1995 HONDA Civic 5 Doors 1.4i 5MT FWD (90 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In 1995, Honda owned the Rover brand and decided to build a hatchback together for the European market. It was the sixth generation, but it wasn’t the success it wants.

Rover was in a difficult position, and the Unions complained about the new Japanese management and its rules. But the brand had to survive. Both R&D departments started to work on a new project, with a different approach. The result was the right car with slow sales.

The exterior was clearly far from any Civic before due to the two-and-a-half bodywork. With its tailgate raked and a short decklid, it was far from what Honda used to build. It was more like a Peugeot 309 or Renault 19 hatchback-style than the Civic. While it was highly successful in the British market, the European customers didn’t fall too much for it. It was the Japanese branded Rover 45, with Honda technology.

Inside, there was a big step up in the look and quality segments. The instrument cluster was similar to the other Honda models, but the center stack was different. It wasn’t a boxy-looking one anymore. Due to its rounded edges and curved dashboard design, it was much more appealing. For the first time in the Honda Civic history, it wasn’t mounted as low as before. The back’s room was better due to its longer wheelbase, and the space in the trunk was considerably increased due to its sloped rear end and longer rear overhang.

Under the hood, the first Honda designed and built in the U.K. featured a wide choice of gasoline and diesel engines. The base version was fitted with a 1.4-liter unit, while the most fuel-efficient was a 1.5-liter one, which made the 2.0-diesel from Rover obsolete.