Honda Motors had launched the facelifted version of its very popular Civic recently. Though it is not launched in India yet but the people of those fortunate countries where it got launched did not like it very much. The main reasons for the dislike were attributed to the cheap and hard plastic instrument panel and center console. The reviewers didn’t spare the car either. Consumer Reports removed the Civic from its “recommended” list for the first time in memory, calling it “cheap” and “insubstantial.” A recent Wall Street Journal review called it “a betrayal.”
“We take feedback seriously, regardless of who it’s from, and we will act accordingly quickly. I don’t know how much we can do, and how quickly. But the comments of Consumer Reports and our customers have not gone unnoticed. We are appropriately energized,” John Mendel, executive VP, American Honda, said.
Honda has taken up this feedback very seriously and is planning to work on a quick mid-life facelift, which is expected by 2013. Honda has taken the right decision to make some changes in the model since the Civic is the leader the compact car sales volumes and is Honda’s bread and butter. Looking at what its competitors like Ford and Hyundai are coming up with, Honda has some serious challenge lying in front of it.
