It's Finally Here: The All-New Honda Civic

At last, it's here.

The new-generation Honda Civic has finally reached the Philippines, as it was launched recently at an event, presented before the media and other Honda enthusiasts. Following its launch in the United States last year, the all-new Civic's launch here in the Philippines would be inevitable. After several months, the new Civic is finally out to try and conquer the Philippine market.

Admittedly, the Honda Civic's popularity in recent years has been dwindling--with more car models being launched in the country, Filipino car buyers are now presented with more options to choose from. Add to that the increasing popularity of Korean cars, especially Hyundai which in the past few years has redesigned almost all models in their line-up, taking on a bolder, futuristic design while maintaining a relatively affordable price. The car models which once upon a time reigned supreme (the Civic included) have slowly been pushed out of the bestseller lists, indicating changes in the tastes and preferences of Filipino car buyers. 

So now the question is, will the new Civic be able to win back the hearts of Filipino car enthusiasts?

The front of the new Civic bears certain resemblances to the previous generation, but once you take a good look at the car in its entirety, you will soon realize that this new Civic is not just a facelifted version of the old one. The car's lines and contours give it a classy-yet-simple look, taking cues from both the City and the Accord. The car's overall aerodynamic design gives the Civic its own touch of elegance, while maintaining a price lower than the Accord, while still being able to distinguish itself from the entry-level City.

On the inside, the new Civic looks very futuristic, to say the least. While the digital speedometer had been introduced for the previous generation (launched in the Philippines in 2006), more features have been added, ensuring a better, safer and more exciting driving experience for its owners. 

The new model is equipped with an Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID), as well as Bluetooth connectivity that also allows you to connect your mobile phone, so that you would be able to keep both hands on the steering wheel as you talk to someone on the phone. Steering wheel-mounted controls are standard, allowing you to control several of the car's functions without you having to take both hands on the wheel, ensuring your safety. The car's USB connectivity feature as well as an auxiliary jack allows you to listen to your favorite songs on your iPod, as the songs blast through six speakers found throughout the cabin.

The most interesting feature of the new Civic, however, would have to be the Eco-assist system. With the press of a button, the new Civic becomes more efficient as it makes adjustments to the engine and air-condition settings. More efficient driving is also encouraged as the Ambient Meter located at both sides of the speedometer turns  green when you are driving economically. This feature is something new which you don't really see in other cars within the same category as the Civic. 

Under the hood, the car is equipped with a powerful 1.8 i-VTEC engine, with a maximum power of 141ps @6500 rpm and a maximum torque of 17.7 kg-m @4300rpm, giving it a noticeably different driving feel from the previous model. It feels more powerful, yet is very economical, which is a big plus for the budget-conscious car owner.

The Civic here in the Philippines is exactly the same as the ones sold in the United States, and are imported from Japan. This is only temporary though, as Honda is still working to solve some problems at their manufacturing facility in Thailand, which was badly affected by flooding last year. Honda's plant at Santa Rosa, Laguna no longer manufactures the Civic, as they have decided to focus more on the Honda City which is actually doing much better than the Civic in terms of sales in the Philippines. 

With this new development, I wonder if things would actually make a turn for the better for the Civic here in the country. Stiff competition especially from Korean auto-manufacturers means that Honda would have to step up and make itself heard by introducing unique features on its latest model, which would allow it to stand out from all the rest. It's doing just just that, actually--now it's just a matter of gaining back the people's trust and confidence in the brand (if you recall, Honda Philippines ordered the recall of some of their models last year due to safety concerns). Who knows? Filipino car enthusiasts might just have a change of heart.