First Look: 2012 Honda Civic

News I By John Beltz Snyder I February 18, 2011

Honda has unveiled the production versions of the new Civic lineup, and it offers more economy, more power, and more options. 

First things first, the 2012 Civic Si has a new 2.4-liter engine, which is certain to pique the interest of both the enthusiast and the fuel miser. Producing 200 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque (up from 197 and 139, respectively), it is also estimated to get 31 miles per gallon on the highway, which is 2 mpg more then the outgoing model. It also gets a new six-speed manual, which we can only hope is as good as the old one.
 
The standard Civic, Civic HF, and Civic GX (natural gas) will all be motivated by the 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter four, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. The HF (high fuel economy version) will be equipped aerodynamic touches, and will achieve 41 miles per gallon on the highway. All will feature Honda’s Eco Assist technology.
 
The Civic Hybrid will use a 110-horsepower 1.5-liter engine and electric motor, mated to a CVT. Energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery. The Hybrid is expected to achieve 45 mpg combined.
 
More details are available in the press release, below.
 
 
All-New 2012 Honda Civic Emphasizes Style, Fuel Economy and Performance
Two models offer 40+ mpg
 
02/17/2011 – TORRANCE, Calif.
 
Featuring the widest array of engine choices available in its class, the 2012 Civic is designed to even better meet the diverse needs of the compact-vehicle buyer when it launches this spring. The entire redesigned ninth-generation Civic lineup will become more fuel efficient with two models – the all-new Civic HF and the Civic Hybrid – each delivering fuel economy estimates of more than 40 mpg on the highway.
 
Built on the tradition of Honda fuel efficiency, the economical Civic HF model will be the most fuel-efficient gasoline-only powered Civic in the lineup when it launches this spring. Equipped with a 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine, the Civic HF is targeted to earn EPA-estimated fuel economy1 of 41 mpg on the highway. The 2012 Civic Hybrid, which will be outfitted for the first time with a lithium-ion battery and a larger 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine, is expected to achieve an EPA-estimated city/highway combined fuel economy1 of 45 mpg, an improvement of 4 mpg compared to the current Civic Hybrid. Both the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models will be equipped with aerodynamic components for improved efficiency and Honda ECO Assist™ technology, an innovation that can enhance efficient vehicle operation while providing feedback to promote more efficient individual driving styles.
 
"The Civic is the only model in the industry that can deliver on all fronts – fuel economy, sporty performance, smart packaging, alternative fuel and long-term value," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda Motor Co.,Inc. "For the ninth-generation Civic, we are emphasizing improved fuel economy across the board, from the hybrid sedan to the sporty Si model."
 
In addition to the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models, the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic GX Natural Gas models are also estimated to achieve improved fuel economy compared to the current models. The Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy2 of 39 mpg on the highway, an improvement of 3 mpg when compared to the current model. The Civic Natural Gas vehicle is anticipated to earn a 7 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the current model. The Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe and Civic Natural Gas models will all be equipped with the Honda ECO Assist technology.
 
Along with improved fuel economy, the new Civic lineup also delivers more performance, particularly with the Civic Si. The Civic Si sedan and coupe models will be equipped with a larger, more powerful 2.4-liter engine as well as a new 6-speed manual transmission. The new engine is anticipated to deliver 200 horsepower with 170 ft-lb of torque. Even with the larger engine and a 22 percent increase in torque, Civic Si is targeted to achieve an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy1 of 31 mpg; an increase of 2 mpg when compared to the current model.
 
The 2012 Civic lineup includes a sedan and a coupe with conventional gasoline models, a new "HF" high fuel economy version, two sporty "Si" performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant.
Additional information on the new 2012 Civic will be announced closer to the on-sale date. For more information on the current Civic and other Honda models, please visit www.hondanews.com.
 
Civic HF, Sedan, Coupe and Natural Gas Specifications
 
    * 140 horsepower, 1.8-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine
    * 5-speed automatic transmission
    * ECO Assist technology
    * EPA-estimated Civic HF highway fuel economy: 41 mpg
    * EPA-estimated Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe highway fuel economy: 39 mpg
 
Civic Hybrid Specifications
 
    * 110 horsepower, 1.5-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine (combined gasoline + electric)
    * Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
    * Lithium-ion battery
    * ECO Assist technology
    * EPA-estimated Civic Hybrid city/highway combined fuel economy: 45 mpg
 
Civic Si Specifications
 
    * 200 horsepower and 170 lb-ft, 2.4-liter i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder engine
    * 6-speed manual transmission
    * EPA-estimated Civic Si highway fuel economy: 31 mpg
 
1Preliminary EPA mileage estimates determined by Honda. Final EPA mileage estimates not available at the time of printing. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
 
2Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
 

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