Fifth Generation 1992-1995Succeed is what Honda did with the fifth-generation Civic hatchback. 1992 was the year during which the Civic received its most drastic changes. Suddenly, the boxy shape was gone and a rounder, more aerodynamic shape took its place. Interior comforts increased dramatically. The seats were much more comfortable, and the dash was more user-friendly. Time was definitely spent on planning the redesign. Honda now offered four engines in the Civic hatchback. Again, it was offering choices to fit your budget, and individuality. The popular 1.6 SOHC engine was available with Honda's VTEC technology. VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift. What this means is that Honda designed a way to change cam timing and lift based on engine speed. This allowed the vehicle to maintain good gas mileage and low emissions in the low rpm range, while having a significant increase in power in the upper part of it. When the VTEC is activated at the designated point, a third rocker arm comes into play and forces the power lobe on the cam to activate. This is all achieved by the ECU determining that water temperature, oil pressure, rpm, and vehicle speed are at a safe level for activation. Once everything is within tolerances, a signal is sent to the VTEC actuator which then engages a hydraulically operated piston. The piston then moves the third rocker arm, which begins operating the power lobe on the cam. In a way, it was Honda's way of having a stock-like cam operating at the low rpm and a performance cam as you rev the engine higher. This technology really caught on in the aftermarket world. This increased horsepower allowed for a high-revving motor. Enthusiasts now had more than a handful of manufacturers to choose parts from, and with so many people involved, designing a unique vehicle was not a problem. But the most important thing was what Honda gave us. Some nice engineers decided that the new Civic should be based around the soon-to-come third-generation Integra. What did this mean to us? Well, at first, not much, considering a lot of people were still tinkering on the fourth-generation Civic. It didn't take long for someone to figure out the Integra motors bolted straight into the new Civic without any mods.
Sixth Generation 1996-PresentThe sixth-and-final generation of the hatchback was something of a surprise. Honda again went to work creating a completely redesigned Civic. The engineers implemented increased safety features into its design. New crush zones were added along with additional steel door reinforcements. The change in body style and added safety also increased the weight of the vehicle. A sudden need for more control over vehicles brought about OBD II. OBD II was designed to meet newer, stricter EPA standards by electronically monitoring engine functions. Increased signifigantly over OBD, OBD II allows almost complete engine control and also monitors parts of the chassis, body, accessory devices, as well as the diagnostic control network of the vehicle. Somehow, the majority voted for this, and the result was a market that was afraid to touch an OBD II car. Nobody was sure what the result would be. Would simple changes such as an air filter make the ECU go into safety mode? If so, how would internal engine work affect it? Apparently, the new hatchback went one of two ways: It was either loved or hated. Honda was looking for a unique appearance for the Civic and that they definitely found. It still stands out and following suit with the other generations, parts-a-plenty have been developed for it.
Engine swaps, nitrous, turbo kits, along with full race suspensions started popping up all over. Body kits ranging from mild to wild are still being created for this model. No doubt, the sixth-generation Civic is more alive today than its predecessors.