A three-door hatchback/kammback, four-door sedan (also known as the Honda Ballade), the five-door "Shuttle" station wagon, and sporting CRX coupé shared common underpinnings.

This included MacPherson strut suspension with torsion bars in the front and a rear beam with coil springs.

In Europe, a British-built version of the sedan model was also sold, as the Rover 213/216, while in Japan it was marketed in parallel (through "Verno" dealers) as the Honda Ballade.

European cars received a short-stroke 1,200 cc engine at the bottom of the ladder, with 55 PS (40 kW) at 6,000 rpm.

[4] In 1986, the Civic got flush-mounted headlights, revised tail lights, new wheel cover designs and other minor cosmetic updates.

Honda first adopted the Si badge for the Japanese domestic market (JDM) third-generation Civic in November 1984.

In Europe and in the United States, a somewhat sporting Civic "S" trim was introduced to the hatchback in the 1983 model year.

Added improvements for the Civic Si hatchback included a removable glass sunroof, a five-speed manual gearbox, tilt steering wheel, a full-width taillight panel, a color-keyed front airdam, sedan-style disk wheel covers, and a roof spoiler.

In Europe, the fuel injected 100 PS (74 kW) already used in the CRX was installed in the Civic hatchback as well, beginning in 1985.

[6] The CRX was a Civic with a different body; it was a 2-seater in North America with a lockable storage compartment, while it was offered to the rest of the world with a rear seat.

The Shuttle's appearance as a "tall wagon" was similar to that of the concept car Lancia Megagamma introduced earlier.

Undercarriage shielding was added for both the engine/transmission and gas tank, while the spare tire hung under the rear cargo area in a roll cage.

The coupling featured 67 individual friction plates, surrounded by a heat sensitive silicon oil, which would distribute power to the rear driveshaft when a difference in both front/rear wheels was present.