I should do a full feature on all the darned Honda Civics that Hot Wheels and Matchbox have dropped on us the last few years. It would be a fun feature, and maybe I will do it. But I don’t want to right now. I want to concentrate on the new Civics. The two new yellow icons coming from the Mattel brands.
Here is another thing I don’t want to do. I have absolutely no desire to try and convince you that Civics are cool, and that no matter what there cannot be TOO MANY Civics in diecast. If you look at these and just think entry-level blandness, I can’t change your mind. Just know there are a TON of people who see something far more interesting, a connecting thread intertwined through so many elements of the car culture world, a canvas for car art that spurred a generation of modifiers in the vein of the Carroll Shelbys before them. (I remember Shelby even mentioning how much he loved watching the creativity and passion of those generations after him working on the sports compact cars of that era, and how it gave him hope for car culture in the future.) If you don’t see it, that’s totally fine, but it’s your loss. The Honda Civic is relevant, and having numerous diecast replicas is most welcome. It is the car that a shit ton of us grew up with.
Both Matchbox and Hot Wheels have been in the Civic game awhile. Matchbox dropped a Type R around 2008, and a ‘17 Civic two years ago. Hot Wheels has had quite a few, ranging from replicas of the late 80’s Civics to the current Type R.
Each brand has a new Civic casting for 2020, and they fall perfectly in line with what we expect from each. Hot Wheels continues to fill in the Golden Age of Civic gaps, using the Fast & Furious premium line to drop a stellar EG. It is only slightly FnF’d out, and the casting is so well done it could take on many forms, including as a replica of my wife’s first car out of college. The silhouette is there and it is perfect.
This fits beautifully with the EF Civic Hot Wheels did a few years ago, and the pair sitting together screams Kanjo.
The new Fast & Furious Premium set is just starting to hit, and not surprisingly the EG is the first to go. It is a significant new model.
Then there is Matchbox’s entry, an extraordinary first-gen hatch. This is the model Matchbox was meant to do, and they nailed it. I have had three models on my list for Matchbox to do – an early ‘60’s Porsche 911, a Mazda Cosmo, and a first-gen Civic – and I can now check one off off the list.
The mustard yellow is a great color for its debut, but don’t let it distract you from the details. CVCC is in force, and the front grill and rear badging is spot on. I am a bit infatuated with silhouettes, and this one is perfect.
I have never driven the Kanjo, nor have I ever replaced one part on a Civic. I have, however, like so many my age and younger, owned two Civics. One EG hatch and a sixth-gen EX, a car I adored. But my true love for the Civic lies in the first gen. I’ve told my Honda story a lot, but it involved my father breaking ranks with his Ford family and getting an ‘82 Accord, and that igniting an interest in all things Honda for me, including the tiny hatch I would see all over the place. (Not to mention the Prelude Coupe, luggage rack on the trunk and all. Listening Matchbox?)
So the CVCC hatch is significant. So much so that when I first got my hands on the sample model Matchbox sent, it took NOTHING for me to proclaim it #1 on my list of favorite Matchbox cars. I am so happy about it.
I will do that video showing the plethora of Civics in my collection. It would be a good one, but not nearly complete. But I could pull a Tomica Civic Wagon, a ton of TLV, and of course the Mattel brands. That should be sufficient. But I will always be clamoring for more.
The Hot Wheels is part of the new FnF Fast Tuners premium line, while the Civic will drop with Matchbox 2020 Basic Mix 3. Of course that means I have more coverage for both:
I’ve been waiting for Mattel to do the first gen civic and sadly it fell into the Matchbox brand vs HotWheels. Not that the MB one isn’t great. But it is sadly another plastic based doomed to mediocrity casting that we’re unlikely seen done with a proper zamac body and chassis. I’ll hope for a proper all metal release at some point but I’m not holding my breath.
Sorry, but that one would’ve looked great in the Car Culture Boulevard series. Better yet, then those all metal Civics could be made into some proper customs that are all metal. For now, I guess we’ll just have to paint over that dull and ugly cheap gray plastic one to get good looking bumpers for the time being…
Yeah if the gray bumpers are not your thing, rip it apart and paint the base with metalizer or other “Chrome” paints. Some are better than others but it will sure look a lot better than gray!
I agree here. The dull grey plastic seriously needs to go, as do the giant posts in the backs of hatchback and wagon models. Do a license plate insert for assembly, you’ve done it before! I just picked up the new MBX Highway 5 pack with the Ford Fairlane Wagon and my only complaint about that model – since by some miracle it actually got a chrome base – is that it has a giant pillar in the rear.
Other than those two glaring issues, the ’76 Civic is a great model, and I do agree that the silhouette is pretty near perfect.
Civic and racing in the same sentence I find to be comical but I do like the Matchbox Civic.
Yeah, it’s unthinkable. Almost like Skyline and racing in the same sentence.
Civics were quite competitive in their category in Group A racing, they utterly dominate front wheel drive categories in time attack and autocross and they’re one of the cars you’re most likely to encounter at a trackday type event. Civics and racing go together like peanut butter and jelly.
I hear you, I do think Skylines and Civics are no where near each other in the spectrum of racing. Civics were not really born to race. That being said they can be a budget racer easily. I don’t deny their success or use professionally either. They can be fun as hell but I don’t personally take them as seriously as some people do. It’s like Vega’s. They made Pro Stock Vega’s that tore down the strip but at the end of the day it was still a Vega. I guess I am a “Pedigree Purist” if you want to put a label on me.
Your comment is the only comical thing here. Civics are extremely popular in racing because they’re cheap to buy and easy to tune. Back in the day when Fast and Furious had come out, all the race tracks were full of Civics and even today you can find lots of Type Rs at local track days. And I’m not even starting on how good they were in touring car races.
Calm down people! Especially you Blackwind. I personally don’t see civics as race cars. To me they were more or less substitute for racing on a budget. Now if were talking NSX’s or GTR’s I would say different. That’s not an insult to you. Everyone can have their opinion and shouldn’t be attacked for it.
After seeing this mb civic again it is must have now. I learned to drive on tbe 2nd gen civic that just a hair bigger then this one but thus brings back memories. A recolour in silver would be ideal since that was the cour of the car i drove. Now it is time to see when it comes to stores in my area.
I totally agree. Never enough civics. I really like civics. Amazingly reliable and fun car especially in the 90s. The 00s and later civics were less fun and not as good looking.
The Mattel civics are okay but not great. The hot wheels EG is decent but looks a bit off. Dont know what it is. A bit chunky. Wheels maybe too bit. Just doesnt look quite right (compare to Tarmac model or TLV in silhouette).
The matchbox looks terrific except for the post in the back. That destroys the realism of the car. The post is massive and very noticable. And as hot wheels showed with the recent Volvo 850 wagon – the post is not needed to make a 1 USD model (at least not for safety). Matchbox needs to deal with this post issue otherwise I doubt these models will be that collectible down the road (as they dont look realistic or that good).
My issue with the EG and with most of the HW JDM coupes is with the B pillars.
The B pillars have been represented by a simple raised ridge on the clear window piece.
There is no contrast. The B pillar is not painted body color (or black) the way the real cars are, and that ruins the side profile for me.
It makes all the coupes look a little bit off, IMO.
Look how much more accurate the Matchbox Civic looks in profile. It has a solid metal, yellow painted B pillar, and that’s what makes its profile so–as jtl46 might say–rad.
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The Mbx Honda civic looks good. Bruce Willis and pulp fiction before zed urm….. Scene. Great nod to past Motoring’s. $1… Great value. £1.25 UK we are paying … Still great value. HTI please swoop USA… See what we have to l@@k at everywhere. Mbx is a god send at our one and only Tesco. Which has put the same batch out since last October. Hope to see this Honda and many more.
Ha!! Totally agree regarding HTI generics. US collectors and indeed many from other countries would be appalled at how these diecast horrors have taken over the UK!!
Everything is aimed at the dollar point I believe. Carry on with this and plastic blobs like HTI will be Mbx. At least HTI has opening doors on some blobs. HTI beat Mattel here.!!!… 😷 ..Mattel hides this brand and it deserves more for the ROW market. How ironic from its true roots…. Yet still play on it.
Ahh yes.. what a great model that new MBX ’76 Civic is.. with attention to details like the front fascia, respectable proportions and neat looking tampos, BUT gosh darnit MBX… what the heck???
It’s ruined by tht drab, dull ugly plastic base & bumpers…here we go again.. produce an awesome model & destroy it with a mundane feature like that.. SMH!
Great post. I have about 60 Civic in my collection now, and 0 from Mattel brand lol. Though i’m very interested in this last FnF mix.