Restyled 2013 Honda Civic Coming to Canadian Dealerships on December 10 with Premium Style, Host of Popular Standard Features

As Canada’s best-selling passenger car for 14 consecutive years, the Honda Civic returns for 2013 with a host of design upgrades and a bevy of new standard features, while still maintaining the efficiency and value that has made the Civic an automotive icon for the past 40 years. The 2013 Honda Civic Sedan receives all-new front and rear exterior styling, along with extensive interior styling upgrades on all models. Retuned steering and suspension sharpen the Civic’s handling, while extensive body and chassis upgrades improve the ride comfort and interior quietness.

The 2013 Civic model is available with a suite of class-leading features. Standard equipment on Honda Civic LX includes Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, Bluetooth Audio, colour i-MID display, USB/iPod connection, heated front seats, text messaging feature, steering wheel audio controls, exterior temperature gauge and sliding centre-console armrest. Even with hundreds of dollars of standard features added, the 2013 Civic arrives with only a modest MSRP increase between $200-450 across the lineup, with pricing for the exceptionally well-equipped 2013 Civic LX Sedan beginning at $18,190.

New safety technologies built into the 2013 Civic include the application of the next-gen Advanced Compatibility Engineering II (ACE II) body structure, which includes additional front end structures designed to help increase occupant protection by dispersing crash energy in narrow overlap frontal crashes, and should help the Civic obtain a top rating in the new small-overlap crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Also new are SmartVent side airbags and side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor.

Featuring the widest array of powertrain choices available in the segment, the Civic lineup is designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s compact-vehicle buyer. The 2013 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe will be available in DX (sedan only), LX, EX, EX-L Navi (coupe only) Touring (sedan only) and Si.

Powertrains

The 2013 Civic lineup includes sedan and coupe models with a conventional gasoline engine and “Si” performance models.

Heavily revised for the ninth-gen Civic introduction for model year 2012, the Civic’s all-aluminum, 140-horsepower, i-VTEC 1.8-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engine is unchanged for 2013, continuing to provide exceptional responsiveness, refinement, and fuel efficiency. Providing 128 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm, the Honda mill is paired with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. In the Civic Sedan and Coupe, this powertrain has earned a fuel-economy rating of 7.1/5.0/6.2 city/hwy/combined when equipped with the automatic transmission.

The Civic Sedan and Coupe models all feature Honda’s ECO Assist technology, which with the push of the green, dash-mounted “ECON” button, can help drivers operate the vehicle more efficiently.

Along with strong fuel efficiency, the Civic lineup also offers strong performance. The 2013 Civic Si Sedan and Si Coupe models are equipped with an all-aluminum, 201-horsepower, i-VTEC 2.4-litreDOHC 16-valve engine paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Even though it provides 170 lb-ft of torque and offers exhilarating performance, the Civic Si has a remarkable 10.0/6.4/8.4 highway fuel economy rating.

Body

For 2013, the Honda Civic has received a host of changes that far exceed the typical mid-model refresh. The front and rear styling of the 2013 Honda Civic Sedan has been completely altered for a more youthful and premium feel, including sheet metal changes that include an all-new hood and trunk lid. Up front, a new open-mouth lower bumper with a horizontal chrome accent and a sportier, black honeycomb mesh grille is anchored by new integrated fog lights on EX-L Navi (coupe), Touring and above trims. The grille is flanked by new clear-lens corner lights to provide a more premium look. The 2013 Civic’s more sculpted front end flows into a new taller, more deeply faceted hood.

In back, a new rear bumper design and new rear trunk lid are capped by a clean, horizontal chrome trim piece. The all-new design of the taillights now carries into the trunk face, providing a more finished and upscale look. The rear bumper features integrated reflector treatments and a new lower diffuser panel finished with a honeycomb mesh vent. While the expressive exterior styling of the 2013 Honda Civic Coupe remains unchanged, restyled wheels on all models help sharpen the look of the 2013 Civic.

Constructed of 55-per cent high-strength steel, the 2013 Civic’s body minimizes weight and maximizes strength for greater rigidity. The 2013 Civic’s body has seen a host of changes to the front floor, side sill, A-pillar, upper wheel housing and front bumper extension. This addition of high-strength steel is expected to pay refinement dividends and provide a stiffer structure for the numerous chassis updates for the 2013 Civic. In addition, the Civic’s new structure is designed to help it excel in the new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) small overlap crash test.

Chassis

Under the skin, the 2013 Civic has had significant alterations aimed at enhancing handling refinement and noise isolation. A reworked Electronic Power Steering (EPS) setup reduces friction and provides a quicker ratio, while stiffer wheels, stiffer front springs and a thicker front stabilizer bar with new Teflon-lined mounting bushings are designed for more fluid suspension action and a flatter, more responsive cornering attitude.

The rear suspension also receives a thicker stabilizer bar, increased spring rate, new Teflon-lined stabilizer-bar bushings, and reworked suspension bushings to increase both bump- and roll-motion stiffness. With its retuned MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, handling linearity, responsiveness and overall vehicle composure have been increased, while at the same time improving ride quality and the characteristic Honda fun-to-drive feel. For 2013, front brake-rotor diameter on automatic-equipped Civic LX, EX, EX-L Navi and Touring Civics jumps 20 mm from 262 to 282 mm for improved stopping performance.

A large range of new noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) countermeasures work together to reduce road, engine and wind noise in the 2013 Civic’s interior. This includes a stiffer front subframe, new thicker windshield and front door glass, and additional soundproofing material in the dash, floor, doors, and rear tray to help reduce unwanted road noise, and provide a more serene ride and quieter cabin.

Interior

Inside, extensive refinements in design and construction gives the entire 2013 Honda Civic lineup a more premium feel, with an all-new tricot headliner, new soft-touch materials on the instrument panel and upper door treatment, and revised textures and panel junctions throughout the instrument panel and centre console. Subtle silver accents in the interior lend a higher-quality look, along with door panel and seat fabric upgrades. Providing a more upscale environment, black carpeting and a trunk lid finisher are now standard on all Civic models. For the first time, Civic is available in both cloth and leather with an all-black interior (Si model).