.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Despite growing rumours of a Civic Type-R testing in Europe, Honda still maintains it doesn't exist.
Without a hero sports car for the brand the CEO Satoshi Matsuzawa maintains the brand's flagship is the hybrid Honda CR-Z. "It is our hero, and it should attract younger buyers," Matsuzawa says.
Granted, the CR-Z is an interesting car, but its acceleration is slower than a Corolla -- and perhaps that's not what most people would want in a hero. However Honda is adamant. So far.
Nor are there any plans to develop a three-door version of the Civic, so those wanting that look will still have to be content with the concealed door-handles of the new five-door version.
The good news was official confirmation that the first diesel engine in the local Honda line-up will arrive in the first half of 2013, joining the new Civic hatch models. The diesel should become the fuel hero in the Civic range, undercutting the 6.1L/100km posted by the new petrol manual Civic hatch VTi-S.
Honda didn't confirm the diesel engine's spec, but it is likely to be the 2.2-litre i-DTEC four-cylinder engine offered overseas, which should see official fuel consumption figures to drop below five litres per 100km. That diesel also gets stop-start technology, but currently only comes with a manual transmission, which will dampen buyer enthusiasm in Australia's increasingly auto-trending market.
.jpg)
Comments