The compact completes the electrification of the general range of the Japanese brand
Every time a new generation of a vehicle comes out, manufacturers hold their breath. Despite their working groups and their market research, it is the buyers themselves who ultimately decide whether the car will be a success. And in the case of a name as iconic in the auto industry as the Civic, there’s even more at stake.
The Civic first hit the market in 1972, a small compact car weighing 1,500 pounds that would become an instant best-seller and allow Honda to compete against European and American builders. In this last continent, it is even the sales leader in its segment.
Now the 11th generation is landing all over the world. For Europe it is particularly risky, as the design language is a radical change from the trend of the last three iterations, but above all because the only way to drive a Civic other than the Type R high-performance sports car in Spain with an engine will be hybrid.
This has caused car enthusiasts to pull their hair out and declare that they are missing out on truly affordable performance and fun-to-drive models. However, Honda made sure to fine-tune the chassis and engine response, and didn’t stop to emphasize it during the press conference.
In the Sport and Advance trims – which will arrive in Spain from October – the engine will be what Honda has called e:HEV, a hybrid system in which the electric motor predominates. The combined power is 184 hp (135 kW) and 315 Nm of torque, which is class-leading and has the special feature that it does not have to change gears.
In fact, the transmission is an ingenious system called ECVT, which is not a continuously changing CVT, but a model that has only one speed, that of the electric motor. However, the engineers chose to simulate gear changes, where engine power fluctuates to resemble driving a conventional engine.
The thermal drive only kicks in when a certain speed is exceeded, or when the car needs the extra power – for example when leaving a traffic light at full throttle – and engages the electric gear. Japanese engineers have also made the sound of the four-cylinder injection sound through speakers in the interior.
In terms of fuel consumption, the Civic has an approved average of 4.7 liters per 100 km thanks to the e:HEV system, which it shares with the CR-V, HR-V and Jazz. Such figures are recorded only by diesel engines on cars over 4.3 meters and 150 hp.
“Every new Civic has high expectations, but we wanted to exceed them with the latest generation of the model,” said Tomoyuki Yamagami, major project leader for the new Civic e:HEV, adding: “The modern consumer is looking for a emotional style, a dynamic of thrilling driving and exceptional functionality, and we have exceeded these requirements by applying our latest technologies”
Inside, the finishes are correct and all tactile surfaces are pleasant to handle. The up to 10.2-inch Honda Connect multimedia system has Apple Car Play and Android Auto as standard.
At the moment, the pricing of the new Civic remains a mystery, but the developers said it “would be competitive with other models it faces.” Throughout the year, Honda is expected to showcase the Type R, likely the last combustion model in this saga.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
