Honda Previews The 2022 Civic Sedan's More Elegant Design
Honda is preparing to release a new version of the Civic, its second-best-selling car in the United States. It revealed some of the visual changes it made to the model by publishing a single photo of it a few weeks before its unveiling.
Unsurprisingly, the 11th-generation Civic looks a lot like the Civic Prototype introduced in November 2020. Its front end wears a purer, more elegant design than the current model's with fewer angles and less lines. The grille gets smaller while the air dam in the lower part of the bumper grows in size. Keep in mind the only photo released so far shows a range-topping Touring model, and less expensive trim levels will undoubtedly receive a different face.
It doesn't look like the Civic Sedan's overall silhouette has changed significantly. Its roofline is closer to a fastback's than to the three box sedans Honda sold during the 2000s, though the rear windows are larger thanks in part to a flatter belt line. While this sounds like a small change, it makes a big difference to passengers riding in the back.
Honda calls the interior sporty and simple, but we'll need to wait a few weeks to find out how it has evolved. Peeking through the windshield reveals a touchscreen propped up on the dashboard, a layout also seen on the Civic Prototype unveiled in 2020. We're expecting a minimalistic design that's a major departure from the current car.
Similarly, technical specifications remain under wraps, though Honda pledged the new Civic will be more engaging to drive than any of its predecessors. Entry-level models will likely carry on with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and we're hoping to see the sporty Si return a little later in the production run. As for the fire-breathing Type R, we know it's coming back, but it will again be based on the Hatchback, which hasn't been unveiled yet.
Front-wheel-drive will still be the only configuration offered. Honda has already ruled out making all-wheel-drive available on the new Civic to give winter warriors an alternative to the Subaru Impreza and the Mazda3.
Honda will release additional information about the 11th-generation Civic (including full specifications and more photos) on April 28, 2021. Sales will start in the coming months, and the new Civic Sedan will reach American showrooms this summer as a 2022 model. Its Hatchback counterpart will return before the end of 2021, and Honda confirmed the model will be built in Indiana, but it doesn't sound like the sporty Civic Coupe will make a comeback.