UPDATE : Spyshots of the next generation 2011 Civic in this updated post.
The scan above is from Japanese publication Mag-X, a highly respected publication within the JDM crowd. Scans of the June issue, containing scoop news of the full model change 2011 Civic were widely circulated on Internet after TOV posted it. This is the highest resolution I could find.
TOV boys have posted some translation, you can read them here. But I am quite doubtful of relevance to those of us residing outside Japan. Most bits of the scoop are not the same as my understanding, but I could be wrong.
What I understand is that Honda will finally re-align the Civic to match the price and specification levels of the JDM Corolla Axio. Civic have never sold well against the Corolla in Honda's own domestic Japan market, though Honda's Insight and Fit (Jazz) are the two best selling non-kei cars in Japan. This would imply that Honda intends to reduce the Civic's body size to qualify for a lower vehicle body size tax. In Japan, cars are taxed based on, among a host of other factors, according to their body size and engine capacity. Generally, vehicles in Japan are split into 3 vehicle size classes :
1. Kei jidosha (light car)
Maximum dimensions : 3.4 m long, 1.48 m wide, 2 m high
Maximum engine capacity : 660 cc.
Yellow number plates
Exception from parking space purchase contract (a form of tax on new vehicle registration) and discount on local municipal taxes and motor insurance.
2. Small size vehicles
Maximum dimensions : 4.7 m long, 1.7 m wide, 2 m high
Maximum engine capacity : 2,000 cc.
Number plates with 5 prefix (top of the plate) for cars, number 4 prefix for vans, trucks and estates.
This hatchback Civic could be "rationalized" with the JDM Civic into a single smaller model. While US and Asian markets will continue to get a sedan Civic. Thus, I quite doubtful the FMC 2011 Civic will be significantly different from the current model as the current formula and design concept is working well despite it being halfway into its model lifecycle. As product there is little wrong to it. The reason Civic is still playing catchup with Corolla sales in some countries, especially in large markets like Australia and Thailand has less to do with the product and more with the management, dealers, sales and marketing arm of Honda's local operations.
The hybrid variant of the Civic is said to get bespoke body / design. One of the main reason why the current Civic Hybrid has to play second fiddle to the Prius, despite being a cheaper and similarly capable car is because the Civic Hybrid's exterior design is too similar to a standard Civic. People who buy hybrids like to get an ego-boost by setting themselves apart from other regular Civic brethrens. It is said to receive a 1.5-litre petrol engine (compared to the current 1.3-litre) and will be a proper challenger to the Prius. The newly launched Insight should not be compared to the third generation Prius generation because they are really two different animals. The Insight is priced significantly lower and is intended to be an affordable hybrid. The Prius, meanwhile has more fancy toys including a roof-mounted solar panel powered air-conditioning and is a larger, more comfortable car for long distance drives.
Accord Euro
ASEAN Accord (including China, Taiwan, Middle East). Mostly similar to North American market Accords except the addition of mandatory amber turn signal lenses.
Australia is a peculiar market for Honda - it sells both versions of the European Civic and Accord alongside with the cheaper ASEAN Civic and Accords. Both ASEAN Honda models are sourced from Thailand while the Civic Euro is imported into Australia from UK (Swindon plant) and the Accord Euro despite its name is made in Japan.
The Civic Euro is not sold in Japan but the ASEAN Accord is sold there as the Inspire, alongside the smaller Accord (Euro).
Related link : Spyshots - 2011 Honda Civic 9th Generation model
The scan above is from Japanese publication Mag-X, a highly respected publication within the JDM crowd. Scans of the June issue, containing scoop news of the full model change 2011 Civic were widely circulated on Internet after TOV posted it. This is the highest resolution I could find.
TOV boys have posted some translation, you can read them here. But I am quite doubtful of relevance to those of us residing outside Japan. Most bits of the scoop are not the same as my understanding, but I could be wrong.
What I understand is that Honda will finally re-align the Civic to match the price and specification levels of the JDM Corolla Axio. Civic have never sold well against the Corolla in Honda's own domestic Japan market, though Honda's Insight and Fit (Jazz) are the two best selling non-kei cars in Japan. This would imply that Honda intends to reduce the Civic's body size to qualify for a lower vehicle body size tax. In Japan, cars are taxed based on, among a host of other factors, according to their body size and engine capacity. Generally, vehicles in Japan are split into 3 vehicle size classes :
1. Kei jidosha (light car)
Maximum dimensions : 3.4 m long, 1.48 m wide, 2 m high
Maximum engine capacity : 660 cc.
Yellow number plates
Exception from parking space purchase contract (a form of tax on new vehicle registration) and discount on local municipal taxes and motor insurance.
2. Small size vehicles
Maximum dimensions : 4.7 m long, 1.7 m wide, 2 m high
Maximum engine capacity : 2,000 cc.
Number plates with 5 prefix (top of the plate) for cars, number 4 prefix for vans, trucks and estates.
3. Normal size vehicles
Dimensions : Larger than "small size vehicles"
Engine capacity : Larger than "small size vehicles"
Number plates with 3 prefix (1 or 2 for commercial buses and trucks)
In Japan, space is a premium. You even need to pay for a parking space "purchase contract" before you can register a new car in Japan. That is why micro kei cars are a rage in Japan.
The current JDM Corolla Axio measures at 1695mm wide while the JDM Civic (same as ASEAN market Civic) measures at 1755mm, exceeding the Body Size 5 bracket. The largers overseas market Corolla (a.k.a Altis) measures at 1760mm wide.
The US Domestic Model Civic have a slightly different styling and measurements with significant engineering changes under the skin in order to comply to US crash safety regulations (i.e. 5mph bumpers, amber turn signal lenses, larger rear view mirrors, use of airbags without seatbelts - which by the way is a really stupid move to me).
North America Civic
ASEAN Civic
Civic Euro
Honda intends by the next Full Model Change (Japanese OEM speak for next generation models), to reduce the Civic's width to below 1.7m to qualify for Body Size Group 5 tax bracket. Also, the Corolla Axio sedan features a 1.5-litre engine and a 1.8-litre engine option, allowing it to capture a wide spectrum of largest volume segment. While the JDM Civic offers only larger 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre engine options, same the engine line-up offered in ASEAN grouping markets. Both the 1.5-litre Toyota Vios and Honda City sedans are also sold in Japan as the Belta and Fit Aria respectively, but sales are very limited as small sedans are not very popular there (small hatchbacks are prefered). The Fit Aria is exported from Honda's Thailand plant in Ayutthaya.
JDM Corolla Axio
Overseas Corolla (Corolla Altis in ASEAN, Taiwan and India). Similar to USDM Corolla.
Outside of Japan, the Civic will have to compete with the larger Corolla (Altis) sold in almost every Corolla overseas market outside Japan. This creates a conflicting set of demands between Japan's domestic market requirements and that of their export markets. Thus, we are likely to see the Civic badge to spawn into two different models in the same way Corolla and Camry has.
At the moment, Honda sells an entirely different Civic (hatchback body) in Europe, manufactured in Swindon, UK to compete in the predominantly hatchback body type small car market in Europe. The Civic Euro lacks the necessary sales volume to justify further investment into this EU region specific model. It is hardly a sales leader in EU, where Honda is still struggling to crack the VW-Ford-Opel dominance.
Dimensions : Larger than "small size vehicles"
Engine capacity : Larger than "small size vehicles"
Number plates with 3 prefix (1 or 2 for commercial buses and trucks)
In Japan, space is a premium. You even need to pay for a parking space "purchase contract" before you can register a new car in Japan. That is why micro kei cars are a rage in Japan.
The current JDM Corolla Axio measures at 1695mm wide while the JDM Civic (same as ASEAN market Civic) measures at 1755mm, exceeding the Body Size 5 bracket. The largers overseas market Corolla (a.k.a Altis) measures at 1760mm wide.
The US Domestic Model Civic have a slightly different styling and measurements with significant engineering changes under the skin in order to comply to US crash safety regulations (i.e. 5mph bumpers, amber turn signal lenses, larger rear view mirrors, use of airbags without seatbelts - which by the way is a really stupid move to me).
North America CivicASEAN CivicCivic EuroHonda intends by the next Full Model Change (Japanese OEM speak for next generation models), to reduce the Civic's width to below 1.7m to qualify for Body Size Group 5 tax bracket. Also, the Corolla Axio sedan features a 1.5-litre engine and a 1.8-litre engine option, allowing it to capture a wide spectrum of largest volume segment. While the JDM Civic offers only larger 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre engine options, same the engine line-up offered in ASEAN grouping markets. Both the 1.5-litre Toyota Vios and Honda City sedans are also sold in Japan as the Belta and Fit Aria respectively, but sales are very limited as small sedans are not very popular there (small hatchbacks are prefered). The Fit Aria is exported from Honda's Thailand plant in Ayutthaya.
JDM Corolla AxioOverseas Corolla (Corolla Altis in ASEAN, Taiwan and India). Similar to USDM Corolla.
Outside of Japan, the Civic will have to compete with the larger Corolla (Altis) sold in almost every Corolla overseas market outside Japan. This creates a conflicting set of demands between Japan's domestic market requirements and that of their export markets. Thus, we are likely to see the Civic badge to spawn into two different models in the same way Corolla and Camry has.
At the moment, Honda sells an entirely different Civic (hatchback body) in Europe, manufactured in Swindon, UK to compete in the predominantly hatchback body type small car market in Europe. The Civic Euro lacks the necessary sales volume to justify further investment into this EU region specific model. It is hardly a sales leader in EU, where Honda is still struggling to crack the VW-Ford-Opel dominance.
This hatchback Civic could be "rationalized" with the JDM Civic into a single smaller model. While US and Asian markets will continue to get a sedan Civic. Thus, I quite doubtful the FMC 2011 Civic will be significantly different from the current model as the current formula and design concept is working well despite it being halfway into its model lifecycle. As product there is little wrong to it. The reason Civic is still playing catchup with Corolla sales in some countries, especially in large markets like Australia and Thailand has less to do with the product and more with the management, dealers, sales and marketing arm of Honda's local operations.
The hybrid variant of the Civic is said to get bespoke body / design. One of the main reason why the current Civic Hybrid has to play second fiddle to the Prius, despite being a cheaper and similarly capable car is because the Civic Hybrid's exterior design is too similar to a standard Civic. People who buy hybrids like to get an ego-boost by setting themselves apart from other regular Civic brethrens. It is said to receive a 1.5-litre petrol engine (compared to the current 1.3-litre) and will be a proper challenger to the Prius. The newly launched Insight should not be compared to the third generation Prius generation because they are really two different animals. The Insight is priced significantly lower and is intended to be an affordable hybrid. The Prius, meanwhile has more fancy toys including a roof-mounted solar panel powered air-conditioning and is a larger, more comfortable car for long distance drives.
Accord EuroASEAN Accord (including China, Taiwan, Middle East). Mostly similar to North American market Accords except the addition of mandatory amber turn signal lenses.
Australia is a peculiar market for Honda - it sells both versions of the European Civic and Accord alongside with the cheaper ASEAN Civic and Accords. Both ASEAN Honda models are sourced from Thailand while the Civic Euro is imported into Australia from UK (Swindon plant) and the Accord Euro despite its name is made in Japan.
The Civic Euro is not sold in Japan but the ASEAN Accord is sold there as the Inspire, alongside the smaller Accord (Euro).
Related link : Spyshots - 2011 Honda Civic 9th Generation model
0 comments:
Post a Comment