Honda Civic Mk2 (1979 – 1984) Review

The second generation Honda Civic was launched in the UK in 1980, and was very much a case the same again, but with what seemed to be a 10 per cent scaling up. New 1335cc and 1488cc engines was even smoother and more economical than before, and in S form (launched in 1983), it was a genuinely capable and underrated rival to wrm harches such as the MG Metro and Talbot Samba S.

The range was extended to include a pint-sized estate version, called the van, and a four-door saloon. But for most enthusiasts, the Civic saloon's greatest moment was when it was facelifted to become the Ballade - which became the basis for the Triumph Acclaim.