Honda Civic being pulled out in country where it was first born: Report

Honda Civic has enjoyed giddy heights and suffered abysmal lows around the world over nearly four decades that it has been seen on roads around the world. And while the sedan continues to be a strong performer in many markets, it is reportedly facing an existential crisis in other countries which includes Japan.

The world's first-ever Civic was introduced in Japan back in 1972 and it crossed oceans to become a common sight in other markets as well. And while Japan will always be the car's one-true home, it may now face the axe here. A report in Automotive News informs that Honda is planning to take Civic out of production in Japan owing to falling demand for the vehicle. It is reported that just 1,618 units were sold here in the last fiscal and this may have prompted Honda to ponder on if the end of the line beckons for the sedan.

The Civic has undergone several upgrades and facelifts over the past several years but a growing preference for SUVs around the world has always been a mammoth challenge to defend against. Inherently, the Civic is quite a capable car which boasts of striking looks, a decent drive and several comfort features. Yet, the demand for SUVs as well as rising competition from rivals in the sedan segment - especially from the likes of Toyota and Hyundai, has meant the field of play is not as easy to conquer as it once was. The Civic, however, was the ninth-most selling passenger vehicle in the US in 2019 with 325,650 units being bought. Toyota's Camry fared slightly better and took the eight spot in a market dominated by pickups. Interestingly, Civic was also the most stolen vehicle here in 2019.

But what works in the US is clearly not working back home. Or in some other markets either.

India too has not been too kind on sedans - compact or executive, with compact SUVs ruling the automotive landscape. Honda has been unable to tap into this lucrative segment so far and also took a while to bring the latest generation Civic here, launching the 10th generation in 2019. The car is a leader in its segment here but the segment itself is going through a tumultuous phase.