Honda · 1972–1979

Honda Civic (first generation)

The first-generation Honda Civic is an automobile that was produced by Honda in Japan from July 1972 until 1979. It was their first genuine market success, eschewing the air-cooling and expensive engineering solutions of the slow-selling Honda 1300 and being larger than the minuscule N-series. The Civic laid down the direction Honda's automobile design has followed since.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Honda Life · Successor: Honda Civic (second generation)

All Honda Civic data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

Model year changes

The Civic was largely developed on a new platform and was the result of increasing the previous Honda N600's length, width, height, and wheelbase. The engine displacement was almost double that of the N600, from 599 cc (36.6 cu in) to 1,169 cc (71.3 cu in), with two more cylinders and mounted transversely, using water cooling and benefiting from lessons learned from the Honda 1300. The straight-four engine produced about 50 hp (37 kW), and standard features included power front disc brakes, vinyl seating, reclining bucket seats, and a woodgrain-accented dashboard. The hatchback version added a fold-down rear seat, an AM radio, and cloth upholstery. The car had independent front and rear suspension. A four-speed manual transmission was standard. Options were kept to a minimum, consisting of air conditioning, a two-speed semi-automatic transmission called the Hondamatic, radial tires, and a rear wiper for the hatchback. The car could achieve 40 mpg‑US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg‑imp) on the highway, and with a short 86.6-inch (2,200 mm) wheelbase and 139.8-inch (3,551 mm) overall length, the vehicle weighed 1,500 lb (680 kg). The Civic was one of the first Honda cars to be sold in Britain when it was launched there in 1972, at a time when sales of Japanese cars from Honda's competitors, Nissan and Toyota, were soaring. The 1972 Civic marked the debut of Honda’s iconic Civic line, which quickly gained recognition as a compact, economical, and reliable car. Designed to compete in a growing market for small, fuel-efficient vehicles, the Civic featured a transversely mounted engine and front-wheel drive, maximizing interior space while maintaining a small exterior footprint. transverse-mounted engine and front-wheel drive, which maximized interior space while maintaining a small ex

Sporting variants

In October 1974, Civic's first sport model was added to the lineup. The Civic 1200 RS was only sold in the domestic Japanese market; its name is an abbreviation of "Road Sailing." It is powered by a 1169 cc SOHC 8-valve EB engine fitted with dual Keihin CV carburettors, a free-flowing intake manifold, more aggressive cam, high-compression pistons and a unique exhaust header. These modifications bumped up the power to 76 PS (56 kW) at 5500 rpm and 101 N⋅m (74 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4000 rpm. The transmission was also replaced with a 5-speed manual transmission and the suspension received stiffer springs and dampers for better handling. In total, about 20,000 Civic RS were built in a twelve-month production span. In October 1975, to meet new stricter emission regulations, the 1200 RS was replaced by the low polluting 1500 RSL/GTL with a 1488 cc CVCC SOHC 12-valve ED engine. The power dropped marginally, to 75 PS (55 kW) at 5500 rpm, while the torque increased to 109 N⋅m (80 lb⋅ft) at 3500 rpm. These outputs were 2 PS and 3 Nm more than that of the regular 1.5 L models, thanks to an increased compression ratio and other modifications.

Rust recalls

The first generation Honda Civics were notorious for rusting in less than three years from purchase where salt was used in the winter. The U.S. importer, American Honda Motor Company, signed a final consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission that provided owners of 1975-1979 Civics with rusted fenders the right to receive replacements or cash reimbursements. In the end, almost 1 million Honda owners were notified that their fenders could be repaired or replaced by the automaker at no charge. About 10% of all Hondas sold were to be inspected by a dealer, and the automaker had 180 days to replace front fenders and supporting parts that showed rust within the first three years of use. The Hondas were so vulnerable to corrosion that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also issued a safety recall. This was because the car's lateral suspension arms, front crossbeam, and strut coil spring lower supports could weaken with exposure to salt. A total of 936,774 vehicles built between 1 September 1972 and 1 August 1979 were subject to extensive repairs since Honda had to replace the suspension components, or the automaker bought back entire cars with serious body corrosion. At the time, Honda's rust recall was the largest safety action among all the brands imported into the U.S. Civics became known for their "typical Honda rust" in the used car market.

Overseas assembly

=== New Zealand === The first-generation Civic – a 1.2 L, three-door manual, was assembled in 1976 from CKD kits in New Zealand by importer and distributor New Zealand Motor Corporation (NZMC) at its Petone plant near Wellington. This was the first time Honda cars had been assembled outside Japan. The first-generation NZ Civic was also offered with optional two-speed semi-automatic 'Hondamatic' transmission. Earlier cars had, from 1973, been imported assembled by the Moller Group before NZMC took over the Honda franchise but availability was limited due to restrictions on built-up imports. All subsequent Civic generations were assembled in New Zealand until car manufacture there ceased in 1998. Indonesia. The first-generation Honda Civic entered Indonesian market in 1972 and was imported from Japan through PT Imora Motor. It was only offered as 2-door sedan and 3-door hatchback, powered by 1.2 L engine and mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. In 1974, Indonesian government issued a ban on importing fully built-up vehicles. As the result, the first-generation Civic was assembled in Indonesia via imported CKD kits from 1975 until 1980 by PT Prospect Motor at their production plant in Sunter, Jakarta. The locally assembled version was only available as a 4-door sedan, powered by a bigger 1.5 L engine and mated to either 5-speed manual or 2-speed "Hondamatic" semi-automatic. This new powertrain combination was unusual in Indonesia at the time, where small cars were commonly offered with 1–1.3 L engines and 4-speed manual transmission as standard.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Honda Civic, First generation (SB1/SG/SH/SE/VB)

Manufacturer

Honda

Production

July 1972–June 1979

Assembly

Suzuka, Mie, Japan, Petone, New Zealand, North Jakarta, Indonesia (from 1975), Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Body style

2/4-door fastback sedan (SB1/SE/SG), 3/5-door hatchback (SB1/SG), 5-door station wagon

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive

Engine

1169 cc EB1 I4, 1237 cc EB2 I4, 1237 cc EE CVCC I4, 1335 cc EJ CVCC I4, 1488 cc EC I4, 1488 cc ED CVCC I4

Transmission

4-speed manual, 5-speed manual, 2-speed Hondamatic semi-automatic

Wheelbase

2200 mm, 2280 mm (wagon)

Length

3405-3560 mm, 147.8 in (North America), 4065 mm (wagon)

Width

1505 mm

Height

1325-1330 mm (hatchback/sedan), 1360 mm (wagon)

Kerb weight

600-790 kg (hatchback/sedan), 810 kg (wagon)

Predecessor

Honda N600, Honda Z600

Successor

Honda Civic (second generation)

Designer

Hiroshi Kizawa, Shinya Iwakura

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q844777CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Civic_(first_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377789644 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1973-1978_Honda_Civic_5-door_hatchback_01.jpgPublic domain · Photo: OSX · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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