New Honda Civic Hatchback: Now Sleeker And Cleaner Than Ever Before

Honda has taken the wraps off the 11th-generation Civic hatchback in Europe and the US. Based on the same genes as the sedan, the hatch takes on the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Seat Leon, and the Hyundai i30. 

When viewed head-on, the hatchback looks similar to the sedan. But that resemblance is only till the front door. It’s from the B-pillar that the hatch looks distinct, with the roof sloping down to a fastback-like tailgate. Also, thanks to the rear wing, connected LED tail lamps, and the dual exhausts, the hatch’s rear looks much sportier than the sedan. 

 

Inside, the dash layout seems to have been lifted from the sedan. There are some nice design elements, including the AC vents with the honeycomb mesh grille and a floating infotainment display. Clearly, Honda has taken a simpler, easy-going approach here instead of being out-and-out sporty like with its predecessor. 

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Under the hood, the Europe-bound Civic will come with Honda’s dual-motor e:HEV hybrid powertrain that pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. Whereas the one in the US gets either a 182PS 1.5-litre turbo-petrol or a 160PS 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. All units are mated to a CVT; however, the Americans can also opt for a 6-speed manual. 

 Also Read: 10 Facts About The Prancing Horse’s New Mid-Rear-Engined Hybrid

Enthusiasts can rejoice; the sportier Civic Type-R and Si are also under development. The former, in particular, should be as powerful as its predecessor, which had a 320PS 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine coupled with a 6-speed manual. In fact, it was one of the most powerful models in its segment. 

The new Civic hatchback claims to offer a comprehensive safety suite plus an improved suspension setup and power steering for a more fun drive. To know more about it, click here.  

Considering the previous-gen Civic’s short stint here in India, we don’t know if Honda will bring back this iconic nameplate to the country. But if it does, the Civic will rekindle its rivalry with the Hyundai Elantra and the recently launched Skoda Octavia.