First Drive: 2012 Honda Civic European-Spec

The new Ford Focus and Honda Civic went on sale at roughly the same time, aiming at roughly the same buyers -- but the two were designed with entirely different global philosophies. Thanks to One Ford, the Focus is largely interchangeable in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Honda, meanwhile, has continued the split-design policy started with the previous-gen Civic. As such, the European model has very little in common with the one sold in the States and elsewhere.

For starters, the European Civic is a hatchback, not a sedan. It has entirely different exterior sheetmetal, rear suspension, and interior. It even has different front frame rails to make space for Europe's bulky 2.2-liter diesel engine.

Because it hasn't gotten into bed with any other car company, Honda is now in the second tier, size-wise. This separation of platforms must therefore count as a scarily expensive decision. Is it worth it?

Certainly the Euro-Civic has a unique selling proposition. As with the Jazz/Fit, the fuel tank is under the front seats. The rear suspension uses a simple, compact torsion beam layout rather than double wishbones, giving the Civic remarkable versatility. There's nothing but fresh air under the rear seats, so you can flip the cushions up against the backrest like in a movie theater, giving a wide floor-to-roof cave that can easily fit a bicycle upright. Even with rear passengers, the trunk is super-deep.

But let's face it, if cargo space is that important, there are plenty of other options, like one of the micro-minivans that are all over the roads in Europe. If the rest of the Civic doesn't have enough engaging characteristics, flip-up rear cushions aren't going to save it.

Cosmetically, this brand-new Euro Civic is an update of the car it replaces. It develops the same styling form, a sort of one-box that tends to the pyramid-shaped, but it's slightly lower than last time, and has a wave-like crease along the sides plus a black goatee at the front.

On the powertrain side, Honda hasn't done enough. Although the automaker used to be regarded as one of the world's most progressive engine-makers, these days it looks out of step with the European market. European buyers are busily downsizing, and gasoline engines in this category tend to be torque-rich direct-injection turbos such as the Ford Ecoboost or Mini 1.6s, or even a 1.2 and 1.4 from Volkswagen. Honda is sticking with port-injected 1.4 and 1.8 VTECs. The 1.4 makes a scant 94 lb-ft. Meh.

At the same time, Honda's diesel is the opposite: It's too big and powerful. Europe's compact car diesels are usually around 1.6 or 1.8 liters in size. Honda's is 2.2-liters, making it an expensive engine for the market. Still, Honda has at least found ways to eke out the fuel consumption -- the reason diesels proliferate. For this size of car, it now balances performance and economy in an attractive fashion. Economy is a bit better than average, and performance is much better than average.

It's not just engine improvements that make these economy gains. Honda obsessed on aerodynamics, both in the body shape and the details. There's an active shutter arrangement for the radiator grille, so that at speed when cooling air isn't needed in quantity, the grille shuts off for smoother airflow over the car. The tail has several small spoilers and fillets to clean air detachment and cut turbulence. More gain came from an idle-stop system. And weight hasn't risen, despite better equipment.

Yes, this is a good engine to use, with a wide spread of torque and decent refinement. Use the sweet six-speed stick sensibly and the rated acceleration (0-62 mph in 8.5 seconds) translates through the major-league torque into muscular passing and corner-exit acceleration.

The previous Civic was set up with a jittery ride and sharp steering. Fun, but tiring on a long trip. It didn't suit the buyers - families, commuters, and business travelers who spend a lot of time on highways. So Honda used the model change to uprate the NVH isolation. It went back to the source with, among other measures, new fluid-filled bushings for the rear suspension. Even more significant, the springs have been softened off. The Euro Civic now has a decently pliant and quiet ride, a contrast to the criticisms leveled at the U.S. version.

Of course, this means extra body lean, but in general the motions when cornering feel well-controlled. The real downer is a new EPS system, which is soggy and lacks road feel through curves. The simplicity of the rear suspension probably doesn't help. Still, the steering does have good straight-line stability and easy placement in urban driving. And it saves fuel versus the old hydraulic system. See where Honda's priorities are?

Honda did consider moving the European and American Civics closer together with this generation, but as the project went along they drifted apart again. There's a lot to like about the Euro car, and its character seems very different from the U.S. one. But both of them seem, in different ways, to have needed a bit more money spent on them. Maybe a single world-car program would have been the way to do it.

2012 Honda Civic European Spec
Base price	N/A
Vehicle Layout	Front-engine, FWD, 4-pass, 4-door hatchback
Engine	1.4L/98-hp/94-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 1.6L/139-hp/128lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 2.2L/148-hp/258lb-ft DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4 diesel
Transmission	6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic
Curb weight	2650-3000 lbs (mfr)
Wheelbase	102.6 in
Length x Width x Height	168.7 x 69.7 x 58.0 in
0-62 mph	13.4-8.5 sec (mfr)
EPA fuel economy	N/A
CO2 emissions	N/A lbs/mi