Here's the new Honda Civic for Europe, and as is only logical for a car built on this continent, it's a five-door hatchback. There's a lot going on with this exterior design, but it's still better than the U.S.-spec sedan and coupe. The semi-hidden rear door handles are a nice touch.
In the past, Europe's Civic has been a significantly smaller car than ours, but the gap narrows with this redesign. This five-door hatch has a 102.1-inch wheelbase (just over an inch shorter than our Civic coupe's), and it's 169.9 inches long (about 6 inches shorter than our coupe). We sat in the driver seat and then the backseat, and found enough legroom for our 5-foot-10 frame.
If you're wondering about cabin materials, well, you'll be slightly upset to learn the surface treatments are indeed different in this car and the plastics feel a little higher in quality. Still, the furnishings are nothing to write home about overall, and remember that Europeans will have to pay more for this car.
Engines include the familiar 140-hp, i-VTEC 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder, plus a 99-hp, 1.4-liter inline-4. The best option by far, though, will be Honda's 2.2-liter i-DTEC turbodiesel four-cylinder -- the automaker hasn't released a torque figure, but horsepower is 148. The cars in Honda's booth had both six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions. The car will be built in the U.K., and sales begin in early 2012.
_feloniousmonk says:
08:11 AM, 09/14/11
Notice how even the interior looks to be of a higher quality? I take that as an insult. Americans need to quit acting the chump and buying solely on blind brand loyalty/reputation. Boycott the Civic, cite the reason as "shoddy craftsmanship/materials" and send Honda a message. It's not like there aren't better alternatives in this segment anyway; the Focus, Cruze, Elantra, and even the Forte, all put the N.A. market Civic to shame.
blurglide says:
08:31 AM, 09/14/11
That is a seriously high cowel. It's almost like you look through the sunroof instead of a normal windshield.
bodyblue says:
08:51 AM, 09/14/11
"There's a lot going on with this exterior design, but it's still better than the U.S.-spec sedan and coupe. "
HUH? You need to put the Euro-crack pipe down. The ass end on this thing in that color makes the car look like the love child of Kermit and Miss Piggy. GROSS. Just because it is designed for Europe does automaticly mean its better...jeeessss. The interior is a mess...who cares what it is made of?
hondacura4 says:
09:11 AM, 09/14/11
I actually like the interior design as it flows much better and has better perceived quality vs the US Civic.
In regards to the Civic we get here, it's not a bad car but it's not the standout it used to be for several key reasons:
- interior materials
- Accord engine in Si
- not as fun to drive as former Civics
However, it does have its strengths:
- best REAL WORLD fuel efficiency in class despite not having a 6AT or DI.
- affordable
- level of refinement is high all around
- very comfortable for a compact
If I was going to buy a compact probably spring for the Focus ST or a GTi.
Honda, given the competition is currently very strong the base hit you provided just isn't good enough as you clearly needed a homerun.
lostboyz says:
09:36 AM, 09/14/11
interior looks good, that shape is awkward as all hell. Not unattractive, just awkward.
coolb944 says:
10:03 AM, 09/14/11
At least the exterior of this car has SOME distinction from the last model, and it doesn't look too bad to my eyes, unlike the US car, which is barely a blip of a change.
The clearer advantage is seen inside. The design is 3x better than the US car. There's an attractive gauge cluster with actual analog-like gauges, a flowing center stack, and the shifter and steering wheel have a nice, sporty, appealing design and look pleasing to use. Regardless of whether the materials are marginally better, the design is the standout here.
fordson1 says:
11:01 AM, 09/14/11
I dunno - pretty ungainly to me. Interior looks better than domestic-market Civic, but that's sertting the bar pretty low.
Real problem - did they parner with Subaru on the super-ugly wheel-lip molding?
Now that cars are mostly more rust-resistant in this area, the only thing the black plastic wheel-lip does is increase the apparent (visual) dead-cat area exponentially. Under the bright show lights, you can see that it's a molding, but on the road, in most lighting, it's going to look like a SCORE production-class off-roader.
bc1960 says:
11:26 AM, 09/14/11
The concealed rear door handles were also on the previous Euro hatch. I don't like them unless they're concealed on all the doors, not just the rears--it looks odd and unbalanced to me when some doors have an obvious handle and others don't. OTOH, the fact they're concealed means they're unlikely to be chrome, and that's a plus.
rsholland says:
01:42 PM, 09/14/11
This screams of what made Honda so great as an automaker. No wimp design here. Excellent job! Soichiro Honda would be proud.
Wonder if they've upgraded the rear suspension? Used to have a beam axle, as I recall?
carlos20 says:
01:44 PM, 09/14/11
Not available in America ?. Wise decision. American care more about save few thosands
dollars . Congrat to Europeans , they got better cars for this reason.
miamifan1 says:
01:48 PM, 09/14/11
Hard not to like the styling. Looks great!
Hard not to buy a golf/gti at the current price point vs the "market leaders" focus/elantra/cruze/sentra.
jscion says:
02:15 PM, 09/14/11
WHAAAAAAAAAT??? So I guess Honda is shipping all their quality products everywhere else BESIDES the U.S.??? The interior looks a whole hell of alot better than the watered down, low quality look of our Civic. The exterior is also eons better. JEEZ Honda, can't you at least slap an Acura badge on this and sell it that way??? That is SERIOUSLY F***ED UP!!!
mini23 says:
02:55 PM, 09/14/11
Well here is the thing. If enough people write to Honda Of America regarding this apparent disparety between the Euro car and the US car then perhaps Honda will begin to incorporate some of the styling changes into the US car.
1) The interior quality of materials of the Euro car appears better with a better color scheme.
2) While not expecting Honda to sell a US hatchback(why not-Ford is with the Focus and I see a lot of them where I live)at least incorporate some of the surface styling to the sedan and coupe. I even like the front end design. At least it's different the same old same old of the new US versions.
But Honda can easily make the aurgument against this, however. Just look at the "New Base VW Jetta".
Apparantly-A cheap plastic interior sells just fine if the car is priced right.
hollowtek says:
03:24 PM, 09/14/11
living the rims, rear end looks off as hell though. the side view is nice, however.
arumage says:
05:28 PM, 09/14/11
The Europeans can have it. It's terrible looking, aside from the profile, and it doesn't look all that useful when it comes to the hatch. The interior is better that the U.S. Civic, but that's about it.
inlinesix says:
09:08 PM, 09/14/11
I continue to buy Honda and Acura cars because I like to drive them. After a few months of ownership I trade out of many other cars.
angry_mushroom says:
10:30 PM, 09/14/11
Apart from the gauge cluster this interior looks the same as what we get.
zoomzoom22 says:
12:31 AM, 09/15/11
^No, it does not.
This interior is much better than the one we get because it actually looks cohesive and like it was actually DESIGNED. Ours looks blocky and cheap by comparison. It reminds me of the current Focus or Mazda3 interior - not bad company.
jpdisarro says:
06:20 AM, 09/17/11
The Euro version still has a rear beam axle. Yuck.