10th generation Honda Civic sedan for India revealed at Auto Expo 2018

Honda has pulled the wraps off the 10th generation Civic sedan for the Indian car market at the 2018 Auto Expo. However, the car will only be market launched early next year. The Civic is making its comeback into India at a time when Honda City owners are ready to upgrade to the next level.

The 10th generation model – available in coupe and sedan forms globally – will be sold as a sedan in the Indian market. For the first time ever in India, the Civic will be sold with an diesel engine – a 1.6 liter i-DTEC all aluminium unit built right here at Tapukara, Rajasthan. The diesel motor makes about 120 Bhp-300 Nm, and is known for its high fuel efficiency and super-low CO2 tail-pipe emissions.

The other engine option on the Civic will be the 1.8 liter i-VTEC petrol, making about 140 Bhp. While the petrol engine will be offered with 6 speed manual and automatic transmission options, the diesel will be manual-only – making do with a 6 speed gearbox. In markets abroad, Honda also sells a high-performance version of the Civic, known as the Type R. If brought into India, the turbo petrol-engined Type-R will be a Skoda Octavia vRS rival. For now though, Honda has no plans to bring the Civic Type-R to India.

Meanwhile, the new Civic has grown in dimensions, and is much larger than the older version that used to be on sale in India until 2013. This will translate into a roomier cabin and a comfortable back seat. In terms of price-positioning, we expect the new Civic to sit in the D-Segment sedan class, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Toyota Corolla Altis and the Skoda Octavia. The car’s prices are likely to start from a little over Rs. 15 lakhs. The new Civic will be produced through the CKD assembly route, allowing Honda to price it competitively.