Honda Civic
Striking family car aims for economy, and a hot new Type R is on the way On sale Autumn 2022 Price from £23,000 (est)
Family hatch goes on an efficiency drive
YOU MIGHT HAVE seen peacocks strutting about in your local zoo, displaying their plumage in order to attract a mate. Of course, the new Honda Civic doesn’t have feathers to rely on, but its bold design and headlinegrabbing features might just catch your eye.
This is the 11th generation of Honda’s family car, which will rival the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and class-leading Seat Leon. On the design front, it features aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers and a smaller front grille than the old car. Honda’s designers have pushed the front pillars rearwards to aid visibility, and the side mirrors now sit on the door panels, rather than in front of them.
The new Civic will be available exclusively as a hybrid, at least initially. It uses the same set-up as the Jazz small hatchback and HR-V small SUV, with a 1.5-litre petrol engine joined by two small electric motors. In the Jazz, the trio produces 108bhp, while the HR-V’S power is boosted to 129bhp. It’s likely that both options will be offered to Civic buyers, and if you drive with a light right foot, this new model should slash your running costs compared with the old car.
Keen drivers will rejoice, too, because while the new Civic places an emphasis on ecofriendly driving, a replacement for the current Type R hot hatchback is in the pipeline. That model will use an evolved version of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine from today’s car, with power upped to beyond 316bhp.
Inside, the Civic receives a dramatic rethink, with many of the buttons of the old car swept away in favour of a larger infotainment screen. Entry-level models get a 7.0in touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. Range-topping cars are expected to be equipped with digital instruments and a larger, 9.0in touchscreen.
It’s claimed that rear seat passengers get more leg room than in the outgoing model, while larger side windows let more light in.
It’s likely that this new Civic will cost a little more than the current car, with prices starting at around £23,000. This means it will be slightly more expensive than its key rivals. Still, no one ever said style would be cheap.