By: Anthony Carwick
The Civic and the philosophy of conservation were paramount in Honda’s global success as a major player in the car industry. Before the North American launch of its most popular model, the Civic, in the early 1970s, Honda was recognized as a leading motorcycle manufacturer. Its launch of smaller sized cars in its home market and later in the United States proved unsuccessful in creating a name for Honda in the global automobile industry.
The Civic, compared to the massive, fuel guzzling American cars, was compact in shape and showed great potential in saving gasoline costs for the average American. It was a four-seater, fuel economical car and was an instant success at a time when the energy crisis in America was at its peak and households could no longer afford unwarranted luxuries. Honda’s long-standing position on saving resources and incorporating these values in its engineering and design had finally paid off.
Apart from its radically smaller size and fuel savings, the Civic was a enjoyable car for travel within and between cities. The Civic was introduced as a two and three door, front-wheel drive, hatchback with a water-cooled, four-cylinder engine. The American concept of large cars was challenged and families willingly accepted lesser space for more savings. The Civic’s tremendous success led to Honda pursuing a more aggressive and confident strategy of introducing further variations and models into the market.
The newer models introduced over subsequent years saw a change in shape and improving performance. The Civic’s hood was extended and front fender redesigned to accommodate a larger engine with low emissions to meet regulatory standards. It was now available as a four-door, five-speed wagon, complementing the existing three-door hatchback edition. Car buyers now had more alternatives and car sales increased dramatically.
The Accord and Prelude were introduced to accommodate a more upscale segment of the market, while the Civic continued to be one of the best cars available in the economy, compact class. The new models turned out to be highly popular as well, further solidifying Honda’s growing reputation as a top car maker. At a time when the deterioration of the environment was a concern, Honda was already a step ahead of the competition having long established an environmentally friendly policy in all aspects of its operations.
The Civic’s immaculately designed interior and exterior, its low fuel consumption, countless trims and features, incredible handling and dependability have won it several awards in its class. Honda was one of the first foreign car manufacturers to setup operations in the United States and has helped to keep it affordable for its target audience. Honda’s well time strategy helped strengthen its position in the North American market and gauging by its past performance, will continue to reap the benefits for a long time ahead.
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Anthony spends most of his time exploring the web for new and better ways to find good bargains on used cars. Visit us at Good Deal Hunting, free classifieds, to find a great used Honda Civic.
