1973 Honda Civic
First generation · SB/SG (1973–1979) 1973–1979
The original Civic — a tiny, front-wheel-drive economy car that launched in the US in 1973 and made Honda a serious automaker, helped by the clean-burning CVCC engine.
Photo: “File:1973 Honda Civic Coupe (23433060569).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY 2.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 1973 model year
Overview
The Honda Civic went on sale in the US in 1973 as a tiny, inexpensive, front-wheel-drive economy car. Arriving just as the 1973 oil crisis hit, its frugality and clean-burning CVCC engine — which met US emissions rules without a catalytic converter — turned Honda from a motorcycle and small-car curiosity into a serious automaker in America.
Specifications
- Body styles
- Two-door coupe, Hatchback
Year over year
What changed
- First US model year of the Civic.
- Front-wheel-drive economy-car layout that defined the nameplate.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- An early-1970s subcompact; rust and originality are the chief concerns on the few survivors.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The clean-burning CVCC engine met US emissions rules without a catalytic converter.
- Its timing during the 1973 oil crisis made it an instant success.
Sources
Other First generation years