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The Honda Civic has been an Aussie favourite from day one… A success story more than 50 years in the making.
Few cars can claim a legacy of continuous production and evolution spanning more than half a century, and fewer of them still are models from marques outside of Europe. The Honda Civic stands out as one.
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An automotive icon, the Civic almost single-handedly shaped Honda as an automaker.
Evolving from a simple economy car in 1972 to today’s sophisticated hybrid, the Civic has been a firm family favourite, stylish city transport, brand ambassador and even a hot hatch.
It has grown both in size and standing. Still, all the while, Civic has maintained its essential character – fun to drive, superbly engineered, efficient, practical, yet never dull…
The birth of an icon
Honda launched the Civic globally in mid-1972, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
As the world faced an oil crisis, car buyers turned to more modern, fuel-efficient alternatives to the cars that defined the 1960s.
The Civic was developed in just two years, with a clear “utilitarian and minimalist” concept designed to meet Japan’s “People’s Car Program” requirements. Yet what arrived was also ideally suited to the wants and needs of Australian car buyers seeking a better, brighter small car.
The first-generation Civic arrived Down Under as a 1973 model. A three-door front-wheel drive hatchback (there was also a booted version), it featured a transversely mounted 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing less than 40kW.
The gearbox was a simple four-speed manual. Indeed, manual was a theme – there was no power steering, manual windows, and manual heating and venting.
And though it was offered as an option, air-conditioning was a box few buyers ticked in the early 1970s.
Top speed and acceleration were modest, but the Civic offered something different: a fun driving experience and excellent efficiency, which were rare in the era’s cheap cars.
The car was a step-change for Honda. Globally, the Civic established Honda as a serious automaker, laying the foundation for the company’s future success.
Down Under, the Civic impressed with its fine road manners, build quality, and unique mix of style and affordability. All of a sudden, to Aussies, Honda was more than just a motorcycle brand.
A tale of two Civics: the original
If you appreciate automotive heritage, the very same traits that endeared the Civic to buyers 52 years ago can still be appreciated behind the wheel of CIVC-73.
This 1973 Civic takes pride of place in Honda Australia’s small heritage collection. While it’s not quite a time capsule, it’s remarkably well-preserved.
The high-gloss paintwork is a clue to a doors-closed re-spray, but the rest of the car is very much the same as it left Honda’s Hamamatsu production line.
Under the front-hinged bonnet, the engine bay is untouched and a testament to a life well-lived.
The interior shows little sign of wear and tear, and the chrome is bright. Skinny radial tyres on 12-inch rims look impossibly small compared to today’s “small” car rubber.
Parked side by side, it appears as though the original three-door could fit inside the latest Honda Civic e:HEV LX. The five-door 11th Gen is over a metre longer than the 1973 car and rides on a wheelbase that’s more than 500mm longer. Such is the inevitable growth of small cars – and (perhaps) the people they carry.
Inside the original, you’re struck by the surprising amount of room, perhaps partly due to the super-slim A and B pillars and large glass areas.
The driving position is natural, and the fine-rimmed steering wheel is very clearly of a different era.
The front scuttle is low, and the dash gets a token flourish of woodgrain. There’s a dashtop ashtray – testament to how many things have changed about how we live (and drive) compared to the early 1970s.
A tale of two Civics: The now
Step from the original into today’s 11th-generation Civic e:HEV hybrid, and the evolution is staggering. While the fundamental concept – an efficient, practical car – remains intact, the execution has been transformed and upgraded in every way.
The latest Civic e:HEV showcases Honda’s advanced hybrid technology, combining a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with an electric drivetrain and a lithium-ion battery.
Combined, this delivers 135kW of power and 315Nm of torque – more than three times the original’s output. Yet it consumes just 4.2L/100km in combined driving while producing only 96g/km of CO2.
Despite its eco-friendly credentials, the e:HEV accelerates from 0-100km/h in approximately 7.8 seconds – making it at least twice as fast as its ancestor – while still delivering an engaging driving experience that honours Honda’s sporting heritage.
Based on the sometimes rubbery numbers available for the 1973-vintage Civic, the new car has significantly more than twice the mass. It obviously feels like a larger but also more substantial piece of engineering.
The latest generation of Civics are comprehensively equipped. Looking at the myriad mechanical comforts and safety systems we take for granted in new cars today, it’s easy to understand how the change has come about.
The dimensions of progress
Beyond the numbers, the technological leap is even more notable. The 1973 Civic’s highlights included front disc brakes, vinyl bucket seats, and a stylish early-BMW-style instrument binnacle that still looks good today.
The latest Civic e:HEV LX’s highlights are myriad. Features include a panoramic sunroof, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control, and Google integration.
Smartphone functionality is a given, and tech is present in almost everything you touch – from the moment you push the start button and you’re greeted by… well… the hybrid’s EV mode silence.
The cabin itself is plush. High-grade materials are used at all touchpoints (the leather-appointed seats are especially good), and there is climate control, wireless phone charging, and more.
And the thick-rimmed sports steering wheel is a massive contrast to the original’s.
Given that our 1973 Civic has just come straight from a long stint on a showroom floor, it’s wasn’t in the finest of fettle on the day we drove it.
It was reluctant to idle and did its best to offset the new hybrid’s clean ways with some good old-fashioned fumes… But its bones are good, and it’s no stretch to say there’s a familial line in the way old and new drive.
Both the 1973 original and today’s Civic e:HEV deliver on Honda’s promise of combining efficiency with enjoyable driving dynamics.
The first-generation Civic stood out for being fun to drive when most economy cars were dull appliances. There’s a purity to the way it steers even 52 years on, and you can tell with a bit of attention that CIVC-73 would still be fun on the right road.
Similarly, the e:HEV defies hybrid stereotypes with responsive handling and robust performance. A choice of hybrid modes allows you to tailor the drive experience.
Picked for their efficiency, CVT transmissions are rarely the choice of keen drivers. Honda sidesteps this pain point by giving the latest Civic e:HEV a manual-like mode that delivers crisp, DSG-style shifts when driving in sports mode. Clever!
In everyday driving, the hybrid system shifts seamlessly between electric and petrol power, offering near-silent acceleration around town and efficient highway cruising.
It’s an easy car to live with and like.
But when it comes to safety, the two ends of the Civic timeline are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Anti-lock brakes weren’t even a thing in 1973. The latest Honda SENSING driver assistance suite has you and other road users well covered.
However, perhaps the most surprising evolution from 1973 to now is in the Civic’s market positioning. The original was an affordable economy car, whereas today’s Civic e:HEV LX, at $55,900 drive-away, competes on merit with entry-level European luxury models.
CarExpert’s Take
From its humble beginnings during the oil crisis to today’s sophisticated hybrid, the Honda Civic’s 50-year journey showcases the remarkable progress of automotive technology.
What started as Honda’s first genuine market success has evolved into an automotive icon that has found more than 28 million homes worldwide.
Through it all, the Civic’s essential character – practical, efficient, and enjoyable to drive – has remained intact.
In their latest guise, the Civic e:HEV L and LX models are all that and more – polished, poised, and perfectly matched to the needs of canny prestige buyers.
Keeping the Civic at the top of the small car crop is one thing.
Arguably, however, Honda’s consistency of purpose across five decades and 11 generations may be the most impressive achievement of all.
Note: All prices mentioned are accurate as of the publication date. Visit your local Honda dealer for current pricing and specifications.
