THE first-generation Honda Civic was a real game-changer when it was launched in 1973, with its build quality, spaciousness and overall fun factor making for a breath of fresh air.
, In recent times, though, the small-sized staple has slipped from the head of the queue as Honda has taken an increasingly conservative approach.
Now, with the small-car segment dominating the Australian sales charts, Honda needs to recapture some of its former glory by moving the game forward rather than merely keeping up.
But has it?
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Civic sedan
Released: February 2006
Ended: February 2012
Family Tree: CivicHONDA launched the spacious, stylish and well-made eighth-generation Civic sedan in Australia in early 2006.
The small car featured an all-new platform and the choice of two petrol engines and one hybrid powertrain, matched to five-speed manual and automatic transmissions, or a CVT on the hybrid.
A strong reputation and sharp prices at launch made it one the bigger-selling members of the burgeoning small-car segment, until Honda Australia’s supply lines were crippled by Thai floods last year.
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