Honda Civic 2011 Pics

The 2011 Honda Civic styling should carry over from 2010 with only a few new exterior colors to distinguish the two model years. Introduction of a special performance version, however, could bring with it specific aero body addenda or unique wheels. Otherwise, this eighth-generation Civic will continue with an artsy sense of design inside and out. No rival has quite matched it for forward-looking good taste, and Honda kept the look contemporary with revisions to the nose and tail model-year 2009. The Civic four-door is notably roomy, with particularly generous rear-seat room for a compact car.

Honda Civic 2011 Pic

Honda Civic 2011 Pic

Honda Civic 2011 Pic

Credit its 106.3-inch wheelbase, longest of any sedan in this class. Wheelbase is the distance between front and rear axles and key to how much space a car can devote to the passenger compartment. To promote more agile handling and sportier looks, the Civic coupe’s wheelbase is about two inches shorter than the sedan’s. It roofline is lower, too. The differences are most evident in tighter back-seat space, though of course rear-passenger ingress and egress suffers on the two-door model, as well. Both body styles have severely raked-back windshields — good for aerodynamics, a little disconcerting from the driver’s seat because you look out over a long, long dash top.

The two body styles share an instrument-panel design that’s as avant-garde as the exterior styling. It’s no serious impediment to functionality — at least after you’ve oriented to its double-tier layout. The feel of the various buttons and switches, even the finish on many of the cabin surfaces, benefits from the same exacting execution Honda lavishes on cars from its upscale Acura brand. Expect the 2011 Civic lineup to generally mirror the 2010 roster, starting with the DX range of sedans and moving up through LX, EX, EX-L, and Si versions of both the sedan and coupe.