So the 9th gen Civic is basically an upgraded 8th gen. They have made some changes to chassis that people say its smoother, they have changed the exterior looks(for the worse) but you can see the similarities to the 8th gen - specially in the interior. I thinks it wouldnt be a tall claim that 9th gen civic is just a make over of the 8th gen.
Unlike 7th to 8th gen, the things that mattered remained the same in this transition,
The engine: Same
Transmission: Same
Fuel economy: Same
Steering: on 8th gen is weird. Its hard and there is some play in it, its not as smooth and responsive as its supposed to be. I have driven a couple of 8th gen civics and they all have this problem. I am not sure if they have improved this in 9th gen, have not driven one yet.
Suspension: on the 8th gen is all wobbly, it feels like you are driving a truck with that weird stiff steering.
If you are coming from a Mehran or a Cultus etc, you might not even spot these things. You wouldnt know what I am talking about. But some one who has lived abroad and driven cars over there, you certainly feel the cheapness of Pakistan made cars.
Its really sad to see that we in Pakistan pay so much money for these cars which actually are rubbish compared to what they make overseas. No wonder people happily spend fortunes on used JDM cars even when they know most of them are repaired and have meters tempered with.
I test driven a JDM Honda Fit hybrid and loved every thing about it. The ride was smooth, steering was soft but firm at the core like there was not play in it, you are in total control all the time. And lastly the accelerator response was amazing.
I wish we could have Mazda in Pakistan. Mazda 3 and 6 are so much better than corolla/civic and camry/accord. They are more powerful, more fuel efficient and offer much better value for your money.