1989 Honda Civic

Two decades after it rolled off assembly lines, the 1989 Honda Civic still generates excitement with knowledgeable automotive enthusiasts. Some have described the 1989 Honda Civic as “looks slow, goes fast” and perhaps that is the most succinct way of expressing the car in words.

While it provides a lot of potential for customization, the base exterior of the 1989 Honda Civic is downright underwhelming. Back in 1989, outside of the 1.6-liter 16-valve SOHC engine, the Si trim level did not add a whole lot to the DX, the standard trim level of the Honda Civic.

There was a time when American automotive enthusiasts focused on nothing but American muscle cars. However, beginning in the 1990s, a new generation of American auto aficionado gave rise to car clubs with a focus on imports. This in turn breathed new life into “classics” like the 1989 Honda Civic that had gone underappreciated for far too long.

Honda built this particular Civic in the finest tradition of Q-ships and sleepers, already made famous by 1989 thanks to low-profile supercars such as the Thunderbolt 427 Galaxies and Yenko Chevy IIs. This was a relative success in North America. It provided an alternative to the plethora of “all-show, no-go” options and it gave consumers, especially young ones, in the market a “muscle” option without the muscle price.

One of the highest-profile examples of the potential of an aftermarket 1989 Honda Civic is the one built by legendary NASCAR and drag racing engine builder Larry Widmer. Famous for his Mustangs, Widmer, while working with Toyota, asked an engineer to recommend a Japanese car that would best serve as the basis for a mean street machine. Widmer said that he was surprised when the engineer responded with a competitor’s model but did not remain surprised for long.