At a time when the world was delighted to see the fall of the Berlin Wall and Nelson Mandela's release, and the famous world wide web first sprung into life, the 1.3 and 1.5-litre engines delivered an excellent compromise between fuel efficiency and performance, while the DOHC VTEC was the first engine in the world to electronically control both valve timing and lift.

2.5 million units were built between 1987 and 1991.


5th Generation - 'Sports Civic' (1991-1995)

Aerodynamics and economy were key elements behind the 5th generation Civic available in 2, 3, 4 and 5-door variants, along with the CRX roadster which added a removable roof and rollbar to its exhilarating driving characteristics. The engine line up included 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6-litre units, providing a vast array of choice to some 2.4 million customers during its life. Honda commenced passenger car manufacturing in the United Kingdom (HUM in Swindon) in 1994.

The acclaimed VTEC technology was also applied to the SOHC engine, thus further enhancing the balance between fuel economy and performance. Further developments came with VTEC-E which was geared towards improved fuel efficiency by virtually closing one of the inlet valves in each cylinder at certain engine speeds.

The sportier design did not preclude practicality and the split tailgate made the boot more accessible and practical to use. Civic production also passed the magic 10 million mark during this period.


6th Generation - 'Miracle Civic' (1995-2000)

Over 3.2 million units built make this the best selling Civic ever. Available in 2, 3, 4, and 5-door variants (the Aero deck was also produced on the same platform, as a separate model), the 6th generation Civic had a comprehensive engine choice including the Civic's first diesel - a 2.0-litre. The petrol choice was between 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.8-litre capacities.

Yet again it proved possible to improve engine output without adversely affecting fuel consumption and clearly demonstrated by the three-stage VTEC engine. A move forward in terms of driveability, the CVT transmission offered stepless, automatic gear changing for the first time.


7th Generation - 'The Conscious Civic' (2000-2005)

By adding new body variants to the Civic platform, Honda developed more family-orientated motoring with the Stream and the CR-V. But the Civic itself got bigger, wider and taller, with extra room for both passengers and luggage. Two million 7th generation Civics were produced between 2000 and 2005.

As well as a cavernous interior, Civic customers also enjoyed a totally new flat floor and a dashboard mounted gear lever.

By coupling VTEC with VTC (Variable Timing Control), Honda engineers created better performing engines. Growing environmental concerns led to the creation of the Civic IMA (Integrated Motor Assist). An electric motor coupled to a frugal i-DSI engine generated something very unique: a 1.3-litre engine with fuel efficiency similar to a 1.0-litre engine and with the performance of a 1.6-litre engine. In terms of safety the Civic had been awarded the highest ever score by Euro NCAP for pedestrian safety (old protocol).

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