5 Things You Need To Know About The New Honda Civic Hatchback
1. It looks just like the concept
Getting a little deja vu? That’s because the production version of the 10th-generation Civic hatch looks very similar to the concept version, which made its debut at the Geneva motor show earlier this year.
It’s a much cleaner looking beast than the current Civic hatchback, and unlike the two generations before it, it doesn’t have a daft trim piece slapped across the middle of the rear windscreen. Instead, it has a spoiler/brake light combo thing which sits much further down, so it’ll impede rear visibility a little, but not anywhere near as badly as the part on the outgoing car.
What do you think of the looks? Let us know in the comments.
2. Made in Britain, sold in the USA
Yep, the Civic hatchback is built in Blighty at Honda’s Swindon factory. God Save The Queen and all that. But the big news is it’s heading Stateside - the first time in over 10 years that American buyers have been able to officially buy a hatch-ified Civic.
It’ll actually hit ‘Murican showrooms long before their UK counterparts - the new hatch will go on sale in the USA in September, whereas we’ll have to wait until March to get our hands on one.
3. There'll be a Type R, and it'll go Stateside too
The boggo Civic hatch isn’t the only previously forbidden fruit our friends across the pond will be able to get a taste of - the eventual Type R is officially on its way to the United States, arriving 2017.
According to reports it’ll be less extreme in the looks department than the current one (don’t expect something quite as mad as the render above), but it’ll be plenty powerful. We’re looking at an updated version of Honda’s 2.0-litre turbo engine kicking out somewhere in the region of 340bhp, and it’ll still push that power out through front wheels with the help of suspension and limited-slip differential trickery.
4. One engine to rule them all
While European buyers will almost certainly get a broader range of engines including diesels, US-spec Civics get just one powerplant: a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol. It’s available in two states of tune, though: the LX, EX and EX-L versions get 172bhp, while the Sport and Sport Touring get a massive boost of, err, 6bhp. Yep, 178bhp; not a massive figure. But hey - don’t forget about that Type R. Meanwhile all models put out a useful 162lb ft of torque.
You can spec a CVT gearbox on any model, while the LX, Sport, and EX trims get the option of a six-speed “performance-inspired” manual. If it’s anything like the slick six-speed in the current Civic Type R, it’s well worth going for.
CVT-equipped cars manage a combined 34mpg US, or around 40mpg Imperial. And while we’re talking about practical stuff, Honda claims the hatch is best in class for boot space and rear leg room.
5. No more torsion beam
The eighth-gen Civic - infamously - ditched its formerly independent rear suspension setup for a torsion beam affair, an approached continued for the ninth-gen car. The Type R is a brilliant handling thing despite that arrangement, but you can’t help but wonder if it might have been even better had it inherited a more sophisticated rear setup.
We have some good news on that front: the tenth-generation Civic has returned to having fully independent suspension. The body is also lighter and stiffer - all of this bodes well for the Type R, and the ‘normal’ models.
Comments
Will the Type R be in Indonesia?
Already have this in South Africa. This is a first since we always get stuff late.
That’s like the biggest hatchback I’ve ever seen, I don’t really have problem with it, but the current and last gen Civics just look like boats to me
I jumped in a new Civic. I would swear it’s the same size as my ‘09 Accord Coupe.
Don’t like the way that cars are just getting bigger and bigger, for me this is too big for hatchback. Maybe I’m wrong? 😯
In my opinion, it’s a massive improvement over the 9th gen and I don’t think it looks so bad.
Say what you wan’t, but any Civic after the 8th generation looks ugly imo. I’m not really a fan of the 9th gen, but the Type R is cool. But this one is just ugly, I don’t know how to explain it, but it looks too much ‘Murican
Because it was designed by American Honda
I don’t know why, but I don’t really like the looks of modern Hondas, except for the kei cars in Japan, they’re still good.
I won’t lie, when I saw this car I literally thought it was the concept. The back looks a bit weird but overall it’s alright. I like it better than the Civic Coupe
but will it fit
I think the price range will sit slightly above its competitors of hatchbacks … the civic is moving away from its affordable friends and upgrading it’s brand.