Unlike the past Civic which rolled out numerous different variations in a progression spread over 3 years (the Civic Si Sedan model came late), this Civic will have each of its variety launch within weeks of each other. The variety includes a sedan, coupe, numerous engines, a hybrid, GX natural gas model, Si coupe and sedan models.
Perhaps this is Honda's catching up after it announced it would delay the 2012 Civic from its original production date of spring 2010 to April 2011. The 2012 Civic is smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient and cheaper than the original car drawn to be produced in 2010.
"The story that will never be told is how much we changed the car," Mendel VP of Honda America said at the unveiling of the Civic Concept last week.
"The major change with the new Civic involved interior packaging. When you get in the current Civic, it isn't roomy enough to be a Civic. That was what our focus was, getting back to where we once were: a compact yet surprisingly roomy vehicle." said Vicki Poponi, Honda Assistant VP of Product Planning.
The Civic Concept retains the angular look of the current model with more pronounced shoulders. The window has a less shallow rake but continues with a cab-forward orientation and has a rear BMW styling cue in name of a Hofmesiter C-pillar kink.