Remember the chic and sexy Honda Civic? The sedan was a rival to the Hyundai Elantra that Honda had discontinued some time ago. However, it’s going to return to India this year in an all new avatar, and will slot between the City and Accord Hybrid. But what makes it worth waiting for?
1. This Civic is all-new
The Civic has been one of Honda’s best-sellers globally, but the model never found many takers in India, perhaps because unlike its rivals, it didn’t come with a diesel engine. Honda, however, will bring the Civic back into India for buyers who want to step up from the City into something slightly bigger and more premium.
2. It looks sportier
Now, the Civic that made it to India originally, was quite a stunner, and could easily qualify as one of the best looking cars at the time. The upcoming model is even sportier. It’s got a swooping coupé-like roofline and that front end specially looks quite futuristic with the LED headlamps and chrome embellishments, and could be a big hit with Indian car buyers.
3. Diesel on the cards
The last Civic came to India with a 132hp 1.8-litre petrol, but had no option of a diesel engine. This time, however, Honda is likely to offer the option of a 120hp 1.6-litre diesel along with a new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
4. Rivals galore
Hyundai has updated its Elantra, Chevrolet is expected to bring an all-new Cruze by end of 2017, and both the Toyota Corolla and the Skoda Octavia are soon to arrive in their facelifted avatars, which means plenty of competition for the Honda. It’s likely to be priced around the Rs 16-20 lakh mark, which puts it at par with its rivals. What remains to be seen if the Civic can be a strong seller in the segment.
