Honda Civic India Launch Tomorrow: 5 Things To Know

Update: The Honda Civic has been launched, priced from Rs 17.70 lakh to Rs 22.30 lakh, ex-showroom pan-India.

• Honda will reintroduce the Civic brand in India tomorrow after a hiatus of five years.
• 10th-generation Honda Civic hopes to cash in on positive sentiments of the previous model.
• There will be three variants and two powertrains - a petrol-CVT and a diesel-MT - on offer.
• Our first drive impressions suggest the Civic relies on its sexy design and some wow factors in the form of unique equipment than empirically superior features to appeal to customers.

The Honda Civic sedan will be launched in India tomorrow, 7 March 2017. Here are five things you need to know about the mid-sized business saloon.

1) No more butt-clenching when tackling speed bumps

A lot of people seem to be most concerned about the low ground clearance of the Civic, as it was the biggest niggle associated with the previous eighth-gen model. You will be relieved to know that the new Civic does not suffer from the same underbody grinding issues thanks to a higher ground clearance, which is unofficially pegged at 170mm.

2) Diesel and petrol engines on offer

The new Civic is available with two powertrains:

• A 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, naturally-aspirated petrol engine which develops 141PS of maximum power and 174Nm of peak torque, exclusively paired to a CVT.
• A 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine from the CR-V developing 120PS of maximum power and 300Nm of peak torque, exclusively paired to a 6-speed manual transmission.

How are these engines to drive? Find out in our first drive review.

Both the engines are tuned for comfort, tractability and efficiency rather than performance. The petrol engine has claimed mileage of 16.5kmpl, while the diesel unit has a claimed mileage of 26.8kmpl!

3) You cannot act like a fighter pilot behind the wheel anymore

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The dual-layered instrument cluster setup of the eighth-gen model did not make it to future models, including the one that will be launched in India tomorrow. The 7-inch all-digital instrument cluster screen is not half bad and has its own geeky charm.

4) The ‘oohs’ and the ‘mehs’

The top-of-the-line ZX variant gets dual 7-inch screens on the dashboard, one for the instrument cluster and a touchscreen unit for the central infotainment system. Honda’s signature ‘Lane Watch’ system has been carried over from the CR-V. An eight-way power adjustable driver seat, dual-zone climate control, the all-important sunroof, vehicle stability assist, six airbags are other great features which make it feel premium and safe.

The 430-litre boot is smaller than its smaller sibling, the Honda City. The manual gearbox paired to the diesel engine felt clunky on our drive. The touchscreen could have been bigger and sharper. It doesn’t have a lot of unique features as its contemporary rivals.

5) Appeal to head, or to the heart?

Being assembled from CKD (completely knocked down) units and with only 30 per cent localisation of parts, the Civic will be a good quality but slightly premium product. With an expected price range of Rs 18 lakh - Rs 23 lakh, ex-showroom pan-India (UPDATE: The Civic has been launched with prices from Rs 17.70 lakh- Rs 22.30 lakh, ex-showroom India), the Civic is not going to appeal to those who are smart with their money. However, it will certainly appeal to those who follow their heart and are big Honda fans.