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We motorists are a decidedly fickle bunch. Ask any auto manufacturer. For all the conspiracy theories attributed to them — everything from the stifling of the 100-miles-per-gallon carburetor to force-feeding us gargantuan SUVs we supposedly didn’t want — the biggest conundrum facing automakers is deciphering the North American motoring public’s often conflicting demands.

Basically, we want it all — more room to stretch our legs, more power and, to a growing and particularly noisy minority, better fuel economy. It doesn’t take an engineering degree to figure out that desires One and Two are in direct conflict with Number Three, so exactly which attribute you choose to focus on will play a significant role in your products’ future success. Making things even more difficult is that what we — and the headlines trumpeted by the media — say we want isn’t necessarily what we will buy. Guess the wrong mix and watch your latest product revision tank.

Imagine poor Honda’s quandary, then, when it introduced the last (eighth-generation) Civic. Then, as now, everyone was lamenting the spiralling price of gasoline and demanding better fuel economy. Honda listened and designed its then-new Civic with a relatively fuel-sipping 1.8-litre four-banger with but a modest increase in displacement over its 1.7L predecessor. Slightly more power was offered with no fuel economy penalty, so Honda thought of the redesign as mission accomplished.

Only, it turns out we were just fooling with Honda. Along came Mazda and, on a seeming whim (or perhaps because it was so desperate for any notice in the compact segment that it was willing to try anything), the company produced the compact segment’s hot rod — the Mazda3 — powered by a base 2.0L and an even larger 2.3L option. Sure, fuel economy was slightly worse than the Civic, but, man, did it move. Mazda sales skyrocketed and, even if Honda maintained its sales lead, Mazda was suddenly a player in a segment it had for so long lagged.

So, naturally, there were rumours of a totally revamped, larger and more powerful new Civic. And, if you opt for the new Si, you get a lager 2.4L engine that boasts a creditable 201 horsepower — not to mention a six-speed close-ratio gearbox, limited-slip differential and meaty P215/45R17 performance radials. But the meat and potatoes of the Civic lineup continues to be the basic 140-horsepower 1.8L engine.Honda is betting that fuel economy will finally have its time

in the sun as an actual purchasing attribute rather than something people just complain about after they’ve bought the more powerful alternative.

That’s not to say the new Civic hasn’t been improved. The first thing I noticed after taking the EX-L trim level for an extended spin is that it’s a lot quieter than before. Save for the new Chevrolet Cruze, this is the most relaxed cabin in the compact class, with road, engine and wind noise quelled to an impressive degree from previous models. Also noticeable on the extended drive is that fuel economy is also better. I averaged 6.4 litres cruising along Hwy. 401 at speeds for which the Ontario Provincial Police were definitely on the lookout — making a mockery of the intricacies and expense of hybrid technology I had sampled over the same route just days before. Verily, if you really want to save money via better fuel consumption, just buy a smaller car.

Nor does this frugality come at the expense of performance. The new Civic is, if anything, a little more sprightly than before. It’s still not keeping up with the base Mazda3, but never once in my week-long stint did I lament a lack of oomph.

So, am I saying the Civic, newly re-vamped for 2012, is once again class leading?

Well, not quite. The problem is that, while Honda continues its relentless evolutionary tack, much of the competition is taking revolutionary steps. Though Honda claims 90% of the 2012’s body panels are new and that the car has been completely updated, there’s no mistaking this as a revision of the previous edition. The body shape is similar. Ditto the interior design. Indeed, the 2012 feels like a very sophisticated remake of the 2011 version.

For many — I would assume Honda loyalists among them — that will prove sufficient. But Honda’s long-acquiesced leadership is definitely under threat. For instance, the Civic soldiers on with a five-speed automatic gearbox while both the Chevrolet Cruze and new Hyundai Elantra feature six-speeds. The Honda’s interior is more refined, but it is obviously similar to its predecessor. The Chevy and Hyundai, again, have made huge improvements with their interiors. The Civic still offers the segment’s best ride/handling combination, but the competition is catching up.

The question, then, isn’t whether the 2012 Civic will maintain its stranglehold as the Number One-selling compact in the country for the next 12 months. I suspect it will and, if Honda Canada’s marketers retain their magic, maybe for some time after that.

But Honda has let the competition catch up. Canada’s compact segment used to be a Honda rout, the competition wiped out in four shut-out games. With the competition catching up, it’s now a Stanley Cup playoff seventh game ... heading into overtime.