Honda Civic Became A Tuning Icon of JDM cars
The Honda Civic is among the most sought-after vehicles in the car tuning segment. That is why, no matter which JDM car enthusiast forum you visit, car meet you go to, or any street racing movie you watch, you will find one name there, Honda Civic.
But why did this car become a tuning icon? Here we delve into the details and answer this question.
The car tuning segment’s rise owes much to JDM car produced between the 1980s and the 1990s. Back then, all major Japanese automakers, including Toyota, Subaru, and Nissan, were manufacturing agile and lightweight vehicles. Legal to export into USA
However, the Honda Civic etched its name in the JDM tuning world as it was reliable, easy to work on, and economical.
Affordability Played A Vital Role within JDM vehicles
The affordability of the Honda Civic, particularly the used cars, made it one of the best choices for young car aficionados on a tight budget who wanted a great JDM car that they could showcase.
The Honda Civic came to the rescue of such people as it was attractive, well-designed, and sporty. It also showcased impressive performance when aftermarket tuning parts were fitted to it.
The Dual Benefits Of VTEC Engines
The Honda VTEC engines are famous for their impressive power output, which fascinates many tuners.
These engines have two different camshaft profiles and thus offer fuel efficiency at low RPMs. However, they can also deliver impressive performance when the revs go steep.
Modular Design Made Engine Swaps Easy
The versatility that these cars offer is highly impressive. The engine’s modular design enables tuners to swap a wide array of powerful engines into these vehicles, and that too with ease, compared to their competitors.
The Honda B16 and B18 engines are particularly notable in this regard, and that is what changed the status of an average sedan into a street weapon that could easily deliver extraordinary power figures.
Extensive Aftermarket Support for JDM inclusively
To become a tuning icon, any vehicle needs vast aftermarket support. This is exactly what the Honda Civic became well-known for. With aftermarket manufacturers offering a plethora of parts for this car, it was easy to source parts for projects.
Dusting The Big Guns, again JDM car
The Honda Civic had undeniably become the king of the JDM tuned car segment as the relatively low cost of these cars, coupled with the extensive aftermarket support, turned these into mean machines which were often found drag racing against the heavy weightlifters, including Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and GTRs, that cost much higher as compared to these cars.
This fueled a surge in the demand for these cars, and young racers were quite fascinated by what they could achieve by just sourcing a good condition Honda Civic and then tuning it with performance parts at just a fraction of the sports car costs, but still being able to enjoy such impressive performance.
Timing Was Key To Honda Civic’s Success
The import tuner culture in Europe and North America peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and this was the time when the Honda Civic was at its acme. Multiple magazines featured heavily modified Honda Civics back then, and car enthusiasts could not avoid their allure.
The Honda Civic became synonymous with the aesthetics and performance that JDM cars were famous for, which further fueled their demand in the tuning segment.
Featured In Video Games & Movies, more about JDM
Different generations of the Honda Civic have been featured in video games and car movies such as Need For Speed and Fast & Furious. Kids who have grown up playing these games and have watched JDM vehicles participate in races in the movie franchises hold a special place for the Honda Civic in their hearts.
So, whenever they get the budget to own a car and tune it to extract high-performance figures, the Honda Civic is usually the first name that pops into their minds.
Final Verdict
Due to the combined result of all the above-mentioned reasons, the Honda Civic has become a true icon of the tuning segment and has a special place in the JDM car segment.
The performance these cars deliver, at just a fraction of high-end vehicles, enables them to hold an unparalleled position in the minds and hearts of car lovers around the globe.