There’s been a lot of discussion lately about the new, upcoming Honda Civic hatchback, which recently debuted at the 2016 Paris Motor Show and is set to launch in Britain early next year.
All the debate and fascination around the Civic is no surprise, as this is one of the most popular family hatchbacks in Britain and other European markets, plus it’s a very well established name. In welcome news for post-Brexit Britain, Honda has already confirmed that the new Civic will be built at the company’s UK facility in Swindon.
The Honda Civic name has been around for so long, it has now reached its tenth-generation with this newest model. So what does the latest incarnation of the Japanese family car have in store for us?
Well we already know that a Type R version will be included, much to the delight of hot hatch fans around the globe. But there’s plenty more details besides that point worth focusing on.
It’s (literally) bigger than any previous Civic
The 2017 Honda Civic hatchback is lower, wider and longer than the previous-generation model and indeed any Civic hatch which has come before.
This may not actually surprise you if you’ve looked at pictures of the new car. The new Civic hatchback is quite a striking thing to look at, partly because it seems so radically different to its predecessor, but also because it looks long too.
Make no mistake, the new Civic is still a hatchback, but its shape has taken on almost saloon-like elements, reminiscent of the Skoda Octavia hatchback.
The roofline is actually lower than the previous Civic, but Honda insists its new car is still now more spacious inside for passengers, as the wheelbase is stretched by 30mm.
The interior has been overhauled
Honda have brought in massive changes to the Civic’s interior in order to ramp up its quality and user-friendliness.
While we wouldn’t have called the previous Civic’s cabin a weak point, the new model not only has better materials but also extra comforts and some neat new display screens. This all gives direct rivals to the Civic, and even hatchbacks from some premium brands, something to think about.
A new electronic parking brake found on the centre console has allowed designers to also add in a sliding armrest and a deep central cubbyhole.
Conventional dial displays are ditched in favour of TFT electronic screen displays. These can show not just the current speed and fuel amount, but also current fuel economy figures and sat-nav instructions, as well as media system information.
If you’re familiar with Honda’s Magic Seats, you may be surprised to learn that these are not in the new Civic, and the rear floor is no longer flat either. These things have happened because the fuel tank has been repositioned, but the rear passenger space is still overall more spacious than before.
Many will be pleased to know as well that the Honda Connect system in the new Civic will fully support both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The boot is massive
The new Civic’s larger dimensions not only gives passengers more space around them, but also means a bigger boot too.
Boot space is measured at 478 litres as standard, which is way more than the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus and Renault Megane, which all offer less than 390 litres.
The only alternatives in the hatchback segment that fair strongly compared to the new Civic’s boot is the Peugeot 308, which has 470 litres, and the Skoda Octavia, which beats it with a whopping 590 litres.
It will use turbocharged engines to begin with, but no diesels
When the new Civic arrives during the early months of next year, it will be finding its way to 70 global markets and so Honda have decided to focus on two petrol engines to begin with.
The two launch engines are both turbocharged and run on petrol. There will be no diesel option during the Honda’s initial launch. It certainly won’t lack in power though.
Buyers will be able to pick between either a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit with 127bhp and mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or CVT automatic. There will also be a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit boasting 180bhp and available with the same two gearboxes.
A diesel engine will be added after the initial launch
At some point later on in 2017, probably just before the year ends, expect the new Civic range to add a diesel engine.
It will reportedly be a 1.6-litre unit that’ll be more efficient than the launch petrol units, partly thanks to its use of a nine-speed automatic gearbox that’s set to come as standard for it.
The new Type R is still a while away from release and will probably change its looks
Honda surprised motoring fans during the Paris Motor Show recently by showing off a prototype that previews the Type R version of the new Civic hatchback. Like many others, we very much enjoyed the previous Civic Type R hot hatch so the new one has high expectations to meet.
Intriguingly the new Civic Type R will be sold in America, making it the first to reach this particular market.
Details about the car itself are scarce for now, but we are realistically waiting until sometime during the second half of 2017 before it arrives, more likely within the last few months of the year. Reports indicate the new Type R will use front-wheel drive like its predecessors, resisting the urge to switch to four-wheel drive like so many of its rivals.
While we’ve noticed much debate online about the new Type R’s appearance, it’s worth bearing in mind that this is an early prototype. There’s a good chance that things like the body panels could change significantly by the time the production-ready version gets unveiled.
It could be used in the British Touring Car Championship next year
Honda currently has a factory team in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and the performance of its cars here has been really strong in recent times.
Indeed, the BTCC drivers’ championship has been won by Honda Civic driver Gordon Shedden this year and the year before.
Will Honda introduce racing versions of the new Civic to its BTCC team as early as next year? Honda are currently keeping tight-lipped on this subject, but next year’s BTCC championship starts in early April, and that month will be seen as a critical time by Honda to promote its all-new Civic. What better way to generate publicity than with a cool and successful race car equivalent?
