After two decades, it might seem as though the Honda Civic’s sales crown has never been worn by another brand. Not quite.
Before it, the thoroughly mediocre Chevrolet Cavalier had a good run as No. 1 Before that, the tepid Ford Tempo. So, how has this little Honda stayed on top in Canada for so long?
Worldwide, the Civic is at least respected, if not revered. Yet its utter domination of any market is unique to Canada, where it was the top-selling car in March and through the first quarter of 2018. In the United States, it typically runs fourth, although for 2017 it reached a career-best second place. In the United Kingdom, where the popular-in-Europe hatchback is exclusively built, the Civic isn’t even in the top 10. In Japan, Honda doesn’t even sell the Civic any more.