A Look At 2009 Honda Civic
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Aug 29, 2008
When Honda introduced its new Civic for 2006, the car was a quantum leap over its predecessor and was honored as Motor Trend’s 2006 Car of the Year for its efforts. With a broad lineup, which includes coupes and sedans ranging from the ultrafrugal Honda Civic Hybrid to the sport-themed Civic Si, the Civic is one of the best-selling cars in America, and the recent spike in gas prices has helped the Civic challenge the Accord as Honda’s most-popular model. But recently the automaker’s Japanese rivals have been fighting back, with an all-new Corolla in showrooms now and a replacement Mazda3 due next year. So to keep the Civic going strong, the 2009 version is getting a mid-cycle update with a host of small improvements featuring revised styling, an improved interior, new technology, additional safety features, as well as two new sedan variants—the DX-VP and LX-S—that offer customers additional choice when shopping for the range’s low- and mid-priced models.
Honda did a little more work on the Civic’s interior, when compared with its minimal sheetmetal changes, notably in the form of more upscale trim options and additional tech goodies. While the automaker is sticking with its controversial two-tier dashboard introduced three years ago, all Civic sedans now feature a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, improved cloth seating surfaces and patterns, and matching trim on the door linings and armrests.
Under the hood, Honda is sticking with its current engine lineup, meaning a 140-hp, 1.8L four-cylinder on most cars, a 1.3L four combined with a 15kW electric motor for a total of 110 hp in the Hybrid, and the high-revving 2.0L, 16-valve iVTEC four-cylinder making 197 hp in the sporty Si. In addition, a low-emission GX model will again be offered, which features a 1.8L four-cylinder designed to run on natural gas. As before, Civic sedans and coupes come with either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission, while the Si upgrades to a six-speed manual and the Hybrid sports a CVT.
Dating back to the tiny CVCC, the Honda Civic has always offered a compelling combination of space, comfort, and fuel-economy to frugal-minded consumers. And with the addition of a dramatically improved Si for enthusiasts in 2006, the lineup truly offers a model catering to virtually any taste. But Honda’s main competitors aren’t about to give in, and with the Detroit Three about to jump into the small car game in a big way, things are going to get interesting. Time will tell whether Honda’s 2009-model-year changes will continue to keep the hot-selling compact at the top of its game.
