Honda has unveiled the all-new Civic hatchback, now in its eleventh generation and this time with hybrid power only.
Based on the US-spec saloon model launched last year, the new Civic is set to take on rivals such as the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Opel Astra.
The styling is rather more restrained than that of the outgoing Civic with a lower bonnet line and a more sloping fastback rear end. With its slightly extended wheelbase and revised visual stance, the impression is of a slightly lower, wider car than before.
Gone is the previous generation's rear wing with the new tailgate being made from resin, reducing its weight by 20 per cent and making it easier to open and close.
Tech and safety
In front of the driver in higher grade Civics sits a 10.2-inch LCD instrument cluster, though less expensive models may still feature analogue dials. Above the full-width honeycomb air vent that runs across the dashboard is a seven-inch infotainment display (nine-inch on higher-spec models) running a multimedia system that is compatible with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. A twelve-speaker Bose stereo system is also available.
The advanced driver assistance and safety features are underpinned by a wide-view camera at the front and an array of sonar sensors allowing it to identify other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and road markings. Some of those features include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Alert and Cross Traffic Monitoring.
Hybrid power
Powering the new Civic is a full hybrid system using a 2.0-litre 'Atkinson Cycle' petrol engine combined with a battery and electric motor to produce a maximum of 184hp. As a full rather than mild hybrid, the car is capable of switching between engine power only to hybrid running to electric-only power, though the latter only for relatively short distances.
Honda's plans
In electrifying the Civic, Honda says that it has completed its objective of electrifying all of its mainstream European-market models by the end of 2022. In 2023, the company will launch three new models: a fully-electric small-to-medium-sized crossover, a bigger full-hybrid SUV and the new CR-V, which will be available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms.
Honda isn't being as outwardly ambitious as some of its competitors when it comes to going fully electric by the end of the decade. Even though it intends to invest heavily in zero-emissions technologies such as solid-state batteries, battery swapping, carbon-neutral fuels and hydrogen fuel cells, it says that it intends that battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles will make up only 40 per cent of its sales in Europe by 2030. By 2035, it hopes to increase that to 80 per cent, though it said it would phase out internal combustion engines totally by 2040.
When is the new Civic coming to Ireland?
The latest Civic will go on sale in Europe from autumn 2022 and though pricing has yet to be announced, expect something a little higher than the current model's €25,255. Given current challenges in the supply chain, we'd be surprised if there's a large supply of the new Civic in Ireland before 2023.