Honda is working on a redesign for its popular Civic, and on Tuesday the automaker provided a first look with the reveal of a prototype.
The prototype is for the new Civic’s sedan body style but a redesign for the hatchback is also planned, with the more practical body style to once again serve as the basis of a Civic Type R performance flagship. A coupe body style won’t return however, due to the current-generation’s waning popularity.
2022 Honda Civic prototype
The Civic looks to be adopting a more mature look for its latest redesign, and the proportions, with a low hood and cab pushed rearward, belie the car’s front-wheel-drive underpinnings. This isn’t just for looks, mind you. For example, by moving the A-pillars further back relative to the driver, visibility is said to have been improved.
2022 Honda Civic prototype
The interior follows the more mature theme of the exterior by combining a clean, uncluttered look with the latest technology. We’re talking a digital instrument cluster, and a 9.0-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. An interesting feature is the mesh strip running the dash, which hides the air vents.
A more rigid version of the current Civic’s platform will underpin the new generation. That means powertrains are likely to carry over. The current Civic makes do with 1.5- and 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4s. The 1.5-liter engine in the Civic Si makes 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, and the 2.0-liter engine in the Civic Type R spits out 306 hp and 295 lb-ft.
The new Civic will reach showrooms next spring as a 2022 model, with the sedan arriving first. Timing for the hatchback, as well as the Si and Type R, will be announced at a later date. The new Civic represents the 11th generation of the popular nameplate which was first offered in the United States in 1973. Since then around 12 million examples have been sold locally.