Honda reveals new Civic Hatchback

Thursday, 24 June 2021

Honda has revealed the eleventh-generation Civic Hatchback. Take a closer look at its features.

Honda has revealed the new Civic Hatchback, with a fresh look designed to appeal to “young, active buyers.”

The new hatch gets similar styling as the sedan, with a much more refined front end compared to last gen. Differences between the two Civic models this time around include hexagonal openings instead of the horizontal slats in the grille and the obviously different rear end.

Overhang at the rear has been reduced by 124mm, as has the overall length, when compared to the sedan. The Hatchback gets a swoopy roofline that gives the car a coupe-like silhouette (which probably turns it into a liftback rather than a hatchback), while the actual hatchback has been built from a lightweight composite.

The new Civic Hatchback has been revealed and looks pretty clean this time around.

There is a full-width LED bar connecting the two taillights, which look a little like those seen on the Kia Stinger. Lifting the lid reveals an opening 40mm wider than before, with 693 litres of cargo space as measured up to the roof.

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Technically, the sloping roofline makes the Hatchback more of a fastback.

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There’s an incredibly slim chance Honda New Zealand will offer the Civic with a six-speed manual.

Honda has given the interior a substantial upgrade, with a new 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto and satellite navigation available on higher grades. Cheaper versions get a 7.0-inch screen. There are physical audio controls on all Civics.

Behind the new-look wheel will be a 10.2-inch display, the largest yet for a Civic. Pity the steering wheel isn’t the cool two-spoke one from the Jazz, though.

A new honeycomb grille pattern stretches across the dash and hides the air vents, while available features include leather upholstery, heated seats, wireless phone charging, and a 12-speaker premium Bose sound system.

As is the norm these days, about a hundred different active safety systems are included, like autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and low-speed reverse AEB. Honda says that reverse AEB helps prevent “sudden retreat due to carelessness”.

Honda New Zealand is yet to confirm all the juicy specs but it’s a pretty safe bet to assume power will come from a tweaked version of the existing 1.5-litre turbo-four, sending power through a CVT to the front wheels. I know, I know.

There’s a slim chance we could get a six-speed manual transmission with the normal Hatch but it’s very slim.

Buyers in American and Japan will be offered the transmission, so you could always import one if you really want it, though you might have to settle with the less powerful 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine making 118kW/187Nm to the turbo’s 134kW/240Nm.

Honda also confirmed an e:HEV hybrid is coming next year, which is likely to be related to the HR-V small SUV's 96kW hybrid powertrain. Full details are yet to be confirmed, though.

And for you sporty Honda fans, the Type R is alive and well, also due for a 2022 debut.

Pricing and final specifications for New Zealand variants is still being worked on.