Volume car making for Honda began in 1962 with the S500 sports car and, later, the little air cooled, twin cylinder N360 and N600. All these cars had their merits, but proved too idiosyncratic to make significant in roads into markets outside Japan. What the company needed was a mainstream economy car with universal appeal, cats in the mould of the Mini, but more refined and comfortable.
Honda’s breakthrough came in 1972 with the Civic, a neat front wheel drive hatchback (and saloon) that brought new levels of comforts and quietness to the shopping car. Honda might not have known it at time, nut the Civic was the building block of their mass market position in both Europe and in the USA. The Civic was also destined to set benchmarks that other cars in its class would have to look to beat.
The light alloy engine was a smooth and brisk performer, and the car combined light, refined controls with good all independent suspension. There hadn’t been a Japanese car like this before, and overnight Honda became a force to reckoned with.
In the USA an Europe the car got rave reviews and sold by the shipload. Bigger engines and longer wheel bases followed, and the Civic gave rise to more up market Hondas such as Accord and Prelude. Its descendants remained in production in the 20th century, by which time the true historic impact of the car on the company was clear for everyone to see.
Honda’s breakthrough came in 1972 with the Civic, a neat front wheel drive hatchback (and saloon) that brought new levels of comforts and quietness to the shopping car. Honda might not have known it at time, nut the Civic was the building block of their mass market position in both Europe and in the USA. The Civic was also destined to set benchmarks that other cars in its class would have to look to beat.
The light alloy engine was a smooth and brisk performer, and the car combined light, refined controls with good all independent suspension. There hadn’t been a Japanese car like this before, and overnight Honda became a force to reckoned with.
In the USA an Europe the car got rave reviews and sold by the shipload. Bigger engines and longer wheel bases followed, and the Civic gave rise to more up market Hondas such as Accord and Prelude. Its descendants remained in production in the 20th century, by which time the true historic impact of the car on the company was clear for everyone to see.
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