This Honda Civic Is So Uncool It Might Just Be Cool

On these pages you’ll rightly be more used to us posting the latest and greatest, and we only tend to cover those auction cars that are a bit special. We’d like to argue that this old-timer Civic qualifies.

It’s a 1978 Civic 1.3L, and it’s up for grabs at next month’s Classic Car Auctions (CCA) June Sale. It has just 8,600 miles on the clock; a factor we’re not always fond of, but in this case the low mileage has almost certainly saved the old thing from the scrapheap. Let’s talk about why it’s so brilliant.

Back in the 1970s brown was all the rage, both inside and outside of new cars. While the auctioneers insist that it’s a tan interior inside an Elysee Bronze shell, it’s blatantly brown. We’re not denying that it’s an utterly hideous colour scheme, but that’s part of what makes this old Honda so damn cool.

As far as the sellers can work out, this is one of just three manual Civics of this type still around in the UK, making it rarer than almost anything else in the country. It has just been brought out of long-term storage, recommissioned and successfully put through an MOT, which means you can actually use it. Which you surely would.

It’s had just one owner from new, who bought it from a dealer called Hill & Amos in Harrogate, which no longer exists. The weirdo never even took the protective plastic coverings off the door cards, making them more or less as-new.

In such excellent condition inside and out, old cars can sometimes fetch a small fortune, but CCA isn’t expecting records. The Civic’s estimate is a reasonable-sounding £5000-£7000.

Nigel Gough, CCA’s classic car specialist said:

“This little Civic is spotless and comes with an extensive history file. It’s quirky and rare and a perfect example of a super little seventies Japanese hatchback.”

The auction event starts at Warwickshire Exhibition Centre on 9 June, with the afternoon set aside for viewings. The first lot goes under the hammer on 10 June at 12.30pm. For more information, because we know you really want this Civic, click this link.