And now (finally) the all-new Civic

MANILA, Philippines -  Let’s start at the end of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) president and general manager Tatsuya Natsume’s speech.

“I would like to reiterate that Honda is taking a firm step in its promise to be back in the Philippine market,” he said last Thursday at Bonifacio Global City to those assembled for a very special – and much awaited, one must add – launch.

Indeed, a scant month after it unveiled the refresh of its sub-compact City, HCPI once again appears on the local automotive radar via the all-new Civic – undoubted flagship of the Japanese brand that, according to Honda R&D Co. large project leader Masayuki Sano, has been “loved for 40 years”.

Launched in the US in the second quarter of 2011, the ninth-generation Civic has finally found its way onto Philippine shores.

Truth be told, the new Civic basically keeps the overall look of its progenitor inside and out. You could say it’s back for more of the same, but with the changes you looked for. We will hold final judgment pending a test of the unit.

For now, HCPI will dangle one variant the public’s way – the 1.8-liter EXi to be sourced directly from Japan, as Honda’s Thailand manufacturing facility undergoes restoration following the massive flooding late last year. Reports have it that the Thailand economy declined by 10.7 percent because of the damage wrought about by the inundation. Coupled with the Japan earthquake and tsunami, you can imagine how Honda was savaged last year.

Still, purist fans are expected to go nuts over this Nippon Civic, priced at P1.074 million, for its JDM pedigree. As for the rest of us, we expect subsequent units to be imported from Thailand once its factory goes online, and the price to come down to previous-gen levels.

But the new Civic is presumably head and shoulders above its older sibling, as Honda engineers took care to, again, improve on what could be while retaining what made the eighth generation so popular.

Speaking in Japanese, Sano said the team worked to achieve the following overarching values and characteristics: “clean”, “energetic”, “fun to drive”, and “fuel efficiency”.

Translated into marketing speak, HCPI says in its brochure that driving the Civic is “like driving two cars in one”. Driving powerful and driving smart need not be mutually exclusive concepts anymore.

The engine delivers 140 ponies, and boasts bigger interior space and other improvements such as better visibility around the A-pillar, a lighter yet stronger body frame, even as it promises improved handling, ride, and comfort.

An Eco Coaching Ambient Meter that fringes the digital speedometer rewards the driver with a green tinge when he drives smart (i.e., economically). So, easy on the accelerator, dear boy.

Sano explained that the Civic also embodies Honda’s passenger-centric design philosophy “man maximum, machine minimum” – prioritizing the safety and driving enjoyment of the driver and passengers in the conceptualization of its vehicles.

The new Civic also brings the beloved brand up to speed with techno-happy motorists. Honda’s first five-inch color LCD occupies the right side of the speedometer assembly. The two decks of meters are legible and instantly recognizable. Steering wheel-mounted controls enable the driver to use the I-MID (Intelligent Multi-Information Display) system.

For enhanced convenience and safety, the Civic now bears a rear backup camera. An integrated audio system will accommodate your mp3 device and sumptuously blast your music through six speakers.

Honda’s back, all right, and it’s not yet done for the year.

“Let’s see each other again for another model launch in April,” declared Natsume. We’re waiting with bated breath.