India-bound 2019 Honda Civic Facelift Revealed

The tenth-gen sedan gets a mid-life refresh with subtle styling changes

Honda has taken the wraps off of the mid-cycle refresh/facelift model of the tenth-gen Civic in the US. After skipping a generation and the pre-facelift version of the current model, Honda will finally launch the new Civic in India next year.

Although Honda showcased the pre-facelift version of the tenth-gen Civic at the 2018 Auto Expo in February this year, the carmaker is likely to launch the refreshed model that was revealed recently. The 2019 model gets updated LED headlamps and a redesigned front bumper with a new splitter that spans across its width. The latter makes the sedan look wider than before. At the rear, the refreshed bumper gets a new chrome applique. The refreshed sedan also gets a new set of alloy wheels (up to 18-inch) as well. 

Honda has not revealed the interior of the updated Civic yet. But it has highlighted that it gets the updated 7-inch infotainment system seen on the new CR-V, which is set to be launched in India in October 2018. The new unit gets physical buttons, including a volume rocker,  instead of capacitive ones seen on the pre-facelift Civic.

Under the bonnet, the Civic facelift continues to be powered by the same set of engines as before. At the Auto Expo, Honda confirmed that the India-bound Civic will be offered with both a petrol as well as a diesel engine this time around.

The diesel engine that powers the Civic is a 1.6-litre (120PS/300Nm) unit that will also power the India-bound CR-V in the same state of tune. The diesel motor is expected to be offered with both a 6-speed manual as well as a 9-speed automatic. The India-spec Civic petrol, on the other hand, is expected to get the updated 1.8-litre i-VTEC naturally aspirated petrol (141PS/174Nm) if not the more powerful 1.5-litre turbo (173PS/220Nm). The petrol motor will be offered with a CVT with paddle shifters as well as a 6-speed manual.

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Honda is set to launch the Civic in India by April 2019. It will rival the likes of the Skoda Octavia, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla Altis and its upcoming Maruti-badged version. Expect it to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 24 lakh. At present, the Elantra is the most affordable car in the segment with a starting price of Rs 13.69 lakh. At the other end of the spectrum is the Octavia RS priced at Rs 26.78 lakh (both prices ex-showroom Delhi).