The venerable Honda Civic is entering its eleventh generation, and the all-new version is arriving in European markets in the coming months after first going on sale in the US earlier this year. Honda is also celebrating a full 50 years of production of the Civic in 2022.
While some markets get pure petrol engines, in Europe and the UK the new Civic is hybrid-only, much like Honda's Jazz, HR-V and CR-V. Watch this space, though, because although Honda hasn't officially revealed a new high-performance Honda Civic Type R, we know it's coming and it should make its global debut before 2022 is out.
The overall shape is familiar, but the 2022 Civic has evolved into a cleaner and less divisive design that appears more like a saloon than classic flat-backed hatchback rivals.
As well as the neater exterior look, Honda claims the new Civic features a higher quality interior with (thankfully) much improved infotainment. Meanwhile a longer wheelbase, wider stance and new suspension components aim to make it more stable on the straights and yet sharper in the bends.
Rivals for the new 2022 Honda Civic include the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, new Vauxhall Astra and Mazda 3. All of those are available with normal petrol engines, though, so a key competitor in pricing will be the also hybrid-only Toyota Corolla.
The Honda Civic might be a new car but it will have the same old rivals – the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus are some of the best hatchbacks going. But because the new Civic is hybrid-only, it's closest rival will also be Japanese: the similarly hybrid-only Toyota Corolla.
Like the Corolla, expect the new 2022 Honda Civic to be priced from at least £25,000, rising to over £30,000 for the high-spec Advance model. Official pricing is yet to be confirmed. It'll go on sale in in the autumn of this year.
The main reason that the new Honda Civic is likely to be more expensive than many rivals is its hybrid system, which is the only engine option. That's no bad thing, though, as the e:HEV hybrid technology is already well-proven in other Honda models.
For the all-new Civic it's been further developed. Two electric motors are paired with a new 2.0-litre non-turbo petrol engine which runs on something called the Atkinson cycle (that's the same ultra-efficient engine setup that Toyota's hybrids use). Unlike a plug-in hybrid or electric car, it doesn't need to be plugged in to charge up the battery.
Like other Honda hybrids, the Civic's engine provides power to the wheels as well as being able to act as a generator to charge the electric motors. Maximum power is 184PS, with 315Nm of torque, put through a CVT gearbox. Honda hasn't provided acceleration figures yet, but claims it "delivers a feeling of instant torque and powerful acceleration whilst still offering outstanding efficiency".
Speaking of efficiency, Honda's target for the 2022 Civic is 56mpg combined on the WLTP cycle, as well as CO2 emissions of less than 110g/km. That's pretty competitive with the Corolla and other self-charging hybrids, and it should manage that MPG whether you're in town or out on the open road.
Much like the Corolla's system, the Honda can drive for a few miles at a time on electricity, using battery power alone to get beyond town speeds as the petrol engine serves as a generator. It only turns the front wheels directly when extra power is needed at higher speeds.
The 2022 Honda Civic also has multiple drive modes. These include the usual Eco, Normal and Sport models, but a new Individual mode allows the driver to control the engine and gearbox response as required. Being a self-charging hybrid, though, it can be left alone to juggle power sources in the most efficient way possible. Honda says it's paid careful attention to improving refinement for the new Civic, too.
Honda has also given the latest Civic a 35mm longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) than the old car. This will benefit passenger space, but combined with a wider track and new suspension parts is said to bring "improved straight line and cornering performance".
That said, the current Honda Civic is one of the sharper driving cars in the class with alert steering and neat body control. The new model's chassis – which is nearly 20% stiffer – should improve the steering and suspension still further.
You can bet this more solid construction will help improve interior refinement at high speeds on the motorway. Autonomous driving aids also feature, including camera and sonar sensors which will allow the car to largely drive itself under supervision on fast roads and in stop-start traffic.
Those sensors will also detect cars, pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes to stop you crashing into them. What's more, with 11 airbags, that super stiff structure and other safety advances, Honda claims the new 2022 Civic is its safest yet. Euro NCAP will determine that soon enough.
Honda is promising big improvements to the new Civic's interior, most notably in the areas of technology, equipment and usability.
For starters, it is set to have more space thanks to the new 2022 Honda Civic (at 4656mm long) being 138mm longer than the current model and having a wheelbase that has stretched by 35mm. That results in a "more expansive and comfortable cabin", says Honda.
Honda has also revised the shape of the roof and pillars to give the Civic a larger glass area than before, improving visibility and making it more airy inside. There's also no longer an awkward rear spoiler cutting across the rear window and obstructing the view out the back, although you can bet this will return on the Type R hot hatchback.
The new Civic's front seats are described as "body stabilising", using a new structure to better support occupants while still being comfortable.
Rear-seat legroom is a current Honda Civic strong point, but Honda will be looking to improve headroom that falls short of the class best in the outgoing model. The 478-litre boot in the current car – already one of the biggest in class – might not grow much, however.
Along with the extra space, the new car's cabin will have a greater sense of quality and tactile materials, according to Honda. The horizontal dashboard design houses classy metal air vents spanning its width, while Honda has resisted the urge to bury the ventilation controls in the touchscreen, keeping a physical switch panel.
Ah yes, the touchscreen: this was a particular weak point on the outgoing Civic. In the new car, however, it's said to be more intuitive. The standard display is nine inches, and has been moved higher into the driver's line of sight. Even if the infotainment software doesn't turn out to be as good as rivals, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allows you to bypass it pretty easily.
Sitting alongside that is a new digital dial display. Standard on high-end Advance trim, it's a 10.2-inch high-definition display. In terms of the 2022 Civic's stereo and sound system, Elegance and Sport trims have an eight-speaker system, with Advance gaining a twelve speaker BOSE premium system.
The outgoing (tenth-generation) Honda Civic went on sale in 2017 so there are plenty of examples to choose from on the used market. Prices run from less than £9000 to around £28,000 for a 2021 car with a handful of miles. We would look to spend £15,000 on a 2019 129PS 1.0-litre petrol with less than 20,000 on the clock.
2022 is already warming up to be a busy year for new car launches. We can already look forward to the Mercedes-Benz EQE, Nissan Ariya and the Volvo C40, while our dedicated New Cars of 2022 is constantly updated with the latest news.