Eleventh-generation Honda Civic will be powered by a 181bhp 2.0-litre hybrid engine
- Offered exclusively as a hybrid
- Larger dimensions to offer more passenger and luggage space
- Extra safety features
Honda has released more details about the new Civic hatchback, which will go on sale this autumn. Like the firm’s recent models, the Civic will only be sold as a hybrid, albeit with a more powerful engine than the other models in the line-up. The newcomer is also set to be bigger than before and pack more hi-tech features.
While the Honda Jazz and Honda HR-V use a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor, the Civic gets a bigger 2.0-litre unit. Producing 181bhp, this four-cylinder motor is larger and more powerful than we expected, and its power output is similar to current Honda Civic Sport – currently the most powerful Civic on sale following the demise of the Type R hot hatchback. Honda is yet to reveal performance figures for the new Civic, but expect it to be faster than the smaller Jazz, which manages 0-62mph in a nippy 9.5 seconds.
Despite its strong power output, Honda is aiming for CO2 emissions of under 110g/km, which would result in an attractive Benefit-in-Kind figure for company-car drivers, and is targeting fuel economy of around 56mpg. There are currently no plans for a diesel-engined Civic, so this hybrid petrol will likely be the most efficient option.
The clever ‘e:HEV’ hybrid system works out when it’s best to use the petrol engine, electric motors or a combination of both. There are four driving modes, with Eco, Normal and Sport being joined by a new Individual mode, which allows you to tailor the engine response, transmission and the display on the dials.
The new Civic will be offered in Elegance, Sport and Advance grades, with the latter getting a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. Full prices and specifications will be released closer to the car’s launch date, but we already know that Honda will increase the number of advanced driver aids that will be available, with many of these being fitted as standard.
The new Civic is tasked with replacing both its predecessor and the bigger Honda Accord, so it has grown in size. The wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) is 35mm longer than before, and a wider distance between the rear wheels should improve passenger and boot space.
Already more practical than its closest rivals, the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, the next Honda Civic should rival the class leaders for passenger and luggage space – possibly matching the large Skoda Octavia and some family SUVs in terms of room.
Inside, a new nine-inch touchscreen will be on top of the dashboard. Like the Honda e it will feature a refreshed display that uses the tiled menu layout, rather than the dated Garmin aftermarket unit that comes in the current car. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will also be available. Overall, it’ll have quite a minimalist look, with many of the features likely to be controlled by the touchscreen or a screen in the dial cluster. We’re pleased to see a bank of physical climate control buttons remains.
A new Honda Civic Type R variant will come to the UK, and we expect a warm Civic Si to sit underneath it.
See where the current Honda Civic lands on our lists of the most economical family cars and best family cars.
Keyword: New Honda Civic on sale from autumn 2022