A first-of-its-kind in the industry, the ACE Body Structure elevates real-world safety to a new level by better utilizing the crumple zones between two vehicles and dispersing energy away from the passenger area through more load-bearing channels.

Inside, every Honda Civic incorporates side curtain airbags and front side airbags as standard equipment, along with Honda's first-ever active head restraints that are designed to reduce the chance of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. Additional standard safety features include dual-stage dual-threshold front airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), anti-lock brakes (ABS), front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, and a pedestrian safety design in the front of the vehicle. Passenger-side seatbelt reminders and daytime running lights are also new for the 2006 Civic.

"Some consumers may not fully realize the importance of safety equipment when purchasing a vehicle," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "For that reason, Honda is dedicated to make choosing a safe car simple for everyone as demonstrated by the high level of standard safety equipment on every 2006 Civic."

The previous generation Honda Civic (2001 - 2005) set a new standard for small car safety when the 2001 Honda Civic Coupe with side airbags became one of the first two passenger cars ever to earn the federal government's top Five Star safety rating for the driver and front passenger and rear seat passengers in both frontal and side impact crash tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2006 Civic builds on Honda's industry-leading emphasis on safety and outdistances the competition by implementing new technology and features that go beyond mandated standards and traditional safety protocols.



Powertrains for All: i-VTEC 2.0-Liter, 1.3-Liter, 1.8-Liter / 6MT, 5AT, 5MT, CVT

Honda Civic is available with three unique powertrains that include a 197-horsepower 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine in the Civic Si, the 110-horsepower and ultra-efficient 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine with Integrated Motor Assist in the Civic Hybrid and an innovative 140-horsepower 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine in the Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe that achieves performance similar to a larger engine and fuel economy similar a smaller engine. (A fourth powertrain that uses natural gas will be available in early 2006 in the Civic GX; details will be available near its launch date.)

Each Civic powertrain engages a further-evolved "intelligent" application of Honda's exclusive Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) technology known as i-VTEC. In the U.S., Honda's original VTEC valvetrain technology first appeared in 1990 and was subsequently adapted to a wide variety of engines for its ability to extract powerful performance from smaller and more efficient engines. When the letter "i" is used with VTEC, it symbolizes an advanced form of variable valve timing that simultaneously raises performance and fuel economy while lowering emissions. The world of i-VTEC performance encompasses multiple technology applications including Variable Timing Control* that advances or delays the rotation of a camshaft, or Variable Cylinder Management that deactivates some of the cylinders**, or all of the cylinders***. In the 2006 Civic Sedan and Coupe, i-VTEC relates to an innovative new way to reduce pumping losses inside the engine****.

* Honda Accord 4-cylinder, Civic Si, CR-V, Element, Acura RS-X and TSX each employ Variable Timing Control (VTC)

** Honda Accord Hybrid and Odyssey employ Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) to deactivate three of its six cylinders

*** The 2006 Civic Hybrid can de-activate all four of its cylinders through VCM

**** The new 2006 Civic Sedan and Coupe employ the next generation of i-VTEC that reduces fuel consumption and enhances performance


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