TWO months after the official reveal of its new-generation Civic sedan, Honda has torn the covers off the associated hatch model that, in contrast to the four-door, has been confirmed for a fourth-quarter begin Down Beneath.
Powered by a extra highly effective model of the acquainted turbocharged 1.5-litre VTEC four-cylinder engine, the brand new Civic hatch line-up will likely be bolstered subsequent yr by the addition of the ‘e:HEV’ hybrid powertrain in addition to the inevitable Kind R efficiency halo.
Lined-up side-by-side with the sedan, the informal viewer could also be arduous pressed to identify any variations between the hatch and the sedan, together with within the general silhouette.
The majority of physique options and traits are an identical – they’re each Civics in any case – with the one actual distinction being discovered on the rear.
Whereas the sedan’s roofline tapers down and evens out, creating the boot and bootlid, the hatch’s tapers to a beneficiant lip spoiler that nearly acts like a buffer.
The Civic has bucked the same old hatch tendencies for some time now, with the outgoing mannequin exhibiting an analogous, virtually fastback bodystyle in comparison with the same old squared-off shapes of rivals such because the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.
In comparison with the current-generation automotive, the brand new Civic’s styling has been pared again by way of complexity, with the principle recurring theme being an abundance of straight strains each on the outside and inside the cabin.
Gone are the busy headlights, layered grille and convoluted entrance bumper, changed as an alternative by a clear and easy association centred round a brand new rectangular grille and trapezoid decrease consumption.
Flanking the brand new grille is a barely raised set of headlights capped by L-shaped LED daytime working lights, whereas the foglights are housed in their very own blacked-out bezels, linked easily by the black entrance lip.
On the rear, the hatchback’s tail-light clusters not dissimilar to the Kia Stinger’s, linked throughout the highest by a pink reflector strip and supported by some chunky contouring and sculpting to the bodywork.
The bumper has a refined imitation diffuser housing a set of chrome rectangular exhaust ideas.
Contained in the cabin, the parallel nature of the entrance finish has been continued with an oblong trim mesh trim piece spanning two-thirds of the sprint and housing built-in air vents.
The mesh strip helps separate the infotainment display screen from the HVAC controls beneath and roughly aligns with the centre spokes of the multifunction steering wheel earlier than persevering with to the opposite facet. offering the driving force with one other air vent.
Between the 2 entrance seats is a clear and litter free centre console accommodating the gear selector, drive mode swap and two cupholders.
“By evoking the human-centred cabin design of early generations of Civic, the inside of the brand new hatch is straightforward, clear and uncluttered with distinctive visibility, intuitive ergonomics, extraordinary passenger quantity and driver-focused know-how,” a Honda designer stated in a press release.
Honda Australia has bought 1840 Civics to date this yr ending Could, accounting for 4.3 per cent of the sub-$40,000 small automotive phase and sufficient to comfortably make it the model’s third best-selling mannequin behind the CR-V and HR-V.
