The name Del Sol is Spanish for 'of the Sun'. The Civic Del Sol was introduced by Honda shortly after their small, sporty, two-door-seater CRX ceased production. The Civic Del Sol was a fun little convertible sports car that had the appearance of a mid-engined supercar but retained the traditional front-engined and front-wheel drive configuration. It was based on the reliable Honda Civic and the standard 'S' featured a 1.5 liter SOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine. The 'Si' version was equipped with a 1.6 liter SOHC four-cylinder engine with VTEC technology. The 1.5 liter engine produced just over 100 horsepower while the 'Si' version was good for 125 horsepower. Thirteen inch wheels came standard on the 'S' version while the 'Si' rode on fourteen inch alloys. The highlight of the Del Sol was its removable hardtop that stowed in the trunk while the rear window was retractable, enhancing the convertible sensation. Even with the hardtop in the trunk, there was still cargo room for luggage. To make the Del Sol appear even sportier, Honda offered a rear spoiler. The other optional equipment was floor mats. Standard equipment included cruise control, anti-sway bar, and power side mirrors. The Del Sol was instantly popular. For 1994 Honda increased the performance by offering a Del Sol VTEC which came equipped with a 1.6 liter DOHC B-Series engine that produced 160 horsepower. Safety was improved with the introduction of ABS standard on the VTEC version. 4-wheel disc brakes and dual airbags were standard on the Si version.
1997 was the final year of production for the Del Sol. The Del Sol had a successful career, lasting from 1993 through 1997 in the United States. In other countries, production lasted from 1992 through 1998. The 160 horsepower engine provided ample power for the small car and with the convertible feature; the car was fun to drive. It was plagued with problems such as a leaking roof and faulty auxiliary lighting that had its bulbs burn out rather quickly. In total less than 75,000 examples were produced for the American market.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2005
For 1995, Honda made the Del Sol its own model series. Little was changed both mechanically and aesthetically from the prior years. Minor improvements such as low fuel indicator light and new seat materials were just some of the changes. Little was changed for the following year. The bumpers were restyled slightly to eliminate faulty auxiliary lighting problems. The base S model engine was enlarged to 1.6 liters and gained four horsepower. The Si saw a small boost in power as well, now producing 127 horsepower.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2005
Related Reading : Honda Civic History
Manufactured by Honda in July of 1972, the two-door sedan Honda Civic was small and compact yet filled with vast interior space. Rated as Motor Trends Import Car of the Year for 1980, the Civic achieved status on Car and Driver magazines annual Ten Best lists six time from 1985 to 1996. At the 2006 North American International Auto show (NAIAS) Car of the Year awards, the Civic took home the....
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Similarly Sized Vehicles
from 1993
Honda Monthly Sales Volume
April 2024
106,042
March 2024
118,536
February 2024
110,110
January 2024
84,574
November 2023
94,925
October 2023
96,934
September 2023
102,765
August 2023
99,785
June 2023
98,327
May 2023
105,740
April 2023
102,781
March 2023
103,177
Recent Vehicle Additions
Performance and Specification Comparison
Price Comparison
$17,010 - $22,695
Civic Fifth generation Specification Comparison by Year
Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
219,228
103.20 in.
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 70.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 92.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 102.00hp
4 cyl., 97.03 CID., 106.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 92.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 102.00hp
4 cyl., 97.03 CID., 106.00hp
$8,110 - $13,780
289,435
98.40 in.
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 70.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 92.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 102.00hp
4 cyl., 97.03 CID., 102.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 92.00hp
4 cyl., 91.11 CID., 102.00hp
4 cyl., 97.03 CID., 102.00hp
$9,750 - $16,200
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