Honda reveals simplified and sophisticated Civic
The new Honda Civic design shows that less really can result in more
Honda has revealed its latest Civic sedan. The car is now in its 11th generation and has all-new exterior and interior designs.
Significant changes to the overall shape have been made, with an elongated bonnet, a more dramatic roofline and a more upright windshield. These have been made possible simply by pushing the bottom of the A-pillars back by 1.96 inches.
The front end is completely different to the previous Civic, with narrower headlamps connected by a slimmer upper grille. Below this, the main section of the grille is far larger and stretches out to meet the fog lamps, which have a far more simplistic and clean shape, with black housing sweeping from above to below and spanning the width of the car.
The longer bonnet is now connected to the rest of vehicle due to the belt line that starts above the headlamps and runs to the rear lamps. This line now accentuates the front wheel arches in place of the curvy body panel that featured on the previous generation – a far more modern aesthetic.
At the rear, the old lighting design (which was pretty sharp!) has been ditched. Instead of the ‘C’-shape that pushed up into the spoiler, Honda has opted for a far more conventional shape. Again, there is a clear move towards simplicity. The lower reflector areas have also been scrapped, and the bumper is now the same colour as the body.
The interior is instantly eye-catching due to the strong horizontal dash design featuring the central honeycomb textured section with embedded air vents, controlled by small knobs that are reminiscent of old light switches. It brings a distinctive character to the inside that blurs the lines between modern and retro.
A new centre console includes a smaller gearstick flanked by two cup holders, and no longer continues upwards to house the screen. This now sits astride the upper section of the dash. The upper section of the doors include a shiny metallic piece that sits at the same height as the horizontal honeycomb dash line, resulting in a subtle continuity.
The Civic is the latest in a recent slew of work coming out of Honda design. The company has come up with a new design philosophy, and also unveiled the new HR-V.