The Honda Logo is a supermini car (B-segment) which was made by Honda from 1996 to 2001. It is a three- or five-door hatchback that replaced the second-generation City and was then superseded by the Fit/Jazz. It slotted between the smaller kei-class Life and the larger Civic in Honda's range of the era. The Honda Capa and Honda HR-V were developed from the Logo's platform.
The Logo was manufactured in Japan and assembled at Honda's factory in Suzuka, Mie.[citation needed] It was marketed in Japan through dealerships of Honda Clio from 1996 to 2001, and briefly in Europe between 1999 and 2001. The Logo was an effort by Honda to repeat the success of early Civic, with its length, width, and engine size almost matching the first generation Civic.[5]
Mechanicals
The Logo uses the D13B, a single-cam inline-four engine. The Logo's fuel injected engine has two valves per cylinder, aside from the later, sporting TS version and its derivatives which have four valves per cylinder. A CVT transmission was offered. The 1.3-litre (1,343cc) engine provided 66PS (49kW; 65hp).[1] Using lessons learned on the CRX HF economy models, the engine was designed to be fuel efficient and to provide maximum torque low in the range, with maximum torque coming in at 2,500rpm. 90 percent of the torque was available at 1,300rpm, just above idling speed.[4] A higher-revving, sixteen-valve version of the SOHC D13B engine was later introduced for the sporting "TS" model. This version produces 91PS (67kW; 90hp) at 6,300rpm and 11.6kg⋅m (114N⋅m; 84lb⋅ft) at 4,800rpm.[6] The TS also received various sporting additions such as a leather, three-spoke steering wheel, suspension lowered by 10mm (0.39in), and front and rear stabilizer bars.[6]
Transmissions included a five-speed manual transmission, three-speed automatic transmission, and the CVT, marketed as Honda Multimatic. The CVT was reserved for better equipped versions and was also the only transmission offered on the 4WD model.[7] In November 1998, the CVT system was renamed the Multimatic S to reflect the addition of Honda's Grade Logic Control system ("Prosmatec"), which senses when the car is travelling up or down a hill and keeps it in the according, correct ratio.[6]
Sales
In Japan, the Logo succeeded the second generation series of Honda City, the GA1/2. Two derivative models used the Logo's platform and components: the Honda Capa and the first-generation Honda HR-V, whose marketing had more emphasis on a youthful approach. The Logo was intended to be practical and economical; however, its conservative design and modest overall intent were reflected in the marketplace, with the car not selling as well as hoped and remaining a single generation model.[8] In just under five years, cumulative sales in the Japanese domestic market totalled 202,601 examples.[8]
In Europe, sales were not particularly strong, but the car did come top of a customer satisfaction survey in December 2001.[9] Sales in left-hand drive continental European markets started after the facelift, in September 1999. The somewhat dated model was only available in a three-door variant with a 65PS (48kW; 64hp) version of the 1.3-litre engine.[10] In the United Kingdom, the Logo went on sale in the latter half of 2000 and was available for the very short period of nine months.[9] In Europe, the Logo was treated as a placeholder model, to establish a toehold in the supermini category prior to the coming introduction of the Jazz.[10][11][12]
Rear (pre-facelift)
First facelift
First facelift
Second facelift
Second facelift
Reception
The Logo received a negative review from What Car?, who criticised its ride, handling, and build quality.[11] The RAC found the Logo to be well equipped, but noted that it was already out of date compared to other supermini-class cars by the time it went on sale in the UK.[12]Parker's Car Guides found the interior to be "cheap and nasty" and criticised the noise, vibration, and harshness, but noted the "good forward visibility".[13]
Japanese and German reviewers also criticized the car for being outdated and of an anodyne design.[10][14]
Safety
Euro NCAP crash tested a left-hand-drive three-door Logo in 2000, giving it three-out-of-five stars for adult occupant safety, with an overall score of 17 (six in the frontal impact test and 11 in the side impact test).[3][clarification needed] It received two-out-of-four starts in Euro NCAP's pedestrian impact test, with a score of 14.[3]
Chronology
3 October 1996: The Logo was announced as the successor to the Honda City.[15] It was marketed in Japan with the slogan "human sizing".[1]
4 October 1996: The three-door Logo goes on sale.[15]
1 November 1996: The five-door version goes on sale.[15]
12 September 1997: Minor changes were made, with all trim levels receiving an antimicrobial steering wheel and the option to upgrade the "G" trim to the "G-allfa" special model; at a small premium, this offered standard anti-lock brakes (ABS) and a passenger-side airbag. A version with adapted controls for disabled people called the "Logo Almas" was also launched.[16]
4 January 1998: The "Lachic", a special edition model with body-coloured bumpers, ABS, and a passenger-side airbag went on sale.[17]
19 March 1998: Another adapted variant was released, with a swiveling passenger seat and a mount for carrying wheelchairs.[18]
23 April 1998: The Honda Capa, developed from the Logo, was launched.
22 September 1998: The three-door Honda HR-V was launched, which was derived from the Logo.[citation needed]
12 November 1998: A minor change was made to the model to comply with new automobile exhaust gas regulations. The model code added a leading "GF" to reflect the changes.[7] The monocoque was stiffened to improve crashworthiness, requiring considerable revisions under the skin. The sporty "TS" trim with a more powerful 16-valve engine was introduced, and Real Time four-wheel-drive became available (only offered with Honda's Multimatic S CVT transmission).[6]
September 1999: The Sportic special edition was introduced, a better-equipped version of the sporty TS variant; it was also available in an exclusive colour called Super Sonic Blue Pearl.[19]
Sales started in Continental Europe; only a single, three-door version was available.
16 December 1999: The Coloris, a special-edition model based on the G-type model was introduced. This was fully body-coloured, including bumpers, grille, door handles, etcetera. All colors were available, with the addition of the special colour Crystal Silver Metallic.[20]
14 April 2000: The Logo received a second, minor facelift and changes were made to the interior. An additional series of lower-cost Sportic models based on the G-type were added to the Japanese model line; the earlier Sportic became the Sportic TS as a result.[21]
12 May 2000: The refreshed "Logo Almas" line of motability and nursing cars went on sale.[21]
mid-2000: Sales started in the United Kingdom, also only as a three-door model.
30 November 2000: A new special model, the "Topics" was added. Based on the G model, it added a keyless entry system and electrically retractable, body-coloured power door mirrors.[7]
June 2001: The Logo is discontinued and its successor, the Honda Fit, is launched.
1 2 3 4 "「ロゴ」をマイナーモデルチェンジ"[Minor change to "Logo" model]. Global Honda (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 12 November 1998. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
1 2 3 "ホンダ ロゴ(LOGO)カタログ・スペック情報・モデル・グレード比較"[Honda Logo Catalog, Specification Information, Model and Grade Comparison]. Goo-net Catalog (in Japanese). Proto Corporation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019.
↑ Aritsune, Tokudaiji (December 1998), 間違いだらけのクルマ選び ’99年版: 全車種徹底批評[Mistakes in Choosing Cars, '99 Edition: A Thorough Review of All Car Types] (in Japanese), p.59, ISBN978-4794208583
1 2 3 "新型車「ロゴ」を発売"[Launch of the new "Logo" model] (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 3 October 1996. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
↑ "「ロゴ」をマイナーモデルチェンジ 同時に「ロゴ アルマス」を新発売"["Logo" receives minor updates alongside launch of new "Logo Almas" model] (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 12 September 1997. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
↑ "ロゴに特別仕様車「ラシック」を設定し発売" (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 15 December 1997. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
↑ "ロゴに特別仕様車「スポルティック」を設定し発売"[Honda launches Sportic special edition of Logo] (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 21 September 1999.
↑ "「アコード・ワゴン」、「ロゴ」、「ライフ」に特別仕様車を設定し発売"[Special models launched of the Accord Wagon, Logo, and Life] (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 16 December 1999.
1 2 "「ロゴ」をマイナーモデルチェンジ 装備充実の新タイプ"スポルティック"も新発売"[Minor changes to Logo model as new "Sportech" trim goes on sale] (Press release) (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 13 April 2000. Retrieved 23 October 2025..
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