The Honda Civic’s Evolution In Photos, From 1972 To Today – HotCars

From humble beginnings to a performance car icon, the Honda Civic has helped to shape the very foundations of the auto industry, with an influence that now spans over half a century.

Originally, the Honda Civic was launched as an exciting alternative to lazy, miserable, and generally uninspiring American-made offerings in the 1970s. From there on out, popularity exploded as Honda continued to bring value to their dedicated customers.

While the model never set out to break records, it did eventually end up doing just that, with the legendary Honda Civic Type-R. Join us as we venture back over the last eleven generations of Civic, discovering just how this hatchback ended up as the global icon we know and love today.

Information has been sourced from Honda, Ultimate Specs, and Edmunds, to bring you the history of the Honda Civic, from 1972 to today.

The first Honda Civic featured a transversely mounted 52 horsepower 1.2-liter engine, which offered not only considerably better economy than American peers in the day, but also a lively, enjoyable drive; optimistic economy cars were few and far between in the 1970s, and as such, the earliest Honda Civics were almost without any real competition.

By the mid-1970s, engineers at Honda had developed new systems within the Civic's engine that meant catalytic converters weren't needed, unlike anything else on offer at the time. This economy car had struck a chord with many Americans, announced as the EPA's most efficient car of 1977, just as Honda cracked the 100,000th sale in America.

As the 1970s progressed, subtle styling tweaks were introduced, such as larger safety bumpers front and rear, blacked-out front grills, and relocated indicators. In the top trim level, the now-1.5-liter Civic produced a hearty 63 horsepower.

Related: Honda Is Set To Unleash A Powerful New Type-R GT Race Car

For the second generation, the diminutive Civic grew in length by 2 inches, which saw the wheelbase swell up to 88.6 inches. Two powertrains were on offer, with both 1.3 and 1.5-liter engines available, most with 4-speed gearboxes, although the range-topping DX trims afforded a 5-speed. A 2-speed automatic gearbox was also available.

While it was clearly no Rolls-Royce, Honda did begin to introduce luxurious upgrades for the GL trim, such as a tachometer and clock, radial tires, plus a rear window wash and wiper.

Soon after, it was time to celebrate, as for the final year of this second generation (1983), Honda dropped the aforementioned GL model and introduced the S. This sporting hatch was equipped with firmer suspension, a rear stabilizer bar, and 13" 165/70 Michelin tires.

As 1984 dawned, so did the third-generation Honda Civic, which was now 5 inches longer than the previous model, with sedan and wagon models now sharing the same basic platform as the Accord and Prelude. The 1.5-liter unit was now standard across the range, apart from the base model 3-door hatch, which still made do with the old 1.3-liter engine.

Such was the success of Civic in America that production was moved to a facility in Ohio in 1986. Here, the first Civic Si was developed, alongside an all-wheel-drive Civic wagon.

Just 4 short years later, Honda dropped the fourth-generation Civic. Larger and more powerful still, this latest fourth generation did away with many of the sharp creases and jagged lines that so defined the previous generations.

Creature comforts such as power locks, windows, and mirrors were also introduced in the higher trim levels, in addition to intermittent wipers. Competition was fierce against the likes of Europe's Volkswagen Fox, but the Civic had enough of a fan base to continue battling it out into the 1990s.

The fifth generation was a global success and set the Civic up with so many of the bases that we still recognize today. The base model CX made do with a 70 horsepower 1.5-liter unit, whereas the VX gifted owners the use of a 92 horsepower 1.5-liter with variable valve timing, dubbed VTEC-E, which was optimized for fuel savings. Further up the food chain, the DX offered a 102 horsepower 1.5-liter engine, and the flagship Si sported a 125 horsepower VTEC engine.

In addition to the Del-Sol, the Civic coupe debuted in 1993, further broadening the customer base of this now-global icon. Airbags are now featured across the range too, Honda always has a keen eye on safety, in addition to value and economy.

Perhaps one of the more instantly recognizable Civics, the 1996 sixth-generation continued building upon the huge success of previous models. More tech was introduced, now in an aptly named 'value package', which bundled A/C, a CD player, an automatic transmission, and other sought-after options into a suitably priced bundle.

The ever-popular VTEC dual-overhead-cam B16 unit appeared for the first time in the Civic Si coupe, producing 160 horsepower, clearly defining the Civic as a sporting model. This engine could rev up to 8,500 rpm and enabled the coupe to hit 60 MPH from a standstill in just a shade over 7 seconds.

1997 also gave the world the first-ever Civic Type-R, the EK9, which yielded blistering results from an 182-horsepower VTEC unit. Sadly, the EK9 was never offered in America, although the seed for a true performance Civic was planted, and an icon was born.

Related: Here Are The Best And Worst Honda Civic Models Ever Made

The seventh and eighth generation Civics saw modern technology integrated with the humble Honda, with MP3 compatibility and a plethora of new driving aids added across the range. In addition, safety was continually improved, with greater focus on NCAP safety results, and additional airbags fitted as standard.

Honda got adventurous with the styling, in particular with the eighth generation, which also saw leather seats added as an option for the first time in the Civic's history.

The ninth-generation Civic saw more conservative styling, a step back in terms of interior quality and, according to period reviews, lost some of its charm on the road too. Fortunately, Honda acted quickly to rectify this, and in 2013 stiffer suspension springs and beefed-up anti-roll bars helped to deliver the characterful handling once more.

The tenth generation was introduced in 2016, with a range of fizzy engines, including a 174 horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 and 158 horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4, both of which would please driving enthusiasts, with stick-shift options available through the model run.

Just one year later, Honda re-launched an Si model, which featured an enigmatic 205 horsepower version of the previously mentioned 1.5-liter turbo engine, and the all-important stick-shift six-speed transmission.

Apart from the 1997 Acura Integra Type-R, America has otherwise been denied a true sporting Honda, having had to make do with Si models for decades. The tenth-generation Civic Type-R changed all that, finally bringing a 306 horsepower, wide-bodied hot hatchback to dealerships, coated in splitters, spoilers, and an awesome triple exhaust pipe.

Way more than just a marketing gimmick, the Type-R set the lap record around the Nrburgring for a front-wheel-drive production car, setting a time of 7:43:80; that's almost 3.5 seconds quicker than the Golf GTI Clubsport.

Related: 10 Most Reliable Honda Civic Models To Buy Used

We are onto the eleventh generation of Honda Civic now, and Honda has continued to impress with this relatively new model, only introduced in 2022.

Ever looking forward, the Civic comes standard with a smart 7.0" touchscreen display, which sits proudly in the center of the dashboard. As you would expect, there's also a plethora of driver and safety aids, in addition to the more interesting infotainment features, such as a wireless charging pad, a BOSE premium surround sound system, and satellite navigation.

Keen to prove their sporting credentials, Honda once again offers consumers the choice of an Si and a Type-R with this latest Civic, both of which set new standards in performance; here's how they compare against each other.

Model

2023 Civic Si

2023 Civic Type R

0 to 60 MPH

6.6 seconds

4.9 seconds

Top Speed

137 MPH

169 MPH

Curb Weight

2,952 lbs

3,188 lbs

Power

200 horsepower

315 horsepower

Torque

192 lb-ft

310 lb-ft

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

Starting Price

$28,800

$43,990

There's a lot of speculation about what the future will look like for the Honda Civic. Many think Honda will continue to build upon the heritage of this gas-powered hatchback, whereas they could just as easily take a new direction with it like so many manufacturers have done with their long-standing models.

One thing is for sure, the legacy of the Honda Civic will continue either way, having shaped the auto industry for the better over the last five decades.

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The Honda Civic's Evolution In Photos, From 1972 To Today - HotCars