11th generation Honda Civic goes hybrid only

Honda has revealed the first image of its upcoming new Civic family hatchback that’s due in UK showrooms towards the end of 2022. Along with its new design, the big news is confirmation that the Civic will be offered exclusively as a hybrid car. This will help Honda meet its target for all its mainstream European models to be electrified by 2022.

It will be the latest model from the brand fitted with Honda’s e:HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) powertrain, alongside the Jazz and HR-V. This combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with two electric motors, and the combustion engine is used to generate energy for the electric motors. The petrol engine can also drive the wheels under high loads. In the Jazz, this setup can return around 63mpg.

The Civic’s styling is evolutionary, but the biggest change comes at the rear, where the Civic now has a fastback style roofline and full-width rear lights. This softens the Civic’s looks slightly and should provide extra space inside, coupled with a lengthened wheelbase. The nose also gets a cleaner look, with slim headlights, while the A-pillars have been shifted back by around 50mm.

Inside, there’s a horizontal fascia and the infotainment display now sits atop the dashboard. This will use new software, with a tile-based menu setup similar to the interface seen in the Honda e electric supermini. It’s a minimalist design, but fans of physical controls will be pleased to see control knobs for the climate control settings. While full UK specifications haven’t been confirmed yet, the American specification car gets a 9-inch touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital instrument binnacle, along with a Bose sound system.