Honda will no offer buyers more choice when it comes to their 10th-generation Civic which so far had already been a popular choice as a sole sedan body style (more like a lift back, we’d say). The newly launched Civic Hatch, then, should prove to be a great addition to the range.
Honda Australia Director, Stephen Collins, said: “We knew when we launched the Honda Civic sedan that our customers were waiting for a complete rejuvenation of the Civic brand. With the arrival of the Honda Civic hatch, customers now have the choice of a sporty and dynamic hatch that is a perfect visual companion to the bold and successful Honda Civic sedan.”
Clearly, it’s a sportier companion model to the Civic sedan which was developed to be a dynamic leapfrog over its predecessors. The new hatch benefits from a unified platform unlike the older models. As such, the list of specifications should look quite familiar.
The list of engines are narrowed to two, a naturally aspirated 104kW/174Nm 1.8-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol carried over from the previous generation car and the new turbocharged 1.5-litre four-pot that debuted in the newest Civic sedan with 127kW and 220Nm - both are mated to a continuously variable transmission.
As a result, Honda will be be pricing the hatch very similarly to the sedan that launched in 2016, starting with the VTi and followed by the VTi-S, VTi-L, RS, and VTi-LX. Later in the year, Honda plans to add the high-performance Type R as well.
All Civics have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating and come as standard with post-collision braking, hill start assist, and tyre pressure monitoring in addition to the indispensable anti-lock brakes, EBD, and stability control.
Other niceties include the LED daytime running lights, reversing camera, and 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The Honda Sensing suite with active safety features are only available as standard on the range-topping VTi-LX, adding autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and lane departure warning. It is, however, available as an option on other the lesser variants.
- VTi - $22,390
- VTi-S - $24,490
- VTi-L - $27,790
- RS - $32,290
- VTi-LX - $33,590
Orange Edition and Black Pack
Honda Australia has also launched the Civic hatch Orange Edition which adds some cosmetic flair to the car for an extra $2998 and is available to all variants but only to those finished in Lunar Silver Metallic, Sonic Grey Pearlescent, White Orchid Pearlescent, and Crystal Black Pearlescent.
Limited to 100 units, the kit adds a new front spoiler, door and mirror decal set, side skirts, and black 17-inch alloys - all of those being coloured orange, of course.
Just like the Civic sedan, Honda will also be offering the popular Black Pack that’s available for every variant except the RS, which has enough sporty bits already. Unlike the Orange Edition’s limited numbers, the Black Pack will be an option given to all customers for an additional $2998.
It adds black 17-inch alloys, black front under spoiler, black rear under spoiler, side skirt set, and black door mirror covers.
For more on Honda vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
