The big thing about this updated Honda Civic is that it generally costs the same as before.
Honda has kicked off 2025 with the local launch of its facelifted Civic. And while it may look largely the same as the one that came before, there are actually a plethora of small tweaks under the skin that will likely be rather appreciated by its many prospective owners.
Starting with the changes on the outside first, this facelifted Civic has been gained a new front bumper, which incidentally adds 3 mm to its overall length. New too across the range are some slightly redesigned tail light signatures and a Canyon Blue Metallic exterior hue, while the electrified e:HEV RS is the only variant to net the newly redesigned set of matte grey 18-inch alloy wheels.
Moving on within meanwhile, the big change here is that the 9-inch central infotainment touchscreen (now standard across the range) comes with Google services built-in. This therefore means that it is now possible to natively access Google Maps, Google Play Store and Google Assistant from the head unit itself.
Other small changes that have been made within the updated Civic include for it to now come with both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (previously only Apple CarPlay was wireless), with twin USB Type-C also finally replacing the traditional Type-A ports previously featured in both the front and rear of this sedan. The flagship e:HEV RS variant further nets a minor pattern change in the combination leather seat upholstery, in addition to gaining a wireless charging pad (also found on the petrol RS) and some red interior inserts.
As for what lies under the hood of the facelifted Civic, there is essentially no change on the powertrain front from its pre-update predecesssor. This therefore means that the purely-petrol variants still soldier on with the same 1.5-litre turbocharged four-pot and CVT pairing that makes 182 PS and 240 Nm of torque, while the electrified e:HEV RS continues to feature its 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder and e-CVT combo, which outputs 184 PS and 315 Nm of torque.
On the driving front though, there is nevertheless now to be a new ‘Individual’ driving mode for the e:HEV RS, which has been added to the existing Eco, Normal and Sport modes. New too on the tech front with the facelifted Civic are apparently various minor improvements to its Honda Connect ADAS suite to increase the smoothness of operation of its adaptive cruise control, as well as improve the detection capability of its pre-collision warning systems.
In rounding off the changes with this facelifted Civic, all variants across the range now net as standard the Honda Connect smartphone app integration feature. Also since made standard on all variants too are solar and security film on all the glass from the factory, in addition to automatic wipers.
Much like its pre-facelift predecessor, the facelifted Honda Civic lands locally in four variants:
- E: RM 133,900 (+ RM 2,000 from before)
- V: RM 144,900 (no change)
- Petrol RS: RM 149,900 (- RM 2,000 from before)
- e:HEV RS: RM 167,900 (no change)
Honda is currently targeting a monthly sales of 1,000 units for the Civic, and aims to maintain its leadership in the Non-National C-segment market. Though this should not be a challenge, given that this sedan was after all the 17th best selling car in Malaysia last year (with 11,872 units registered), and is currently outselling its next biggest competitor (the Toyota Corolla) by a factor of nearly 12:1.
Mr. Hironobu Yoshimura, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia said, “We ended 2024 on a high note, with sales exceeding 81,600 units. With this achievement we are proud to announce that we have maintained our leadership in the Non-National Passenger Vehicle Segment for the 11th consecutive year. As of December 2024, the Civic holds a commanding 81% market share in the Non-National C-segment, reflecting the strong trust and support of our customers. We are starting the year on a positive outlook with the introduction of the New Civic today which will bring this legacy to the next level with its advanced powertrain and seamless connectivity, transforming every drive into a remarkable journey.”
