Honda Shows and Tells More about its 2012 Civic Hatchback [Video]

As Honda is gearing up for the Frankfurt Motor Show world premiere of the 2012 Civic hatchback, it gradually releases more details about its new European-market model.

This time, Honda tells us that its development team has focused on ensuring that the new Civic will offer optimal interior refinement. The company's engineers used the Swindon factory’s anechoic chamber in fine-tuning every detail: for example, they had to modify the design and construction of the roof lining after studying its interaction with the rest of the bodywork.

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2012 Honda Civic Hatch to Feature Cleaner and More Powerful 2.2-liter Diesel in Europe

As we draw nearer and nearer to the Frankfurt Motor Show, which will open its gates to the public in about a month's time, carmakers are starting to reveal more details about the models they will unveil at the IAA.

Honda, which has already shown us photos and a video of a heavily camouflaged version of the all-new European market Civic hatchback that will be built exclusively at its Swindon UK factory, today revealed that one of the available engines in its lineup will be an ultra-frugal and clean 2.2-liter turbodiesel.

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New 2012 Civic Hits Rock Bottom in Consumer Reports Test, Honda Says it Disagrees

Usually new or redesigned models fare better in car reviews than their predecessors. Technology moves on during the lifespan of a model, automakers learn from their mistakes and improve their production methods, while the competition gets better forcing everyone else to improve etc.

However, that’s not the case with the redesigned 2012 Honda Civic LX, or at least that's what Consumer Reports states in its latest test of the Japanese model.

According to Consumer Reports (CR), the highest ranking small sedan for many years and a Top Pick in five of the last 10 years has in its latest iteration dropped too low to even earn a “Recommended” tag!

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Scoopsters Film 2012 Honda CR-V Prototype on the Road

Last time we wrote about the 2012 Honda CR-V, it concerned a prototype, a blogger and four-vehicle accident – not the best of news for the Japanese company. Now, thanks to the Honda-loving crew over at Temple of Vtec and scoopster Brenda Priddy, we have video footage of the next-generation CR-V crossover testing on the road.

The spied 2012 CR-Vs are wearing less camouflage than usual with only the front and parts of the rear end wrapped up in black plastic.

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Honda Teases European 2012 Civic Hatchback with Photos and Video

The ninth generation Civic hatchback for the European market will soon make its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September but Honda has provided us with a sneak peak of the five-door model with photos of a camouflaged prototype and a video explaining the changes under the body.

The Civic hatchback has been designed exclusively for Europe and will continue to be a separate model from the North American four-door sedan and two-door coupe variants with which it shares the same name.

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Video: Honda’s CR-Z Mugen Special Driven by Fifth Gear

A few weeks ago at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Honda unveiled a concept study of the hybrid CR-Z prepared by Mugen’s European division.

The fettled CR-Z retained the regular model’s mechanical hardware including the IMA electric motor and the 1.5-liter gasoline engine, but the upgraded internals and the addition of a supercharger increased its performance by more than 50% over the normal model, to 200+ horsepower and 215 Nm (158.6 lb/ft).

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