The electrification of Honda’s UK line-up will be completed when the eleventh generation of its “most dynamic, efficient and safest” Civic hatch arrives with dealers this Autumn.
Sold exclusively as a hybrid, at the heart of the Japanese model is an e:HEV powertrain that combines a fresh Atkinson-cycle 2-litre petrol with dual electric motors. Together, they produce 181bhp and 232lb ft of torque with Honda targeting official CO2 emissions of less than 110g/km.
Weight saving plays an important role in this area, say Honda, with the tailgate constructed from resin – a first for the Civic – to reduce its mass over a metal one by as much as a fifth.
In terms of styling, the all-new rival to Ford’s Focus, Vauxhall’s Astra and Volkswagen’s Golf is a smart evolution of the outgoing car, with the biggest difference found at the rear where it adopts a sleek, fast-back profile.
Less obvious is the positioning of the bonnet – which has been lowered by 25mm, moving the highest point of the roofline further forward, and attaching the wing mirrors to the front doors to reduce blind spots.
Stretching the wheelbase by 35mm has allowed designers to “create a more expansive and comfortable cabin space”; 1.4-inches of extra leg room has been freed up for passengers in the rear.
Sold in three grades – ‘Elegance’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Advance’ – standout aspects of “human-centred” interior include a honeycomb-pattern air vent detail that runs the width of the dashboard. The free-standing multimedia display measures 9-inches in size and can be paired with Apple and Android devices.
‘Elegance’ and ‘Sport’ cars get an eight speaker stereo and ‘Advance’ a 12 speaker set-up developed by BOSE for “a concert like audio experience”. A larger wheelbase has helped to free up 1.4-inches of extra leg room for passengers in the rear.
“Any new Civic comes with very high expectations and our focus with this latest generation model has been on ensuring it enriches the feelings, emotions and everyday lives of driver and passengers,” said Tomoyuki Yamagami, Large Project Leader for the all-new Civic.
“Harnessing our industry-leading e:HEV technology and advanced safety features, the all-new Civic offers a compelling option for those customers wanting to embrace a new era of electrification. I believe both existing and new customers will be surprised at this latest generation Civic, and the evolution it has taken,” added Yamagami.
