Even if it looked almost like a facelifted version of the fifth generation, the 1997 Honda Civic was an entirely new car.
It lost some features and gained some others. First, it lost the double-wishbone front suspension in favor of a McPherson strut. Secondly, the rear suspension kept the independent type solution. It was available as a three- or a five-door hatchback, a four-door sedan and a coupe. It was built in more factories, in the U.S., Japan and in Swindon, in the U.K.

As far as the powerplants go, some of the previous variants were carried over, but new versions of punchier engines appeared. Some versions for Canada were not available in the U.S., and some had even heated mirrors.

Under the hood, the most powerful version was badged as VTI and had a 1.6-liter engine that developed 160 hp. On some markets, a special version called SiR was offered with a 1.6-liter and 170 hp. The fifth Civic generation had a choice of transmissions between a 5-speed manual, a 4-speed automatic and even a CVT for the eco-version HX with the VTEC-E engine.

Performance for the VTI was matching that of a European hot-hatch, and was very well received in the U.S. The reliability of the vehicles made them a choice for the young generation, some of whom used them in street racing.