Honda Civic expansion plans axed
Strategy rethink calls for downsizing of Honda's volume-selling sedanHonda's next-gen Civic will be smaller, lighter and more frugal than the originally proposed successor for the model, according to US journal Automotive News.
The rethink is reportedly part of a review of Honda's entire line-up with the aim of making them cheaper and more fuel-efficient. This was deemed particularly important for the Civic platform, which also underpins other key models, including the volume-selling CR-V.
"We are taking more time to rethink the new Civic and all our models," Honda CEO Takanobu Ito told AN. "We had to revisit our development work and planning to comply with the change in the environment."
Honda COO for automotive operations Tsuneo Tanai was quoted by the publication as saying the onset of the global economic meltdown in 2008 had already prompted the company to make contingency plans in the face of rising oil, steel and aluminium prices.
Last December the company made the decision to axe its proposed V8 and rear-wheel-drive programs.
According to the AN report, Tanai says the priorities now are to reduce weight of all its platforms and introduce its hybrid powertrain technology across the range.
The original plans for the next-gen Civic were for a larger vehicle than the existing sedan, but the new strategy will see its external dimensions shrinking slightly. However, the report says the designers aim to "create a perceived sense of increased roominess inside".
The current (eighth-generation) Civic launched internationally in 2006, and has been a strong seller internationally. In fact, in May 2008 it dethroned even the chart-topping Ford F-series pickup in the US.
Locally, the model remains a steady if unspectacular seller, as its 7428 sales until the end of October are well adrift of the segment-leading Toyota Corolla (28,476 sales) and Mazda3 (27,186).
The next-gen Civic was expected in 2010/11, but the last-minute redesign could push back the launch date.
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