Honda Civic Mk3 (1983 – 1987) Review
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Honda Civic Mk3 (1983 – 1987) At A Glance
Traditional Honda strength of sewing machine-smooth drivetrain, interesting design, functional interior, useful Shuttle version
Rust and fragile interior, not seen as a classic in the way its rivals from Nissan and Toyota are
The third generation Honda Civic was unveiled at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, and was a marked change in direction from the previous two iterations. It sported interesting new wedge-shaped styling, and a vertical rear end, previewing Honda's changing design language during the coming decade. Despite the radical styling, the Civic Mk3 retained the previous models' strengths of smooth, refined engines, and excellent economy.
The Civic Mk3 was the first car to be powered by Honda's long-running four-cylinder D-Series engine, and was available in 1.5- and 1.6-litre form, with the most potent version, the Si, developing 90bhp. Entry-level 1342cc model boasted three-valves per cylinder, an engine that was also used in the four-door Civic/Ballade-based 1984 Rover 213. Civic also ended up featuring an innovative four-wheel drive Shuttle model that predicted the 21st century move to lifestyle-orientated mini-MPV/SUV cross-overs.
