The Civic, Honda’s first global car, may not be of interest to motorists in Japan these days but elsewhere, it remains a popular sedan as it always has been. In fact, in the US market, it has been America’s bestselling car, according to Urban Science DataHub which tracked retail sales data for all passenger cars sold in that market from 2016 – 2020 (September).
So it’s not surprising that Honda has given the US the honour of revealing the next generation of the Civic to the world. The first glimpse of the 11th generation took place on Twitch, a livestreaming entertainment service. Honda chose this channel for its reveal, leveraging its strong presence in esports and gaming which has a large segment of young buyers.
The prototype version, with a fresh, sporty and upscale new look, was finished in a striking Solar Flare Pearl colour. The new model is said to be fully redesigned and has an upgraded body and chassis and, of course, more advanced technology, particularly in the area of safety. The line-up will continue to have sedan, hatchback, Si and Type R variants.
The 11th-generation Civic draws inspiration from timeless elements of Honda design, including a low and wide stance, low beltline, clean and sophisticated detailing, and an open and airy cabin. The new generation will build on the appeal of its predecessor with an even sportier, fun-to-drive new chassis, more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrains, along with multiple new Civic-first features and technologies.
Exterior design modernised again
In redesigning Civic, stylists and engineers revisited timeless design concepts of past Civics, focusing on Honda’s essential and human-centered ‘Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum’ philosophy. This dictates that the purpose of technology and design is to serve the needs of the driver and passengers.
Carrying forward the low centre-of-gravity form of the 10th generation, including its low overall height and low hip point, the designers applied the classic Civic design ethos of ‘thin and light’ body design with a low bonnet and front fenders. The low horizontal beltline grounds the body, accentuating the wheels and tyres, and enabling an expansive and airy greenhouse with exceptional outward visibility.
In executing its concept, the team also made substantial changes to the Civic’s upper body design to maximize visibility for the driver and passengers, including moving the front roof pillars rearward relative to the driver, to place them more in the visual periphery. The side mirrors have also been relocated to the doors for a clearer view through the front side windows.
The face of the new Civic has a clean and sophisticated look, emphasizing a low and wide stature with strong horizontal elements, including offsetting the upright grille below the headlights. In profile, the Civic’s greenhouse is moved rearward on the body, elongating the bonnet for a more premium side view. An upswept R-line carries through the rear fenders to the rear reflectors adds a feeling of motion even when standing still.
Classic interior design
In similar fashion, the new Civic will get a dramatic interior makeover as it reimagines the clean and uncluttered lines of earlier generations of Civic, all while incorporating modern design elements and technology.
The instrument panel is free of visual clutter, minimizing cut lines and breaks to give drivers a clean and clear view of the road ahead. Stretching the width of the dash is a honeycomb mesh accent, which serves not only as a design element, but also conceals the visually busy air vents.
The 11th generation will introduce multiple new Civic-first technologies, including an all-digital meter cluster and a new 9-inch full-HD Display Audio touchscreen on the low-set instrument panel.
Advancing safety performance
Depending on market, the new Civic will come with many new active and passive safety systems, including an upgraded suite of Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies. It also has an advanced new version of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure with both improved occupant and pedestrian collision protection.
North America first
North America, where the car is to be built, will be the first to get the new Civic during the first quarter of 2021. As for ASEAN, it’s always dependent on the product planning at the Thai plant and it is known that camouflaged prototypes are already running there. The current Accord took quite a while to get here but the next Civic could well be launched here by the time the current generation is 5 years old in this market next June.
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