WATCH: Honda Cars PH marks 50th year of reliable, sporty Civic

MANILA: Fifty years ago on July 12, 1972, Honda celebrated the line-off ceremony for the Civic. The carmaker said the car was "created for citizens and cities," and raised the hopes of every Honda Associate, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) added. 

The Honda Civic's 1972 debut earned an outstanding level of recognition, with the first of three consecutive Motor Fan Magazine Japan Car of the Year awards. The car was designed to satisfy markets around the world as it blended beautifully in city scenes and moved swiftly through busy traffic.

Notably, the Honda Civic would also be the first vehicle to meet the requirements of the 1970 US Clean Air Act. This made the Civic garner much love from its customers, the general public, and many car enthusiasts.

The first Honda model to be sold in the Philippines was the Civic, which was introduced in 1991. As of October 2021, the Civic had sold over 132,000 units in the country.

Fast forward to today, and Honda’s iconic sedan celebrates its 50th birthday, as it continues to carry its unique traits such as exceptional handling, impressive fuel efficiency, and a sleek, confident look. One of the highlights of the 11th-generation Honda Civic is the addition of Honda Sensing, which elevates the car’s safety to a whole new level.

The Honda Sensing system uses a combination of a single monocular camera with a wider field of view and upgraded software to provide better recognition of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and road markings. The system stops the car or takes evasive action upon detecting obstacles or deviation from the lane. 

A 1.5-liter four-cylinder, turbocharged VTEC engine that produces 178ps and 240Nm of torque powers the 2022 Honda Civic. All 2022 Civic variants get a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The compact sedan pairs three different driving modes ( Econ, Normal, and Sport) to the powertrain. 

The Honda Civic has indeed evolved over several generations—50 years of serving that VTEC performance and strong reliability. The Civic nameplate serves as a true testament to Honda's “Power of Dreams” vision. 

Watch Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.'s 50th anniversary tribute for the Civic here. 

Photos from Honda Global and Roy Robles

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