I suspect one of Honda's goals is to poach as many VW customers as possible and one strategy for doing so is to offer an antidote to the 'evolutionary, not revolutionary' design principles of the Mk V Golf. Ford took the same direction with the new Focus. In this market the new Civic will really stand out.
Ed.
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To put a slightly different slant on the slightly predictable and hackneyed ageist theme here, people who buy Honda do so mainly for reliability. No point buying a car if it won't do the job, or you have to take it back to the netherworld of dealerships. Now get the reliability coupled with some style, and the demographics will change. Does that mean the more experienced and savvy will abandon Honda? Of course not. So long as you get out of it again when you park up:)
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I think the new Honda looks different and will appeal to a bigger market that the 2000-2005 model which will be good for Swindon & British Motor Industry.
However I will probably buy one the of outgoing models - suitably discounted in Jan / Feb - that way I will get a brand new car 1.6 / 2 litre for £11,000 or thereabouts - lots of toys, reliable and hopefully any weaknesses will be long gone.
Hondas are good but even they can have quality issues with new models or new factories - Chinese made Jazz quality for example has quality problems I believe.
And to quote another Backroomer:-
Hondas are reliable transport & ideal for going down to the shops to buy the Werthers Originals.
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That was me being slightly tic Falkirk Bairn , I definitely bought my Civic for reliability. I want transport that gets me from a to b without breaking down by the roadside (or falling out of the sky for that matter.)
I don't think Honda are going mad - I am probably an archetypical boring unexciting Honda driver of a certain age ( ie more than RF but less than Growler) but I will certainly have a test drive of the new Civic when it comes out - I think it looks great.
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Is Honda going mad?
Absolutely not.
Honda make some fantastic cars, powered by the best small petrol engines in the world. They spend zillions on F1 to boost their image, and produse sporting road cars that the enthusiast market loves.
Their mainstream models, however, have always had an image problem. They are perceived as dull, boring rational transport for the 'Eastbourne massive'. I have known literally dozens of 20 & 30 somethings who have ordered Golfs as their company car, but not one single person who ordered a Civic.
The new Civic is bold, brave, different, cool and aspirational. It deserves to be a huge success, and i believe it will be.
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The new Civic is bold, brave, different, cool and aspirational. It deserves to be a huge success, and i believe it will be.
Was it a mistake to keep calling it the Civic?
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Maybe, maybe not.
When Ford launched the Focus they went for a new name as it was just soooo different from the Escort that they didn't want the negative associations of the Escort name. The only negative points for the old Civic name are that it implies boring, but that has been countered slightly by the Type R.
Which sort of leads me to another point.
When Ford launched the Focus, the design was considered hugely radical, and indeed it was when you compare it to the other cars in the sector in 1998, Astra, Golf etc. Despite this radical approach, the car went on to be the vest selling car in the UK for quite some time, and many were sold to elderly people who I doubt Ford were targetting when they introduced the model.
Quite frankly I think that the new Civic will go the same way, and in a couple of years, once people have gotten used to the style, Honda showrooms will have plenty of customers young and old all wanting to buy one, just like Ford did with the old Focus.
Blue
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I see a slight parallel with the Skoda Fabia, a lot of smart money went on Fabia's when they were first introduced.
New Polo mechanicals in the most part, long before the new Polo actually came in - not the prettiest car in the world but good advertising and a perceived reputation for value shifted quite a few.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Ford Focus picked up some of the Civic sales that are lost due to the more radical styling, as has been mentioned above the Mk 1 Focus was radical in it's day where the new Focus just isn't.
I haven't driven one yet but it doesn't inspire me the way the
old Focus did.
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I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Ford Focus picked up some of the Civic sales that are lost due to the more radical styling, as has been mentioned above the Mk 1 Focus was radical in it's day where the new Focus just isn't.
Actually that's quite a good point, the new Focus now has a good name for reliability, maybe not as good as Honda by any means, but still good, and it's also quite plain to look at, you may be right, the older crowd may swing towards it even more now.
I'm sure Honda won't mind though, as the younger (read more profitable) crowd will probably start flocking towards the Civic just as quickly.
Blue
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"new Focus just isn't. I haven't driven one yet but it doesn't inspire me the way the old Focus did."
I have. Style class and inspiration? if they havent emptied it, they are still in the skip out the back of the Ford Design studio.
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Maybe, maybe not. When Ford launched the Focus they went for a new name as it was just soooo different from the Escort that they didn't want the negative associations of the Escort name.
Whatever negative associations there may have been with the Escort name, Ford still sold plenty of them, particularly in the UK. I have known dozens of people who thought the Escort was wonderful.
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The Focus's design was revolutionary, hence it needed a completely new name. If you look at the Escort, the biggest change IMHO came between the Mk2 and Mk3, since then it didn't really change shape or profile.
Ah the new Civic, marketed on another one of those annoying flash sites with slow moving graphics...
I want to know where all the crumbs will go which fall down between the contre console and the gearstick "ball". I've much respect for them for the unsual styling, but I'm still not a fan of spoilers: nice little horizontal blind going across the back.
But I wouldn't like to be a front passenger though. Oh no. Way to many buttons to press on the driver's side, all you get is the radio :-(
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Mike Farrow
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Although the Civic is built in the UK the sales here will only be a small percentage of the total,it has always been a huge seller in other markets.Honda UK have always been much more intrested in making big profits than moving metal with very small margins.
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Was it a mistake to keep calling it the Civic?
Yes, I think so. When Ford decided to start making decent cars instead of piles of rubbish, it signalled the change by killing off the Escort brand and bringing in the Focus.
If the new Civic drives as well as it looks, it could well be Honda's Focus.
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I will certainly have a test drive of the new Civic when it comes out - I think it looks great.
Just make sure you don't have to reverse it near any obstacles ...
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I'm sure it will have reversing sensors, which should work a treat when coupled with some spatial awareness. :-)
Blue
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As the owner of a '97 model Civic I can confirm it is reliable, boring to drive & not very exciting to look at. The new one looks amazing, & if it drives like it looks then Honda will have a winner on their hands.
Honda's brief was to build a family hatchback which would make the competition look dated, & apart from the Citroen C4 they have succeeded. Even Toyota have had to redesign their new Corolla for 2007 as they were so taken aback by the Civic.
If anyone wants more proof of Honda's new design direction, then check out the pictures of the Accord "concept car" at the Tokoyo motor show.
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Well, I have seen one on the road tonight as well as a transporter full on the M4.
The one on the road I followed for a mile or so through Chippenham, Wiltshire. (On full 55 plates, not trade ones)
Initially thought, wow, one of the new funky Civic's but to honest you could see it being very familiar very quickly - like the Focus did 1st time round - bit of an Oh! then a shrug of the shoulders. The triangular tailpipes looked a bit cheap and gimmicky too.
Still, I did not get to see the front and side in the flesh, and it was dark this evening so my comments may well change in time.
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Funky web site:
www.honda.co.uk/2006civic/
Wonder when Kwikfit wil get the exhaust in stock!
Looks nice but for the lack of rear door handles, copy of 156, an idea Alfa have dropped on the 159.
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As you were following the vehicle SFR, - can you confirm if that wretched rear spoiler has made it on to the road going version or not, as I was hoping that it would be kept solely for the `R` type.????
I like the whole design and find it very futuristic and stylish, but have severe reservations about the rear view visibility with that spoiler blocking most of the rear screen.
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No Honda isn't going mad - they'll probably have alternative Civic models to suit the full demographic.
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Saw my first one in tesco at Swindon three weeks ago and thought "wow that's different", seen 3 or 4 since then on normal 55 plates around Swindon so they have been around for a bit. One in our village - have to admit to quite liking it and the range of engines sounds like it will please most - with the exception of no type R replacement at launch anyway.
I know a few guys at the Honda plant and they are hoping it will sell in good numbers. Read into that what you will.
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it looks hard work and i certainly dont think its nice!!
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Yep, the spoiler it there. I could see him, could he see me?
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>>>>>>>>I am probably an archetypical boring unexciting Honda driver of a certain age ( ie more than RF but less than Growler)
OI! I'll admit to a certain age but the rest of it? My attorneys will be in touch............
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Humble Apologies Growler,
I did not mean to include you in the boring Honda driver comment or to imply anything other than that you are slightly older than me and I am slightly older than RF .....
...... hurriedly checks legal expenses insurance.
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