Honda has chose the 2016 Geneva Motor Show to highlight its big push for the Civic with the rather hot Hatchback Prototype.
With the launch of the tenth-generation Honda Civic nearing arrival, Honda shows off a sportier, sleeker hatchback version at the Geneva Motor Show.
The Hatchback Prototype’s angrier lines might belie the fact that this car is a near-enough representation of what it will look like when it hits showrooms, which will likely be somewhere in early 2017.
Of course, to make it ready for the Geneva show floor Honda has fitted this ‘Prototype’ with the requisite array of ostentatious bits, most of them having neon green accents. But the sharp angles and overall more aggressive stance is carried over from the 10th-gen sedan along with the long wheelbase and short overhang combination that do a nice job to complement to hatch’s wider wheels and tyres.
The Civic hatchback will be 30mm wider, 20mm lower, and 130mm longer than the current generation model.
Daisuke Tsutamori, Project Leader for the styling of the Prototype, said: “We knew that we needed to create a striking and stand-out exterior design that challenged conventional European compact styling while staying true to the original Civic’s core values. The result is a marriage of distinctive and sporty design, rewarding driving dynamics and versatile practicality.”
When it does go on sale, rolling off the factory Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM), it will be the first Honda to be available with their all-new 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo petrol engines as well as a revised 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel unit.
These new engines use a new structure and new turbocharger technology that feature variable valve motion technolog. They expand upon Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology umbrella, powerplants that excel in fuel efficiency while providing strong everyday performance and high-output versus displacement.
For this new model, Honda says it had invested €270m to prepare the manufacturing chain for the new production technologies and processes to streamline this car’s production, especially since it will be assembled at a large scale for global export. It’s a part of Honda’s long-term ambitions for their European manufacturing efforts.
Jean-Marc Streng, General Manager of Honda Motor Europe, Automobile Division, commented: “The Civic is a core model for Europe with a strong sales and manufacturing heritage in the region. For many European customers, Civic is synonymous with the Honda brand. The all-new Civic hatchback continues this tradition, and we hope will continue to be a key volume pillar for the European business. We are excited to be developing this next generation model and look forward to its introduction in early 2017.”
