2022 Honda Civic e:HEV revealed
- New Honda Civic e:HEV revealed
- Gets powerful 184PS hybrid engine as standard
- On sale in the autumn, priced from around £25,000
The all-new Honda Civic e:HEV has been revealed today giving the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus rival hybrid technology with up to 184PS, a posher and roomier interior, and standard autonomous driving aids. It goes on sale in the autumn and is expected to cost from around £25,000.
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The Honda Civic e:HEV has more than a passing resemblance to the old model although it is in fact all new. It’s been designed following Honda’s ‘Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum’ philosophy which ekes out more interior space while also making the car look squatter, sportier and more purposeful.
To that end, the bonnet is 25mm lower than in the old model, while the glass area has been increased to make the car feel lighter and brighter from inside. Wing mirrors mounted on the doors avoid creating a blind spot around the car’s A pillar.
A feature line that stretches all the way from the headlights to the tail lights moves the visual weight of the car closer to the ground and you get a fastback roof that gives the Honda a coupe-like sleeker rear end next to the more abrupt two-box design on cars like the Focus and Golf.
The interior is more of a revolution. A honeycomb air vent stretches almost the entire bredth of the car emphasising the width of the cabin, while a digital instrument binnacle and a large centre screen mean the cabin is cluttered with conventional buttons. They’re 10.25 and 9 inches in size respectively.
Honda has focussed on making the centre touchscreen as intuitive to use as possible – a past weak point in the old Civic – and, to that end, you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto fitted as standard. The system comes with an eight-speaker stereo with the option to upgrade to a 12-speaker Bose system.
Interior practicality has also been improved. The old Civic was already one of the longest models in its class, so the new model’s 35mm longer wheelbase should translate into impressive rear seat legroom and – although Honda doesn’t quote figures – you can expect the boot to be big for this type of car, too.
The boot lid itself is now made from resin reducing its weight by 20 per cent versus the old model, which should make it easier to open and close when you’ve got your hands full juggling shopping and kids.
The big news is that the new Honda Civic e:HEV will be offered as a hybrid only. That takes the form of a 2.0-litre petrol engine which runs on the fuel-saving Atkinson cycle and is backed up by two electric motors and a 72-cell lithium ion battery to produce 184PS and a meaty 350Nm of torque. Fun fact – its 41 per cent thermal efficiency is one of the highest of any production car.
All this tech means the new Civic runs primarily as an electric car with its petrol engine acting as a generator most of the time. It’s a petrol-electric hybrid with the instant thrust of a pure EV, but can switch to a mixture of petrol-electric or pure petrol power when needed.
As you’d expect, CO2 emissions are low (110g/km) and fuel economy is high with Honda quoting a figure of 56.5mpg in a mixture of driving.
It’s not all about frugality. Running on electric power the majority of the time makes the Civic quiet and relaxing to drive and it runs through a single-speed CVT automatic gearbox.
That said, Honda is also promising ‘strong, reassuring handling’ thanks to the new car’s longer wheelbase and wider track. Expect the Civic to have sharp steering and well-contained body lean in corners.
It will also have vastly improved autonomous driving aids next to the outgoing car. The new model has a 100-degree front-mounted camera that’s better at spotting pedestrians and other road users, while also improving the Honda’s ability to recognise road markings.
Because of it, the Civic has a list of active safety features that’s as long as your arm including – deep breath – a Collision Mitigation Braking System, lane-keep assist, Low Speed Braking Control, Blind Spot Information, Cross Traffic Monitor and Traffic Jam Assist. It’s a list of features that mean the new Civic can more or less drive itself on the motorway and in nose-to-tail traffic.
Passive safety has also been improved with additional safety beams in the doors and plates behind the front bumper that help dissipate collision energy. Factor in the Civic’s 11 airbags – including a front-centre airbag that stops you and your passenger clashing heads in an accident – and a five-star NCAP safety rating seems all but guaranteed.
We’ll have full prices and specs for the new Civic e:HEV in the coming months followed by a full review right here on honestjohn.co.uk.
