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The front end is new, but contrary to some assumptions, the next generation Civic is clearly not an all-new car. CAR Middle East Online caught one in desert testing, and has a full portfolio of shots awaiting your perusal and judgment. So click the link, and come back and tell us what you think. I though so.
45 Comments on “2012 Honda Civic Caught Fully Exposed...”
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I am convinced that Honda keeps their engineers and designers locked underground somewhere. How else to explain what’s going on with them? They seem to not see what the competition is doing at all.
No offense! It can be worst. Just take a look at Odyssey.
Wallstreet…
I agree about the Odyssey.
What were they thinking!
Why isn’t the sliding door hinge part of the rear window as in most minis?
This new look makes it look like the rear end is falling off.
Now its called the oddity.
It’s… okay.
They still have the weird dashboard treatment from the current model, and that looks like an “eco” button to the left of the steering wheel, like the Insight and CR-Z.
Still a classier and far more cohesive design to my eye than the Daewoo Cruze.
They both have their good (well, just barely) points and bad points.
Otoh, the “Daewoo” Cruze hatch is a looker, but unfortunately likely won’t make it here.
Insight grill, current generation’s body, and an Aura’s trunk/rear. WTF?
My judgement is: Ugh.
Is there a new coupe model forthcoming?
I’ve never understood all the criticism of the current Civic’s dash. I own an ’06 coupe, and find the interior design distinctive and very useful. Controls are easy to use and reach, the speedo is up high where it’s very easy to see, and the one analog gauge is the tach located centrally in front of you ( where it should be ). I hope the new Civic continues this dash layout……
Agree on the current civic dash – easy to see speedo and a giant tach dead center.
These civic pics look bad, and Honda has made some mistakes lately, but I’m skeptical that this is really the new Civic. Even Honda is not so stupid as to screw up on their bread-and-butter (civic, accord). Are they?
Looks like they’re bringing it more in line with their other products. Sort of a half-way between the Insight/City and the Accord.
I hate it. The previous Civic was sharp and distinctive. This looks like the forgotten middle brother.
If anybody wasn’t sure if Honda has drifted away from being a engineering-driven product, this should end the argument. What has happened to Honda?
Wow, looks like a mid-cycle refresh to me. It doesn’t matter how bad they screw up, still better than Corolla.
Snore. This is exactly the point of that Subaru ad campaign, “2011 Mediocrity.” The new Civic’s blend-in average styling could be forgiven if it’s a blast to drive, but let’s face it. It has most likely become softer and more plush and gained 300 pounds.
Remember when Hondas were exciting? I have lost all respect for them now that they have axed the S2000. They’ve completely sold out to the car-as-appliance crowd.
Lame. Is Honda becoming the Chevrolet of a new generation?
The current Euro and JDM Civics look very different than the US version. The pictures look more like the current Euro version.
How do say “meh” in Arabic? The grill looks like it came straight off a Hyundai.
You won’t be able to use phrases like that as an insult for much longer. Hyundai and Kia finally have not only reliability, but the best styling in the biz.
Hyundai & Kia’s styling has certainly improved, but the best in the business? I beg to differ.
I don’t think it’s particularly exciting, but I think it looks better than the current Civic. I never liked the current Civic’s vacuum-cleaner look from the front, or its fragmented yet flat rear end. Lines should flow around cars horizontally, and this one rights a misguided styling fad of the last few years to break the horizontal with awkward vertical lines (Odyssey, Accord, Camry rear trunks, Civic front bumper, Audi beards).
That still looks like a bit of camouflage to me. There’s something at where the front fenders meet the A-pillars, and covering where the fog lights would go. I suspect that’s contributing to making the car look more dull than it really is. A little. Maybe.
yeah upon further review looking at A piller and the rear their is alot of tape there, (probably hides a nifty faux porthole) this might be an engine or hybrid mule though the interior leads me to believe otherwise, honda was tricky on the current Odyssey. but this resembles other camoed mules
wow! what an epic fail. my 2005 coupe is more exciting looking then this car. are the people at honda drunk. it’s like they exist in opposite land. they looked over the chat boards and went hmm people hate the front-end, dash/ip and cars general body characteristics. and they kept if not made worse the things people hate. the dash more claustrophobia inducing, front vomit inducing the insight is by far one of the worst looking cars to be released on the road. the automatic shifter / e brake still look like crap. whats worse the rear something i liked, looks like it came off an aveo/ion prototype reject. this is not sexy , this is a downgrade, this car is offends my sense of vision, my god have mercy on it’s automotive soul which it probably has none, and if this thing has a 1.5 liter it won’t work here (usa). (rant off)
Looks fine to me, although I may like the current model’s styling better. It looks like they fixed the shifter placement on this one too; it’s too far away on the current model.
IMHO, it looks worse than the current one…boring. The front end looks more generic. Looks like they tried to make it more inline with the front end of the Insight and Accord.
Honda thoroughly revises cars every other generation. Since the 2006 was a thorough revision, this one won’t be. More like the change from 2000 to 2001.
Sales of the upcoming Hyundai Elantra just went up 50%.
From the rear this thing looks like an overstuffed Saturn Ion, and from the front it looks like it was beaten with the same ugly stick used on other recent Honda/Acura products.
The rear reminds me more of the current Ford Fusion than my lowly Ion.
EDIT: No, looking at it again, you’re right. The overall rear is very like the Ion.
I won’t say that it is a better car, but the recently debuted Hyundai Avante/Elantra has a much more aggressive look than this conservative Civic mule refresh. The Hyundai looks really good in red.
Also, since this is a test mule, Honda has ample opportunity to uglify the front grill even further.
Some of the louder critics of the Cruze (including myself) have complained that Chevrolet didn’t go far enough to move the state of the art forward, and while the Cruze may be better than the current Corolla or Civic but it will be left behind by the next generation of those models. If this is what they came up with for the Civic, I bet Chevrolet (and its supporters) are breathing a sigh of relief.
The rear 3/4 view looks like a Saturn Ion – maybe the silver paint highlights the panel gaps…
One improvement – the handbrake lever is further back from the “rubs on knee” position in the current model.
Meh, nothing to see here, move along.
Two things:
1. I can’t believe that’s a production model destined for the U.S. If it is, look for physicians who treat sleep disorders to start writing prescriptions for Civic.
2. Behold! CAR Middle East Onlne is even more annoying to load on your browser than than TTAC!
I’m disappointed in the grille. The current car looks like it’s hugging the road sitting still. You could recognize it right away. This one looks like every other vehicle in its class.
I thought they went back to the drawing board to fix the next-gen Civic… This looks much worse. I can certainly see this not being the US model, however, given its resemblance to the City sedan.
Does anyone else see 2002-2006 Camry all over the rear?
This makes the homely Insight look gorgeous by comparison.
And good Lord, those wheels are unforgiveable.
I just saw this on autoblog. There is some speculation in the comments this is instead the Honda City. A Google image search makes me think there may be something to that.
Not much change from the current Civic. Perhaps all the improvements are under the skin, where Honda historically has made their reputation.
Other than the new Oddity, I think Hondas look better up close than in photos.
Visiting the Harrisburg airport last week I saw the line in the baggage pick up area.
Even the Crosstour looked nice(r) live given a second look.
However I still can’t accept that rear 2 glass/Prius window design.
Didn’t they hold off introduction due to the hotter competition and were frightened?
Hmmm….
.
You mean the Aztek dual rear window design!
I’ve checked out the Crosstour and it is a waste. A rounded-off wagon does you no good, for the reduced practical storage is compromised, so you’d be better off with a Chevy Equinox or other small CUV. I saw the Acura version of the Crosstour this morning, and it’s pretty hideous, too, but someone bought it, so…
Right now it appears Toyota and Honda have reached the end of their rope as design goes. Their cars have gotten too big and bloated style-wise. “reliability”, whatever that truly means, doesn’t seem to be a factor, either, as they have their transmission/engine problems, too.
This really is a sad day. I will be in the market for a new car and had high hopes on the next generation Si, but this is truly one boring car to look at. As a long time Honda fan, it makes matters worst. The current model is far more distinctive and still looks fresh today.
Wake up Honda…and stop drinking from the Toyota fountain.
Almost Jake
Here here- I too was in the market. Hoping that my aged Accord would last until the CR-Z made it to production. Then I read about the CR-Z and thought to myself, well hopefully it would make it to the Civic redesign.
Then my car finally gave up the ghost. I need to go hug it’s rusting husk before we tow it off, and say, ‘Thank you for getting me into a GTI.’
Honda’s stable has ultimately proved unworthy of an heir/successor to the ’96 Accord.
Looks “exciting” and “dynamic.”
Maybe this article should have been published with the headline of “What wrong with this picture?”. Yikes – it looks like the 80s are back.
Looking at the American auto demographic (which continues to diverge from the C/D driving demographic), Honda is going to sell a boat load of these things. I’m a titch disappointed, though–not because I don’t think this Civic will be fun to drive–but because its simply not revolutionary. The outgoing model still looks pretty fresh compared to Corolla or 3, so an evolutionary step will do the trick. But it’s not what we’ve come to expect from Civic, which has traditionally been sort of an unexpected trendsetter. From round-when-square-was-in to the wonky one-sided headrest to the outgoing model’s hood-meets-glass continuous front slope and alien interior, new Civis are almost expected to extoll creativity in a class where conformity is the norm. This one doesn’t. That said, though, the updates are all appropriate, and the inside looks much nicer than before–its very BMW-reminicent by shape. And for the price, the Civic is still the one to beat.
I’d have to allow with you one this subject. Which is not something I usually do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to speak my mind!
Thanks
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Our latest Honda, a 2012 Civic EX, is a great disappointment except for the 40 mpg gas mileage with the gas engine and automatic. The dashboard rattles like to skeletons having sex on a tin roof. No tech bulletin out yet but the dealer acknowledges a lot of complaints while Honda shrugs its shoulders.
I should have gotten the Ford Fusion SEL I was considering along with the Civic. Same price, tight as a drum, inside and out.