The upcoming Honda Civic Tourer will debut the company’s Adaptive Damper System when it arrives in select European markets early next year. To be offered as an optional extra, the system enhances stability and comfort under varying load and driving conditions by having three different modes: Dynamic, Normal and Comfort.
Honda claims its unique damper system to be a world first in a production model. Now, active damping isn’t a new thing; it’s been around before the millennium turned. Honda’s claim isn’t exactly false, however, as this is indeed the first system to be fitted to the rear axle only. The fronts continue to use conventional dampers.
The decision is driven by cost, and not necessarily innovation, it must be said. Honda told Autocar UK that by dropping the adaptive units on the front it can produce “an adaptive chassis with 80% of the functionality of a four-corner system but at half the cost, weight and complexity”. Makes sense, as long as the savings are passed on to the buyers.
That aside, the Honda Civic Tourer promises to offer class-competitive utility despite having a more dynamic shape (much like the SEAT Leon ST we saw yesterday). We will find out soon enough, as the Swindon-built estate will be unveiled in full production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Mercedes had air suspension for the rear axle in the E class wagon for a while now. I don’t know if it was an adaptive system, but the point was that the car would behave the same way regardless of the load. The car shouldn’t be scraping along the floor when fully loaded. I think that is the goal here too…
when it gets faster, the car will be lowered a bit?
Caldina contender!!
nice camo…
he he he
lol thats what i thought too..
I tot Citroen came out with the first type in its Pallas manymanymany years ago? But that was with very limited functions laaa
paultan, do you think this version will come to Malaysia?
damn, so sexy so hot….
this is WOW!
any hints of this coming to malaysia???
Technology gets recycled over time.
If normal cars could be equipped with adaptive suspension before, it should still be doable.
I had 2 Galant E33a (Eagle 2000GTX) both 1989 vintages with air suspension that you can manually or automatically control both ride height (air bladders like the Airmatics) and damping (like Tien’s EDFC). And this was just a normal sedan. Corners superbly flat for a large sedan and does not dive or lift on braking and accelerating.
Sadly these air bladder type struts do have long term reliability issues…. Not much unlike mercedes Airmatic systems.
The GM Magneride systems are much better and more reliable.
Wonder which system this honda uses.
Some may remember that this may not have been Honda first foray into having an adjustable shock for just the rear of the vehicle to account for loading and handling, albeit one that has to be manually selected.
It was called the EX5………
i own one…
but after some time, change to RXZ type…
lowered!!
he he he
ah those days…
15 years gone
http://serfanjo.com/Canadagoose/256.htmlCanada Goose Norge
Canada Goose Norge http://serfanjo.com/Canadagoose/77.html