In 1983, just four years after the second edition had appeared, the third was introduced, setting a replacement pattern that holds to this day. A four year life is short for a small car, but it allowed the Civic to remain contemporary and certainly gave Honda's European and American rivals a headache, for they were used to much longer model cycles. Generation three introduced four different body styles built on one versatile platform - the Civic hatchback and saloon, the people-carrying Shuttle and the sporty CRX coupe, all based on the same running gear.
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The so-called 'Wonder Civic' sported fresher, cleaner lines, lending it a more European feel - it represented a major change in direction of the Civic's development. Honda had sought opinion from the Italian coachbuilders, which might just have led to the city of Turin and the Piedmont region awarding the three-door Civic its Car-Design Award of 1984. Its sharper, origami-style look gave the Civic a much needed dose of visual dynamism and individuality that marked it out as something a little different.
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The new styling came with more advanced engine technology. All models were fitted with a new all-alloy engine with a unique 12-valve, dohc head, which improved combustion characteristics, reduced fuel consumption and served excellent torque. There was a wider choice of engines too, starting with a 55bhp 1.2-litre, followed by a 71bhp 1.3-litre and topped by a 1.5-litre engine producing either 85 or a robust 100bhp. In 1985, the engine range switched from carburettors to electronic fuel injection in conjunction with catalytic converters. The first cat-engine, the 1.5 litre unit, produced 90bhp at 5800 rpm.
It was the CRX that began to earn Honda a serious reputation as a maker of sporting cars, a development that would eventually lead to today's wild Type R. Its stubby coupe styling and range of high-revving engines made it a hit with younger, performance-oriented buyers, particularly in the US where its low price brought it within reach of well-off (or spoiled) students. Fitted with a 100bhp 1.5-litre engine, it accelerated to 60mph in less than 10 seconds and onto a top speed of 125mph, which felt rapid in a car this small. For 1985 Honda installed a hot new 1.6 litre dohc 16-valve engine. With 130bhp on tap at a shrieking 6500rpm, the CRX hooked itself up to the fast-riding hot hatch train, adding extra impetus with the scalding 150bhp version. This CRX could bolt to 60mph in 7.5sec and hit 130mph, and remains a prized used buy even today.
Less dynamic, but perhaps more forward-thinking, was the Civic-based Shuttle. With its high-roofed stance and Tardis-like cabin it could legitimately be described as a forerunner of today's small people carriers, again, long before the Renault Scenic arrived. From 1985 the Shuttle was equipped with Real Time 4WD, able to engage all-wheel drive automatically when required. Honda's liaison with Rover also saw the 4-door Civic Ballade built by Rover Group and sold as the Rover 200 Series.
