional crash testing facilities per annum. Through this testing, Honda has developed its unique Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure to optimise crash performance for different size, weight and height vehicles and better distribution of crash energies in a collision situation.

For owners and drivers, the Civic brings a new level of refinement, sophistication and technology that is engaging whether out on the back-roads or ambling through rush hour traffic. Driving dynamics for straight line stability or balance and poise through a corner make the Civic an easy and comfortable drive. Being built by Honda gives owners the surety of some of the best R&D developments in the world.