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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda PilotRetro Review: Honda Civic CVCC
To celebrate the Honda Civic’s 50 years on American roads, let’s look back at the model that helped spur this long running success, the Honda Civic CVCC.
50 Years of the Honda Civic in America
The Civic is Honda’s longest running nameplate after celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. This compact car hits another anniversary in 2023 for us Americans though, as it’s celebrating 50 years on our roads. The Honda Civic originally made its debut on American shores back in 1973 and has made a lasting impact on our automotive market. Since that arrival in the USA, the Civic has grown to be known as the model associated with efficiency, dependability, and is one of the best-selling cars in America. All of the Honda Civic’s success can be pin pointed to one special model featuring an engineering advancement that poised it perfectly for the American audience in the ‘70s. We’re taking a look back at the Honda Civic CVCC, the car that gave Honda that foothold it needed to stand where it is today.
The 1973 Oil Crisis & EPA Regulations
The all-new Honda Civic was unveiled in Japan in 1972 before being shipped to the USA in March of 1973. This date of arrival ended up coinciding with the 1973 Oil Crisis that struck in October of the same year. The 1973 Oil Crisis occurred due to members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) proclaiming an oil embargo targeted towards countries that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The United States of America was included in the embargo, leading to a steep increase in the price of oil. Even though the embargo ended in March of 1974, it left a lasting impact on the price of oil and turned the automotive market towards more fuel-efficient options rather than the gas-guzzling muscle cars that kicked off this decade.
1973 was also the year that auto manufacturers made an agreement with the Enviornmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt the use of catalytic converters by 1975 to reduce automobile emissions. The plan was a part of the Clean Air Act, which had already also instilled vehicle emission standards starting in 1970 along with the phasing out of leaded gasoline. While the addition of two-way catalytic converters to cars would help reduce their exhaust emissions, it also slightly raised their base prices due to the valuable metals used in catalytic converter construction. Plus, there was the issue that the catalytic converter installed cars needed to run on unleaded fuel in order to not damage the equipment, but unleaded wasn’t widely available at the time. It seemed pretty bleak for the daily commuters of this era with all the raising prices and want for better fuel efficiency. Thankfully, Honda had already made the necessary adjustments to prepare their Civic for this kind of climate.
Honda established the Air Pollution Research Group in 1965. This venture was dedicated to collecting emission data around the American manufacturers and then using it for research in emissions control. This group also began researching the use of precombustion chambers in engines to help create a leaner air-to-fuel ratio in gasoline engines. Thus, leading to a more efficient burn, which in turn helped fight unnecessary expelled pollutants through the exhaust. This development led to the creation of the Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion engine, otherwise known as CVCC.
Introducing the Honda Civic CVCC
The CVCC was a gas engine design that could beat emissions regulations without the need for a catalytic converter. Plus, CVCC engines had the advantage of being able to run on unleaded or leaded fuel since there wasn’t emissions equipment to worry about. The initial production of the Honda Civic didn’t feature this CVCC advancement. Instead, prior models of this compact hatchback featured a 1169 cc (71.3 CID) straight-four that could make about 50 horsepower or a slightly larger 1237 cc (75.5 CID) straight-four that made 52 horsepower starting in 1974. These early engines were able to achieve 40 mpg on the highway and helped the Civic find a place in the blossoming “fuel mileage aware” buyer niche for the American market.
Then we get to 1975 when Honda gave us the Honda Civic CVCC. This new engine made the Honda Civic CVCC one of the most fuel-efficient and cheaper vehicles to meet emissions at this time. The Honda Civic CVCC was so efficient in fact, it was known as the most fuel-efficient car tested by the EPA for the next four years and did so without the use of a catalytic converter. The hatchback was able to achieve 41 mpg on the highway and could run on leaded or unleaded fuel.
In terms of specs, the Honda Civic CVCC engine came in as a 1488 cc (90.8 CID) straight-four engine capable of producing 53 horsepower and 68 lb-ft of torque. Not a ton of power, but the Civic only weighed about 1,500 pounds. The CVCC engine was mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or an optional 2-speed Hondamatic automatic transmission. Either configuration had power directed to the front wheels. 0-60 mph could be achieved in about 15.5 seconds. The Honda Civic CVCC was kept in control on the road with the help of a fully independent suspension and standard power disc brakes at the front with drums at the rear.
All in all, the car wasn’t much but it was a proper daily commuter car that spent less time at the pump and more time on the road. That time on the road was spent in a pretty spartan cabin, although not too shabby for the time. There was little use of plastic in the Honda Civic CVCC’s design, so there’s a lot of visible metal on the inside. The vinyl upholstered front bucket seats and the rear bench seat may not look like much, but people today still say how comfortable they are to sit in. There also wasn’t a ton of room behind that second row, but those seats could be folded down for a bit of extra cargo room.
Looking towards the dashboard, there’s wood accenting all the way across the design. The gauge cluster consists of a speedometer, fuel level, and temp gauge with a handful of warning lights in between. I guess Honda felt a tachometer was unnecessary. The thin steering wheel is made of wood and had a bit of play in its rack-and-pinion design when making driving adjustments. All this culminates into one of those interiors where you’re sent back in time when you sit down, while also being a fun little drive once you get going.
Honda Civic CVCC’s Legacy
Sales continued to climb for Honda as more and more fuel conscious shoppers hopped onboard. The Honda Civic CVCC would experience a few minor changes to its exterior design and even a bump in power that brought the efficient engine up to 60 horsepower. However, the first generation only stuck around for seven years (which is actually the longest running generation of the Honda Civic since), but it made a lasting impact for Honda.
The timing of the Honda Civic CVCC officially hitting the market allowed it to gain enough traction prior to the 1979 Oil Crisis, which once again put a strain on fuel consumption, allowing owners to feel more at ease in an uncertain climate. The CVCC continued to be the engine design used in the Civic for the second generation and even made its way into other models like the Accord and Prelude. Eventually the CVCC design was molded into more efficient engines that completely phased out the original designation.
The Honda Civic CVCC proved that Honda cares about its stance in the automotive world. They made sure their car wasn’t only a well-engineered and efficient machine for the consumer, but that their product aides in making a better environment for tomorrow. They were looking into poor vehicle emissions even before the EPA actually existed. The CVCC may be gone, but the idea behind it still carries on at Honda today. Honda continues to provide efficient vehicles, have committed to a complete lineup of zero emission vehicle sales by 2040, and have set a goal of achieving complete carbon neutrality by 2050.
