Honda Civic: 10 things you DON'T know about the latest sedan coming soon to India

The 10th generation Honda Civic was showcased at the Auto Expo and will soon be launched in India. The 8th-gen Civic is a cult car in India, and the new (10th-gen) one is likely to have its own set of fans. Here are 10 things you DON’T know about the new Civic.

It’s nearly here

Honda CEO Yoichiro Yeno has just announced that the 10th generation Civic is coming sooner than expected, right in 2018. He made this statement to the Times Of India, and a lot of people will be excited as the car was originally scheduled for a 2019 launch.

And it skips a generation

Yes, Honda didn’t bring in the 9th generation Civic when it decided to pull the plug on the 8th-gen Civic in India. So, we’re skipping a generation, and moving straight to the 10th gen model. Not that we’re complaining as the 10th-gen model is the latest Civic.

It also gets a total redesign

There’s absolutely nothing similar to the 8th and 10th gen Civic sedans in terms of looks. The new car has a totally different design, is larger and is much more feature-rich than before.

Diesel, for the first time ever

Yes, Honda will finally offer a diesel engine on the Civic sold here. The engine in question is the 1.6 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel unit with 118 Bhp-300 Nm. This engine is already being built in India for export markets.

But it’ll be manual-only

Bummer? Well, Honda will only offer a 6 speed manual gearbox with the diesel motor. This has been the automaker’s game plan for the diesel model globally, and India won’t be any different as the Civic will be assembled here through CKD kits.

The good old petrol stays

Those who love petrols will be happy to see the sweet revving 1.8 liter i-VTEC petrol motor making a comeback in the new Civic. Borrowed from the older model, but with significant changes to refinement levels, the motor will make 138 Bhp and 174 Nm.

And will offer both manual and AT options

Unlike the diesel, the petrol motor will be offered with 6 speed manual and CVT automatic gearboxes. The CVT automatic will get 7 stepped shifts, and paddle shifters as well.

It’s meant to be an upgrade for City owners

The new Civic is coming at a time when the City will turn nearly 5 years old in India. In that sense, the Civic will be a perfect upgrade for City sedan owners, who want something bigger and plusher.

Will be a Corolla-Octavia rival

The Civic will continue to operate in the D-Segment sedan space, where it’ll rival the Skoda Octavia and market-leader Toyota Corolla Altis. The Civic is likely to aim directly at the top-spot in India, and why not, for it even offers a diesel now.

Has a high-performance Type-R sibling abroad

What enthusiasts will want Honda to do is, bring the Type-R high-performance version to the Indian market. The Type-R can be a brand-builder for Honda, a showcase of what the Civic can be. But the sad part is, the car may prove to be too expensive as a CBU import. Just so you know, the Type R is powered by a 2 liter turbo petrol engine with 315 Bhp-400 Nm. Lip-smacking, no?