You want to next gen Honda Civic to be bigger or smaller?

[Alfisti168]

This is an article from paultan.org. Find it quite insightful as it involves Honda's future.

 

Honda rethinks its future product offerings

 

Future automobile products are planned a few years in advance and with the volatile world markets these days the job of a product engineering team as well as a product planner is getting harder and harder. Autonews.com has a very interesting story they managed to squeeze out of Honda's management at the 2009 Tokyo show centering around one of Honda's most vital platforms – the Civic platform.

 

The Civic platform forms the basis of other vehicles like the Stream, the CR-V, and even other Hondas not found in our market such as the Honda Element. The interview revealed that Honda's original intentions was for the next generation Honda Civic to be even larger and more plush than the current Civic, which has already grown to last decade Accord-ish proportions in terms of length and wheelbase.

 

But that plan has been scrapped. Honda engineers have instead been told to make the Civic smaller and lighter. It's not 100% clear what this means – the Civic may not necessarily become smaller than the current generation. It could probably mean smaller and lighter than originally intended to be, which would hopefully put it around the same size as the current generation. Honda wants to try creating an increased perception of interior space but keep the exterior dimensions within control.

 

Another rumour that surfaced a few months ago was that Honda could be splitting the Civic into two lines like Toyota's Corolla and Corolla Altis, a smaller one for Japanese tax regulations and a larger one for markets that like more metal for their money.

 

But such a mid-way change has caused the project to be somewhat delayed. The current Civic has just been facelifted and a new one is supposed to arrive in 2011, a 5 year cycle after its introduction in 2006. But Honda is putting in more manpower to try to meet the target. If that doesn't happen, the Civic could be delayed for a year or so. Honda president Takanobu Ito admitted the team was struggling.

 

This is not unprecedented, the previous generation Corolla Altis was also delayed and we still ended up with an all-new Altis that was pretty much a reskinned previous gen.

 

Other new upcoming Honda products include the implementation of the hybrid IMA system across more models. Right now it is only available in small to medium cars – the Insight, the Civic Hybrid, and pretty soon the CR-Z. A hybrid minivan is coming – this could mean a few things such as an USDM Odyssey Hybrid or even a Stream Hybrid. Not much else was revealed about which minivan model. There used to be an Accord Hybrid but that was scrapped due to discouraging sales. But larger hybrid vehicles like the Accord Hyrbid is going to make a comeback soon.

 

Honda revealed that a dual-motor IMA system is currently under development. The dual motor system will be configured in a way that it is able to function as an e-CVT in full electric mode, much like the series-parallel system in the Toyota Prius.

 

This means Honda will have a two-prong hybrid strategy – a motor assist parallel mode hybrid system for smaller cars and a full hybrid series-parallel system that can be used in larger cars. A series-parallel hybrid is of course more costly and complicated to implement thus more suitable for larger vehicles that are able to carry higher price tags.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Alfisti168

[Kangadrool]

Smaller on the outside, BIG inside.

[Rainmaker]

no point in getting bigger. getting bigger will only get into accord and legend's market segment. bringing it back to the sleek sporty design will appeal to younger drivers before they move on to accords

[MrFlax]

what does this option mean ? : Split into 2 lines. Just like Toyota with the Axio and the Altis.

 

 

Axio and Altis is same size, the interior is exactly the same

[Ithunk]

none....make it have more hp and torque, two doors smaller and more aerodynamic

[Ithunk]

or have a new generation of honda 2 door sports vehicles

[Vblues]

For those who voted "smaller", your wish is coming true.

 

If you introduced an '80s-era Honda Civic to its modern counterpart, it couldn't recognize what it's become. But after decades of growing dimensions, Honda's going back to the drawing board for the next-gen Civic.

 

The change in direction was reportedly ordered last year before the global economy took a nose-dive by product chief Tsuneo Tanai who observed a rise in oil and raw metal prices. Once the financial sector hit rock bottom, the Civic emerged as a strong player, out-selling the Ford F-Series pickup as the number one vehicle in the United States in May 2008. Not satisfied with sitting back and seeing how things shape up, though, Tanai ordered his engineers and designers to scrap their plans and redesign the next-gen Civic to be smaller, cheaper, lighter and more fuel efficient.

 

The move coincides with Honda's re-strategizing vis-a-vis hybrids and electric vehicles, not to mention the cancellation of its V8 and rear-drive programs. But despite having put more people on the job, the decision to restart the Civic's development halfway through the process is sure to be a major setback for the company's lifecycle schedule. And not just for the Civic itself, but also for vehicles that share its platform, including the CR-V crossover, the Element sport-utility-box, the JDM Stream and European-market FR-V minivans, to say nothing of the upcoming CR-Z, Acura RDX, and of course the all-important Canadian-market Acura CSX.

 

[Rainmaker]

lol sounds like rx8..

[Alfisti168]

what does this option mean ? : Split into 2 lines. Just like Toyota with the Axio and the Altis.

 

 

Axio and Altis is same size, the interior is exactly the same

Axio and Altis different la. Axio smaller, Altis bigger and more luxurious. Spec wise, Altis is better than Axio too.

 

Therefore, what I mean by splitting into 2 lines is to create 2 Civics, one which is an Axio-rival and the other, the Altis-rival.

[Babyt]

too big shaw carpark cannot park liao LOL.

[Rainmaker]

Axio and Altis different la. Axio smaller, Altis bigger and more luxurious. Spec wise, Altis is better than Axio too.

 

Therefore, what I mean by splitting into 2 lines is to create 2 Civics, one which is an Axio-rival and the other, the Altis-rival.

 

honda will not do that... splitting into many product lines to serve similar market is toyota's stratgy..

honda normally just have one car for each segment. if they ever split will be split into hybrid or non hybrid..

[Hermitage]

Smaller, definitely. Bring back the legends which immortalised the civic in the 1st place! EF, EG, EK versions of the civic are the perfect size.

 

Would certainly like to see these legends resurrected with current technology (uprated & technologically advanced version of the psychotic B16A lump). Neo-Classical styling (based on EF/EG chassis) that would bring it bang up-to-date with the current spate of euro hot-hatches.

[MrFlax]

Axio and Altis different la. Axio smaller, Altis bigger and more luxurious. Spec wise, Altis is better than Axio too.

 

Therefore, what I mean by splitting into 2 lines is to create 2 Civics, one which is an Axio-rival and the other, the Altis-rival.

 

 

altis and axio interior is exactly the same,

 

the outside physical shape and dimensions are different but the interior is all the same.

 

only the color of the interior panels and some of the knob shapes are different. but the cabin space and dashboard design, interior door design, interior all 100% same

(in fact axio Speical Edition interior 100% all the same as ALTIS)

 

tech specs are different axio 1.5 or 1.8, altis 1.6 or 1.8, axio CVT, altis normal transmission. axio mij, altis mit. altis rear got disc brakes but axio no

 

please if you dont know dont anyhow say ALTIS is bigger and more luxurious becasue both are the same. go and see the 2 cars first before making sweeping statements

[MrFlax]

honda will not do that... splitting into many product lines to serve similar market is toyota's stratgy..

honda normally just have one car for each segment. if they ever split will be split into hybrid or non hybrid..

 

 

toyota is not splitting product lines to serve similiar market.

 

ALTIS is meant for worldwide market, US, Singapore Thai .etc

 

AXIO is meant for Japan market only and not meant for other countries. They dont have Altis in japan.

 

so in any country you are not suppose to have ALTIS and AXIO to choose from, by righ la, unless you have PI like in singapore

[Rainmaker]

probably as you said, i am wrong. i personally feel honda is doing the right thing, have a product, do it well to serve the market and dont shoot yourself in the foot by having so many names and products, though i dont know the logic behind acura in the us.

 

i am not bashing toyota, cause i am driving one right now after driving hondas most of the time.

[MrFlax]

probably as you said, i am wrong. i personally feel honda is doing the right thing, have a product, do it well to serve the market and dont shoot yourself in the foot by having so many names and products, though i dont know the logic behind acura in the us.

 

i am not bashing toyota, cause i am driving one right now after driving hondas most of the time.

 

 

Honda is no different la, its the same with Honda's Fit and Jazz, do you know all the differences between these 2?

 

the story behind and Fit n Jazz is similiar to Axio and Altis. just that people get fool because Altis and Axio exterior is very different.

 

 

moral of story is, you wont find Honda themselves marketing both Fit and Jazz in the same country like you wont find Toyota marketing both Axio and Altis in the same country,

 

it is either one or the other

 

just that the practice of parallel imports for these cars are rampant here, so people think they go in wrong strategy, actually it really isnt, just different cars for different countries

[Alfisti168]

please if you dont know dont anyhow say ALTIS is bigger and more luxurious becasue both are the same. go and see the 2 cars first before making sweeping statements

Both sama sama meh? I find the Altis interior wider from the inside, hence bigger. Length wise no diff coz both share the same wheelbase.

 

just that the practice of parallel imports for these cars are rampant here, so people think they go in wrong strategy, actually it really isnt, just different cars for different countries

...And by chance, the "wrong" car has sold very well here, thru PI.

 

After all, people still desire a Japanese car that is cheap.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Alfisti168

[Rainmaker]

actually i think he is right...