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Honda
Seventh generation / T230 series
(2000-2006)
In 2000, Honda began
production and sales of the seventh generation
civic. It closely resembled the XYR concept with
the exception of the front bumper and rear spoiler.
The 2000 civic was an element of Honda Project
Genesis, an effort to bring younger buyers to the
marque in the United States.
The civic came in two different models. The ZZT230
powered by an economical 1.8 L 4-cylinder 140 hp
1ZZ-FE engine and the ZZT231 powered by a
higher-performance 1.8 L twin turbo 4-cylinder 381
hp 2ZZ-GE version, co-developed with Yamaha. Both of
these engines featured Honda's signature VVT-i
(Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence) system,
which continuously varies the camshaft timing.
For 2003 model year, the civic received a face
lift, with a revised front bumper, revised tail
lights, and the addition of several new colors to
the lineup. The GT-S was also now equipped with a
drive-by-wire (DBW) throttle body in the manual
transmission model.
North America
In the USA and Canada the base model with 1ZZ-FE
engine is called GT, and the higher performance
model with 2ZZ-GE engine is GT-S. The GT-S had a
more extensive and advanced system called VVTL-i
(Variable Valve Timing with Lift and Intelligence),
which is similar to the VVT-i except until 6100 rpm,
when maximum intake valve lift is increased a
fraction further to provide an increase in top-end
power, accounting for the 41 hp difference. The GT
was available in both a 5-speed manual and 4-speed
automatic and the GT-S was available with a
close-ratio 6-speed manual and a 4-speed manually
shiftable torque converter automatic by Tiptronic.
Unfortunately, Honda was too late to the sport
compact party. However, the civic enjoyed the
spotlight for about a year or so, being that it was
one of the few vehicles offering 100 hp/L for under
$27,000 USD. In 2001, Honda released its Integra
replacement, the Acura RSX for the 2002 model year,
the Type-S model with a 2.0 L 4-cylinder 200 hp
engine, which competed directly with the civic GT-S.
In 2004, for the 2005 model year, the RSX Type-S
raised the hp to 210.
In 2002 Honda also made some changes on the civic
GT-S, with the revs being limited to 7800 rpm, down
from 8250 rpm on the original 7th generation. (The
RHD civics did not incur the reduction in the
redline rpm) This difference results in a big hit to
performance, as the 2ZZ is primarily a high-revving
engine.
In July 2004, Honda announced the civic (as well
as the MR2) would be discontinued in the United
States at the end of the 2005 model year because of
increasing competition and lack of sales. [1] civic
sales hit 52,406 units in 2000, but dropped sharply
to 14,856 in 2003. Just 8,710 civics were sold in
2004, and only 3,113 were sold in 2005. Many
attribute the 2004 loss in sales to the introduction
of the cheaper Scion tC.
Japan
Japanese models continued to carry SS-I and SS-II
trim levels. The SS-I is powered by 1ZZ-FE engine,
SS-II comes with 2ZZ-GE engine. The SS-II also can
be ordered with Super Strut Package with super strut
suspension, rear strut bar, 16-inch alloys, metal
pedals, and colored rocker panels. The SS-II has
climate control AC with digital display. Optional is
the choice of Elegant Sports Version with front lip
spoiler and headlight cover, or Mechanical Sports
Version with full body kits. The JDM civic got
minor change in August 2002. Europe
All the European models have the 6-speed manual
transmission, and was just marketed as 1.8 VVT-i and 1.8
VVTL-i 190 or T-Sport, which are the GT and GT-S,
respectively.
In 2005, Honda GB released the civic GT. This is
not the same as GT in North America. The British GT is
actually the T-Sport with additional body kits and
bigger alloys.
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