On first view the EE9 Civic and EF9 Civic counterpart look the same except for the EF9 being right hand drive and the EE9 left hand drive (except for british models), but there are more differences that set them apart. There are bigg and small differences like for example the Horsepower of both cars, the EE9 has a stock 150Hp B16A1 engine while the EF9 has a 160Hp equipped B16A, both B series are the same but the EE9 lacks a knock sensor and was detuned for the European market which had different Octane levels in their fuel (95RoN and 98RoN) while the Japanese domestic market supplied fuel with 100RoN. We'll show you a detailed picture comparison between these two 4th generation Civic VTEC models in the following pages based on the biggest differences so not all the options that were available for this car and the standard Civic 88~91. I'll point you to this page in our gallery to see the full range of options.

Our first noticeable difference is on the back side of the EE9. You'll notice the large space for a European license plate and the foglights. Also the "Honda" decal on the left side. The illuminated center garnish is an optional feature, the LSD tranny was imported and is not a standard option for this car.
On the EF9 you'll see the Japanese small spaced licence plate frame. Notice the "missing" Honda decal on the left? And the SiR badge on the right side which is not on the 1.6i-VT. The rear foglights are optional and not standard equipment for this car.
The center garnish from a European EE9 has a light gray "CIVIC" decal on it with a white "vtec" decal below. Nothing like the EF9 garnish that has raised thick plastic Civic letters.
The EF9 has a slightly different center garnish. Instead of the light gray decal they used a raised white "CIVIC" badge, just like the "SiR" badge to the right with thick plastic letters. the vtec decal is the same on both cars.

No door decals here because they were not standard nor sold for the EE9. The mudflaps are gone on this car but were a standard feature. The folding mirrors were imported from Japan.
On this view here we see the famous JDM door decals, a standard feature for the EF9 but many times copied onto other cars. The wheels are original for this car, so are the mudflaps. Please note that this EF9 has no folding mirrors, it was offered as an option.
The rear quarter glass of the EE9, well both the EF9 and this one are the same but this one lacks a small but valued detail.
This EF9 quarter glass has a rubber trim wrapped around the glass and thus giving it better protection then the EE9 rear glass.
The EE9's window glass is green-ish/ blue tinted.
The windows on the EF9 are bronze tinted.

The engine bay of the EE9 looks almost excactly the same as it's Japanese double but it lacks a power steering pump and ALB wiring. Power steering was available in Europe as an option, ALB only in England on the CRX VTEC. The standard B16A1 delivers 150Hp. The headlights are made by Stanley and are of glass.
This EF9 engine bay has almost all the extra's like power steering, Aircon and ALB. The stock JDM B16A puts out 160Hp. The headlights on the EF9 are made from plastic and not glass like the ones on the European counterpart.

The gauge cluster from the EE9 looks completely different then the one from the EF9. It has two round gauges, one on the left and right and a center module showing temperature and gas. Please look at the buttons on the cluster cover and compare them with the EF9 one.
This EF9 gauge cluster has some extra's that the EE9 cluster hasn't like a waring light for different doors when a door is open and a light dimmer for the cluster. Someting the EE9 has to do without. It has the red warning triangle button in that place.
Both door panels look the same but look at the window trim on top of the door card and check that with the one from the EF9.
A silver trim sets apart these two door panels.
This EE9 center console has a analog aircon unit and does not have a dual din were the ashtray is like the one from the EF9. The personalbox for non smoker is imported and was not a option for this car. Also the clock color is white and not amber like the EF9 has.
This EF9 aircon unit is digital and consists out of buttons to regulate hot and cold. It also has the dual din lower side with ashtray and lighter. It also had the amber clock.
We use the flap shown here on the EE9 to push the top seat forward to get out from behind and the adjuster wheel sits on the left side of the seat... Now look at the EF9 seat.
Here's a flipper to adjust the back seat, a flipper to the left to push the seat forward and a control wheel below it to adjust back support!