RSS
Typically, Honda redesigns its vehicles every five years, which would have put the next-generation Civic in showrooms later this year. However, because of changing market conditions and government regulations, Honda has delayed the introduction of its next Civic one year in order to alter the design.
“In general, we are not changing cycles. We change vehicles as need be,” John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor, told Automotive News. “The ability to do something based on more current information is better than waiting a full model cycle. Some of that is being able to have the opportunity to change [based on] what you see happening.”
Originally, the next-generation Civic was supposed to grow in every dimension. Due to upcoming government regulations and changing consumer preferences, Honda decided to change the redesign during the development process. The change delayed Honda’s introduction of the car by one year. Tsuneo Tanai, Honda Motor COO, confirmed the change in the Civic’s redesign at the Tokyo motor show last year. He said that the car’s dimensions have been resized and made closer to those of the current Civic.
Although the redesigned Civic has been delayed a year, its crossover counterpart, the CR-V, is still on track for a five-year product cycle. This puts its redesigned model launch sometime in 2011 like the Civic’s.
Mendel confirmed both the redesigned Civic and CR-V will launch next year, but declined to give a specific month.
Source: Automotive News
Any chance Honda will revive the Civic Wagon with the next redesign? The Fit is too small…. and the Crosstour looks like it was beaten with the ugly stick. The Acura TSX wagon looks great but I know Acuras all come with leather seats and I’d have to renounce my vegetarianism if I bought a car with leather.