2013 Honda Civic: ‘Things Can Always Be Better’

Another advertising campaign for the 2013 Honda Civic in the US, making it a hattrick in the span of 20 months since the compact car’s abrupt re-design, in an attempt to regain momentum, reports Automotive News.

This one works on the adage that “Things Can Always Be Better,” reinforcing the company’s commitment to constantly improve – “At Honda, we know some people are never happy with the way things are,” it begins.

American Honda head of national marketing Mike Accavitti told Automotive News that with this new ad campaign, the updated Civic is “poised to beat customers’ expectations.”

The first campaign, “To Each Their Own,” was launched in April 2011 for the launch of the 2012 model but it didn’t quite take off. The Japanese earthquake and tsunami of a month earlier didn’t help things either, according to Automotive News. Honda relaunched the Civic in late 2011 with another new campaign, but this time the car itself was met with criticism.

honda-civic-facelift-2013-comparison

Top: 2013 Civic USDM facelift, bottom left: Honda Civic USDM pre-facelift, bottom right: Malaysian Civic

In response, Honda quickly updated the Civic for 2013, giving it changes both outside and inside. Steering and suspension have been recalibrated, the crash structure has been improved and there’s more safety kit, amongst others. More information on the changes can be found in an earlier post, and an exhaustive gallery of pictures here.

Despite its shortcomings, the Civic was among those who led segment sales after post-tsunami inventory levels returned to normal. Through November, the Civic outsold the Toyota Corolla by 18,523 units and the Ford Focus by 61,473 units in the US, says Automotive News.

Honda recently released advertising for the 2013 Civic Si, done in comic book-style – watch the adrenaline-filled animated ad here.

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • Acts of desperation….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 42
    • Michael Ammott on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:37 am

      so tell me about this …”Through November, the Civic outsold the Toyota Corolla by 18,523 units and the Ford Focus by 61,473 units in the US, says Automotive News.”

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 45 Thumb down 8
      • Ongtk on Jan 04, 2013 at 12:05 pm

        The comparison with the Ford focus is a more accurate reflection of the Civic’s strong sales performance. The Corolla is an ageing model that is soon to be replace.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 3
    • kelvin on Jan 04, 2013 at 2:21 pm

      At least they tried to improve it. If the sales figure is bad for Proton, you will never see them improve, because of big brother protection.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 52 Thumb down 22
      • Malaya on Jan 20, 2013 at 1:28 am

        ni ‘mangkuk hayun'(stupid) aper pulak nih, dok bercakap tentang honda, tetiba jer membandingkan proton nih…kalau tak puas hati tentang proton hentam la dlm ruangan yang berkenaan…lu blah la hoi ke negara lain yang lu puas hati…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 35
  • H & T sale are good in north america but they are not doing as well in Europe. Anybody knows why? Is it due to their inferior diesel tech or just plain lack of finesse ( Is it due to European hving higher expectation – handling & interior quality – most japs hv hard/shinny interior plastic). best example is the different jetta btw NA & euro (torsion beam vs multilink susp).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 8
    • American90210beverlyHeels on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:55 am

      perhaps europe having much more winding road. usa more straight wide motorway. hence different requirement in handling n interior material used.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 3
  • polo saga on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:21 am

    our question is, WHEN WILL THIS FACELIFT COME TO MALAYSIA?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 54 Thumb down 6
  • OMG….This called to be better…of course be better because of “ugly design” in the beginning of this car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 24
  • cis,this is better than the current civic we have in malaysia. why oh why!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 5
  • CrystalClear on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:52 am

    Gosh. When will this come to the country down under? Australia seems to be getting everything rather late. When they finally being released here, the name of 2013 civic doesnt fit in anymore, coz it will be already 2014 by then!!!! Gosh I really love this new design. Come on Aussie!!! Oei oei oeii!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 4
  • Nissan2Crazy on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:58 am

    new HONDA 2013 styling:

    Long Chrome bar at the bumper.
    (as seen in CIVI US and the Revived Honda S2000 lately. )

    this is classic modern weih! love it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 6
  • Yes ‘things can always be better’ This Civic, the FB was it[?] , can and needs to be better. Compare it with the civic of old , the EG or the last FD, and better those for what make them great.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
  • shawal on Jan 04, 2013 at 12:45 pm

    better , bt izzit d best?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 6
  • the front bumper looks like K5 bumper.
    and the headlamp looks like Forte without curve.
    O_o

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 36
    • why to all unlikers?? cant accept the fact??

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 18
      • Why all the unlikers? You’ve got 4 likes!, so you expect everybody to like your comments.
        Seems to me like you like your Kia very much, but what if I told you the K9 is a BMW 7 series wannabe and the new Forte is a redesigned Dodge Datr headlamps and Ford ‘inspired’ tail lamps. Go ahead dislike it, this are my points, not ‘Facts’.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 12
        • im only say towards to the unlikers why u r so butthurt?? im not said come n like my comment hahah.. never think before comment..

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 6
          • Nah I’am not butthurt because you say it to your ‘unlikers’.
            But perhaps I can say I’am ‘butthurt’ because you say ‘cant accept the fact??’. It’s not a fact, It’s your opinion. and maybe because I’am ‘butthurt’ because, from the way you say it, you expect to be right….am I wrong?
            or maybe because I am actually butthurt from that terrible lunch I just ate, I don’t know..

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 7
    • poorfff on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:58 pm

      what are you crapping?when forte was out ppl say forte copy city and civic…that’s why you se the similarity….gosh….
      and k5 bumper was said to be copied from VW by many when it was first out….

      talking about ‘facts’…..

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 8
  • Avenger on Jan 04, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    Saya rasa lately ni design kereta Jepun…baik Toyota ataupun Honda….agak terkebelakang sedikit jika dibandingkan dgn kereta kereta eropah mahupun Korea…saya rasa ada bagus nya jika Toyota & Honda bergabung untuk menghasilkan satu produk yg gemilang….yg tiada tandingan dan bandingan

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 27
  • gOOsh on Jan 04, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    with experience owned the 8th gen, it’s a no-no for a civic again…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 8
  • Chow1 on Jan 04, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    People complain because still having hope on Honda.and at least Honda responses. Do you see people complain that Preve is not good looking enough? Any action?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 6
    • p322a a.k.a preve hothatch is coming. The ccfl lamp is promising

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 2
  • C~two on Jan 04, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    Nowadays Honda sell boring car at high price, profit making blood sucking company as we know it.

    But,

    After the tsunami, We saw a come back. Honda show us the new NSX, the ad “we will not be beaten”, then this ad. All show that they wanted to want to do better, inside out.

    Good to see action is taken!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 3
  • Chong on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    I heard some SA said facelifted civic will arrive in Malaysia in 2014,is it true?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Chong on Jan 04, 2013 at 11:03 pm

    I heard some SA said facelifted Honda civic will arrive in Malaysia in 2014,is it true?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
  • Rulered on Jan 05, 2013 at 3:29 pm

    The Japanese carmaker is trying hard for places like US, North America and Europe. Unfortunately South East Asia aren’t up to standards as our brand loyalty is high, so they can throw in any crappy spec car with minimal risk. The other thing is, whenever there’s an improvement made in other continent, our owner here thought that it also involves of similar models here too. Well all I can say is ‘can things can be better here? dream on, that’s the only power you have.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  • I just thought of buying civic and then this come…what should I do men…demnnnn….this new one interior and front looks are better than existing…but I like the back of the existing one than the facelifted though…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4
  • pak long on Jan 05, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    Laa takde la lawa mana pun. Lawa lagi civic generasi 8. Buruk…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 6
    • gOOsh on Jan 06, 2013 at 11:17 pm

      i’ve to agree with you… but if the quality level remain the same, it will not make any sense…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • disndat on Feb 04, 2013 at 1:04 am

    Will Civic Malaysia get the same update? Or any update at all? Thanks.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • disndat on Feb 04, 2013 at 1:22 am

    Previous posts were hidden so posted a question sort-of asked before … anyway the all-plastic dashboard is really a BIG LET DOWN!! For this price I would expect a dashboard with soft padded feel. I am sure many think the same.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Peugeot 408 on Mar 18, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    I own a vios j auto thinking to switch to Peugeot 408 prices RM103,000 after discount, just tested drive the car it seems very friendly for the rear passenger (my wife was sitting behind and feel very satisfy), interior is very nice, and exterior is outstanding (didn’t see 408 on the road) asking myself would it be a bad choice in term of resell value & spare part lead time?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
 

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