There a plethora things that many people appreciate about the fall.  We love pumpkin spiced everything, changing leaves, cooler temperatures, football, and the clothes.  One thing people can love even more this autumn is the intended release of the new Honda Civic, the first complete redesign since 2011.  Slated to hit dealerships sometime this fall, this version of the classic Honda vehicle may be more highly awaited than the new Star Wars flick.  The tenth generation Civic is making up for everything that everyone hated about the ninth, and according to early reports seems to have done so in a spectacular fashion. 

In 1972, the Civic first came onto the scene.  It was a modest little vehicle with a four cylinder engine, bucket seats, and an AM/FM radio; air conditioning was optional.  For the past thirty-three years, Honda has been upping the ante with the Civic, making hugely desirable for drivers who aren’t willing to fully commit to the larger sized Accord.  Easily one of the most popular vehicles that Honda makes, it’s no surprise that people are thrilled with the news for the next generation’s arrival, and for most, it can’t come soon enough.

The 2012 version was one of the first to receive major criticisms in terms of design.  Many complained that it felt as though Honda had pulled the design plug on this version, skimping on the interior, offering up a miniscule trunk, and less than stellar drivability.  Consumer Reports, normally a huge supporter of the Civic name, even refused to endorse the ninth generation Civic, offering up a pitiful 61 out of 100 score in their rigorous tests that covered everything from noise to braking.  There was a redesign of the Civic in 2013, in a hasty effort to correct these issues, but the reputation damage had already been done.  The 2016 Civic couldn’t come soon enough for Honda.

This tenth generation is definitely gearing up to be sportier than the previous Civic, with a more streamlined appearance.  There will be two different engines offered to buyers, both a 1.5L 4-cylinder and a 2.0L 4-cylinder, one offering more power than the other, but both boasting nearly 40 mpg on the highway.  Curiosity surrounds what models Honda will offer up, as we’re only being shown the sedan version, and the Si has been a solid performer over the past years.  This generation is being lauded as being sportier and a little bit more intimidating that the lackluster ninth generation, which translates to wider and lower.

Inside, major improvement have been made.  What felt chintzy and cheap about the 2012 is gone in this generation.  Sophisticated is certainly that watchword as people have been describing this next gen Civic.  Gone is the ridiculous and confusing two-tiered dash that often caused drivers to become distracted by where to look; it’s been replaced with a gorgeous infotainment system that will display most of the Civic’s controls, and a small screen that displays speed in the gauge display area.  Basically Honda has trimmed off all of the excessive use of plastic and made an effort to make a practical car look extravagant.

The ride of the 2012 wasn’t a total burden, but it lacked the finesse drivers are used to when driving a Honda.  Most Honda vehicles make it feel as though you’re gliding through silk, and they do so with less noise than other cars of their class.  However, the 2012 Civic’s design made it nearly impossible to carry on a cell phone conversation over the Bluetooth speaker without a tremendous and rather jarring amount of background noise.  Apparently this re-design has solved this problem and produced a much quieter cabin.

The new Civic will also be heavy on the safety features that have become very desirable in newer cars, which the old Civic was lacking.   It’s ranking high on safety scales with 4 out of 5 stars, and five full stars in side impact testing.  Honda will also feature Collision Mitigation Braking, which can sense the difference between regular braking and emergency braking and adjust accordingly to prevent collisions.  There is also a Road Departure Mitigation system, which warns the driver if the car senses they are leaving their lane at any time.  In other vehicles, this system can be turned off, but it is unclear at this time if this feature will be available in the 2016 Civic.  Probably one of the best features in the remodel is the adaptive cruise control that has better mitigation of your speed in high traffic situations.

It seems as though Honda is trying to do major competition this year with the release of the 2016 Civic, and it looks as long as though their efforts are paying off.  The release of the Civic is highly anticipated, and fans of this Honda classic are crossing their fingers that Honda hasn’t let them down.  Hopefully, all this fanfare isn’t for nothing, and the Civic won’t disappoint.  If early reviews are any indication, things are looking up for the future of the Civic.