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GRAND PRIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. |
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TAKING A RIDE: |
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All new Honda Civic the futuristic and distinctive compact sedan industry
After a long wait, Honda Civic 2012 was officially unveiled in Thailand in early May, amid fierce competition in the sedan segment which would only heat up in the second half.
T he 9th Generation Civic has demonstrated improvement, but largely on top of those features in the previous generation. The body, encoded as “FB”, was developed from “FD” which had been on the road for six years and generated sufficient information for development for Honda. “FB” is designed to provide a fun-to-drive experience along with the powerful yet energy-efficient features.
Five versions of the all new Civic are available, with engine compatible with E85 for the 1.8-liter i-VTEC and 2.0-liter i-VTEC (in R20A SOHC block against old K20Z DOHC block) versions. They come with the price tags of Bt773,000-Bt1,124,000.
The All New Civic’s official launch had been delayed for some time. As such, its features could not be inferior to the sedans of other brands which have been marketed for some time. All the soft spots appearing in the previous generation were addressed and new features were introduced.
At a glance, it shares some resemblance to the previous generation despite the body adjustment from front to tail plus the side molding. The Mono-Form exterior accentuates the classic but sporty design. Its face is entirely new, with the new projector headlights, the new design of fog lamps, the front grille and the curved trunk lid. Only on the sides that share
the previous generation’s look. The new side mirrors are designed to reduce noise from wind, while tail lights resemble those of some European models.
Despite the same length and width as the old generation, but interior space is 3.7 cubic feet bigger thanks to the new design. Visibility is greater with the larger windshield while front and back seats are comfortable. The All New Civic offers agility in driving, with the reduction of space between front and rear wheels. The body is made of lighter-weight but more-durable steel, supported by the aerodynamic design.
The interior is completed with all new fixtures, which look more classic and expensive than in the old version. It seems New Civic 2012 is the best of all Civics, where all weaknesses inside and outside are erased. Even the old console, which is quite dazzling, is redesigned as the futuristic cockpit, convincing those behind the wheels that they are sitting in the cockpit and being alerted from futuristic monitors. This makes all the old consoles obsolete.
On performance, we first tested the 1.8E Navi, 5-speed au¬tomatic. The suspension, though remaining the MacPherson Strut, gives a new feeling of comfort, thanks to the adjustment in the shock absorbers.
July 2012
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BROWSE ARCHIVE
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