As many were expecting, the final Civic hatchback production model bears a very close resemblance to the Civic Prototype that was shown off at March 2016’s Geneva Motor Show. Even the twin central exhausts have been carried over on the Sport model you see in these pictures. It’s longer, lower and wider than any Honda Civic that has come before it.
Honda Civic hatchback design
Whichever trim you go for, the new Civic is clearly a big departure from the preceding model. Large air intakes and LED headlamps dominate the front end, while down the side, there are heavily sculpted lines running from the front wheel arches to the back of the car, as well as deep creases towards the bottom of the door panels.
The new car retains the current Civic’s high boot lid and rear spoiler, but Honda assures us that these won’t compromise rear visibility to the same extent as the outgoing model.
Interior and equipment
Inside, there’s just about as much change as on the outside. Gone is the bulky handbrake lever, replaced by an electric parking brake switch, which means there’s more space for a sliding armrest and a handy, practical storage bin between the driver and passenger.
A large TFT screen has replaced the traditional analogue instrument dials. This new feature can be configured to show all sorts of information about the car. This includes speed, sat-nav instructions, fuel economy and the media settings.
The dash is completely new and the Honda Connect infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, too. Every Civic will come with an array of active safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assistance.
This suite of safety systems, known as SENSING by Honda, also includes adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition and intelligent speed assistance.
Size, practicality & interior space
This Civic is significantly bigger than the outgoing model, too: 30mm wider, and 130mm longer, offering considerably more room inside, while a 20mm drop in ride height hints at sportier handling. There’s also a 30mm increase in the wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) that means there’s more space in the back seats than ever before.
You get a total of 478 litres of space in the boot with the rear seats up.
Engines
At launch, there will be a choice of two turbocharged petrol engines – a 127bhp 1.0-litre 3-cylinder and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder making 180bhp. They both use Honda’s VTEC variable valve timing technology, which makes the car efficient and easy to drive at low speeds, while boosting power when you want to speed up. It’s expected the less powerful of the two will be the big seller in the range. Both petrol engines can be had with either a six-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox.
Next Honda Civic Type R
In time, there’s also likely to be a new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine good for a possible 350bhp. This will replace the engine in the current Honda Civic Type R hot hatchback.
