FOUR and a half years in and the eighth-generation Civic sedan – once a strong small-car proposition – has some formidable and much younger rivals to contend with. And the competition will only strengthen as this model ages over its remaining 18 months, so Honda has added more safety to keep the old nameplate relevant. But in an age of direct injection turbo Volkswagen Golfs is it enough?

FD Civic VTi Series 1
Released: Februar 2006
Ended: January 2009
Family Tree: CivicHonda scored a smash hit with the Mk8 Civic range, despite the lack of an affordable hatch (both the three-door Type R and five-door Si topped $40,000). Keen pricing that started under $21,000 for the entry-level VTi helped pull in punters, as did a slickly styled exterior and extrovert cabin presentation. Three four-cylinder engines were offered – the 103kW/174Nm 1.8-litre SOHC in the VTi and VTi-L, a 114kW/188Nm 2.0-litre twin-cam for the Sport and a 85kW/170Nm 1.3-litre petrol-electric Hybrid. The regular petrol cars offered either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic gearbox, while the Hybrid employed a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Only the lack of stability control jarred. Slick, smooth and spacious, the Civic sedan helped buoy Honda’s sales in the latter half of the Noughties.
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