Honda Civic Hatchback Prototype: First Impressions
CARS.COM — Honda’s latest generation of the Civic is practically a revelation, and it came after the automaker was lambasted for giving the previous U.S. Civics styling and quality that didn’t live up to expectations. The redesigned model, with dramatically better styling, performance, technology and interiors has restored the Civic to its position as a best-in-class compact sedan. Honda’s current strategy of offering just one global Civic has benefitted U.S. car shoppers, as we now get a class of Civic that’s far better than the one we used to have. Now, we get something more, the new Civic hatchback.
Honda unveiled what they called a “prototype” of the Civic version most Europeans buy, the hatchback, at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show here in Switzerland. It then made its North America debut at the 2016 New York International Auto Show. Look past some of the wilder elements, such as the dramatic scoops, big wheels and flashy paint, and you’ll see the Civic hatchback that’s set to join the sedan and coupe that already are on sale in the U.S. The proportions are a little different than the Civics we have on sale now; it’s longer, lower, and wider than the current European Civic hatchback, but those dimensions mean that it’s actually over an inch shorter than the U.S. Civic coupe.
Impressions of the interior and any cargo capacity increase over the sedan will have to wait until the production version of the car is unveiled later this year, with reports conflicting as to whether the U.S. or Europe will get the car first.
Unlike the hatchback versions of rivals such as the Hyundai Elantra, however, there doesn’t look to be much difference in passenger headroom for backseat riders, given that the roofline looks to be nearly identical to the sedan’s. Providing a Civic that features all the best elements of the current sedan with a bit of a boost to cargo capacity and convenience sounds like a winning proposition to us.
