Honda’s next-generation Civic delayed

2010 Honda Civic

Honda has earned a reputation of being a progressive carmaker which taps the pulse of the market to introduce new models before they become outdated or begin to lose market share.

However, the Japanese manufacturer’s plans to launch the next-generation Civic have been delayed.

In an interview to AutoWeek, John Mendel, American Honda Motor Co’s executive vice president said that the new Civic will not arrive until 2011, which is beyond the typical five-year product cycle which Honda follows.

Honda cites changing market conditions, fuel efficiency and emission regulations as the primary reasons for the delay. Nonetheless, the current Civic still sells well and clocks close to one million global sales annually. 2011 will also see the launch of the redesigned CR-V.