Honda Civic Spied Testing, India Launch In 2019

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

India has had an estranged love affair with the Honda Civic. After the Japanese manufacturer took the eighth-generation Civic away from us in 2012, enthusiast and Honda purists have longed for a sporty sedan to upgrade from the largely successful City. This wait is finally coming to an end as Honda has started testing the 2019 Civic in the country. Spy shots of a test mule have now emerged online and the sedan is expected to be launched in February 2019. However, whether Honda decides to launch the car showcased at the Auto Expo earlier this year or the facelift version that was unveiled in the US in August remains to be seen.

But one thing’s for sure, the India-bound Civic will not get the new 2.0-litre petrol engine that debuted with the facelift. Instead, it is likely to be powered by the old 1.8-litre motor with various updates. This engine produces 141PS of power and 174Nm of torque and will most likely be available with an automatic transmission as well. The Civic will also, for the first time in India, be offered with a diesel powertrain. This will be the 1.6-litre unit from the recently launched Honda CR-V. This 4-cylinder, turbocharged unit produces 120PS of maximum power and 300Nm of peak torque in the SUV. And while it is available with a 4WD and an automatic transmission in the CR-V, the two will not be carried onto the Civic.

When it comes to looks, the Honda Civic has changed a lot in its time away. It is now a larger car in terms of dimensions and with a coupe-like body shell, looks sportier as well. The 2019 facelift comes with a piano black grille, replacing the chrome one on the pre-facelift model. The bumpers have also been chiselled to look sharper. While the US-spec sedan gets new 18-inch alloy wheels, the India spec model will most likely get 17-inch units to offer better cushioning over broken roads. There is also a boot lid spoiler at the rear, which will be appreciated by Civic enthusiasts.

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On the inside, the Civic gets a premium cabin along with features like a 7-inch infotainment system, which supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control and six airbags. However, expect Honda to give radar-based safety features offered in the international markets a miss due to certain Indian regulations.

The Civic will be priced at a premium and could end up being the costliest car in the segment. Here In India, it will rival the likes of the Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Elantra and the Toyota Corolla Altis. Expect the sedan to be launched in February 2019 with a starting price of around Rs 17 lakh.

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Image Source: PowerDrift