Honda’s Civic Disobedience: Bucking U.S. Coupe Market Trend

SAN DIEGO – Sport coupes may be an endangered species, but not at Honda.

At a time when most automakers are abandoning the coupe sector, Honda is refusing to back down, continuing with a 2-door version of its all-new Civic compact that is expected to remain a strategic trump card in the automaker’s U.S. lineup.

Other than muscle cars such as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and more lithe dedicated sport coupes like the Audi TT and Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins that continue to battle it out for market share, automakers have been pulling 2-door models from their lineups like so many abscessed teeth.

More and more buyers are opting for CUVs in the compact-vehicle segment, and those who do choose conventional small cars lean heavily toward more versatile 4-door sedans and hatchbacks. In newly released WardsAuto data on ’15-model car production by body style, only 7.4% of North American output for the U.S. market went to coupes.

With Hyundai and Kia the latest to vacate the sector, dropping coupe versions of the Elantra and Forte, respectively, that leaves the Civic as the last model standing among all 2-door derivatives in its size and price class.

So why is Honda bucking the trend? Because in the case of the Civic, the coupe still makes sense.

Honda won’t sell the new ’17 Civic 2-door in big numbers. Officials here for a media test drive say they expect deliveries to remain at 40,000-50,000 units annually, maybe a bit more. That’s only about 15% of Civic’s overall volume.

But more important than volume is the job the Civic coupe does in luring young customers to the Honda brand. The car is the most likely of any coupe in its segment to retain buyers, Honda says, citing a 31% retention rate that compares with 24% for the Kia Forte Koup and just 5% for the Scion tC.

Some 40% of Civic coupe buyers are under 35, and 55% are men, both numbers higher than for the Civic overall.

Style the Thing

So how different is the coupe’s hardware from the sedans? Not much.

In developing the Civic, Honda switched from benchmarking mass-market U.S. competitors to European performance models. That meant a greater emphasis on driving dynamics that resulted in more use of lighter-weight high-strength steel, a significantly stiffer body, improved suspension tuning (a multilink rear, hydraulic bushings up front) and a more precise electric power-steering system.

That development strategy benefits the coupe in particular, which adds a few dimensional tweaks to take the fun-to-drive factor a small step further. The coupe is better balanced overall, with a lower roofline, 1.2-in. (30.5-mm) longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs both front and rear than the sedan. Its overall stance is slightly wider than the outgoing coupe, making the car appear more firmly planted on the road.

The hip-point has been lowered as well, so driver and passengers sit lower in the bucket, giving the car more of a go-kart feel and providing rear occupants with a touch more headroom. Despite the more dramatic design flair, the new model boasts more interior room than the outgoing coupe.

With only minor mechanical changes, styling is the real differentiator between the Civic coupe and sedan. But it’s an important one, because those purchasing the 2-door are far more interested in looks, personality and “the adrenaline rush” offered by a more exciting design. More than 80% of Civic coupe shoppers surveyed want a stylish vehicle, Honda says, compared with 63% who buy the sedan. Some 70% say looking good while driving is an important attribute, compared with 54% of Civic sedan owners.

Here the 2-door clearly delivers. Its lower profile, sharply sloping roof line and chiseled side panels turn the Civic into a poor man’s TT. With its sleek silhouette, wheels pulled to the outer edges and hunkered-down stance, the coupe looks ready to pounce.

At the rear are new signature LED taillamps that make for a striking identifier on the road. Exterior designer Guy Melville-Brown says the lighting was one of the toughest elements to achieve, taking “four or five tries to get what we wanted.” It was worth the effort.

Inside the coupe mirrors the sedan, with its widely flowing instrument panel, aluminum accents and a pretty solid technology play with available smart cruise control with low-speed follow, forward collision warning, remote start, 7-in. (18-cm) touchscreen, navigation and Apple and Android connectivity. An optional 450-watt 10-speaker audio system ups the infotainment ante.

Missing is rear cross-traffic alert, a feature that would be helpful when backing out the low-slung coupe from a parking lot crowded with SUVs.

Manual Trans to the Rescue

Driving dynamics don’t veer too much from the sedan. Powertrains are identical with a base 158-hp 2.0L 4-cyl. that can be had with either 6-speed manual transmission or CVT and a 174-hp turbo 1.5L 4-cyl. now available only with the CVT.

As in the sedan, the 1.5L seems a little harsh at more sedate speeds, and the CVT mostly doesn’t do it any favors. But pop the transmission into sport mode and lean into the throttle and the engine finds its optimum octave range as the fun-to-drive quotient quickly rises.

The car’s electric power steering is precise, there’s little body roll through the turns and the suspension strikes a nice balance between ride comfort and road holding. The car’s optional lane-departure technology tugs you back on track if you get out of line.

Drawbacks are few, mainly related to Honda’s human-machine interface, which lacks dials for the radio and elicits spotty performance via the somewhat cumbersome voice activation system.

All in all, Honda’s emphasis on European benchmarks in developing the Civic pays off with the coupe, which feels more solid, is way better looking and is considerably better performing than the outgoing model.

And for those eyeing the 1.5L turbo but who believe high-output engines are best served with three pedals, help is on the way. A 6-speed manual transmission is being readied for the powertrain for both the coupe and sedan. Honda won’t say when it will be available, but the automaker offered a prototype sedan with the powertrain for a short supervised test drive here.

The gearbox shifts smoothly and the clutch is effortless, but throws and gear spacing in the test car are fairly pedestrian. Look for quicker shifting and closer ratios with versions of the new gearbox earmarked for the upcoming Civic SI and Type R performance models.

Honda won’t say when those higher-output cars will hit the streets, or even which body styles will be featured (though all signs point to an upcoming 5-door hatchback as likely for the Type R).

Meantime, a more budget-minded buyer might consider the 2.0L engine with the 6-speed manual, which proves to be a competent performer through the hills near the Mexican border – and there’s no waiting.

Pricing won’t be disclosed until the coupe is closer to market launch. But Honda says expect stickers “in line with the sedan and similar to the outgoing coupe,” which should mean a base of about $18,500 and top end of $24,500.

It’s possible the 5-door on the way from the automaker’s U.K. operations will erode demand for the coupe, as performance-minded Honda buyers follow the market trend toward the hot-hatch sector.

But until then, if style, not passenger-hauling is your thing, and you want something reasonably priced with top-notch fuel economy, the Civic coupe is a good option – and maybe one of the last of a dying breed.

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