New 2022 Honda Civic hatchback goes hybrid-only
Eleventh-generation Civic shown in hatchback guise ahead of a European launch next year
Honda has revealed the first official images of its new Civic hatchback, which will go on sale in Europe in autumn 2022.
Like the new HR-V and Jazz, the Civic will be a hybrid-only proposition for its next generation, using the same e:HEV petrol-electric set-up as its supermini and SUV siblings.
The e:HEV system pairs a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine with a pair of electric motors, producing 108bhp in the Jazz and 129bhp in the HR-V. In hybrid mode, the petrol engine is used to generate power for the electric motor, reconnecting to the drive wheels via a single-speed gearbox under higher loads.
The larger CR-V SUV comes with a larger 143bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine as part of its e:HEV system, but it is not yet confirmed which variations of the powertrain will be rolled out to Honda's Ford Focus rival.
The Civic is the final model in Honda's European portfolio to go hybrid-only, in line with its objective to electrify all mainstream passenger cars by the end of next year.
The hot Civic Type R, however, will retain a pure-combustion set-up, likely based around an evolved version of the current car's 'K20C1' 2.0-litre turbo four, which produces 316bhp - making it one of the most powerful front-drive cars on sale today.
The Japanese firm has taken an evolutionary approach for the eleventh-generation Civic's styling, though notably the new car adopts a fastback-style sloping roofline, ditching the current model's prominent rear wing. The rear hatch itself is said to be lighter, and features smaller hinges for a cleaner roofline, while the A-pillars are two inches further back than on the current car and the wheelbase is 1.4in longer.
The Civic has been revealed in North American specification, but is largely representative of what we will get in Europe next year; the most obvious styling change will be the removal of the amber indicator lenses.
While the new Civic's European launch is still more than a year away, Honda is already gearing up to wind down production of the current car ahead of its departure from its Swindon factory in July. It is thought the new-generation model, and potentially remaining examples of the current car, will be supplied by one of Honda's North American facilities.
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