GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Honda to fast-track 10th-gen Civic
Futuristic prototype hints at what lies ahead for small five-door but Aussies won't have to wait longThe car that Honda Australia hopes will rebuild its market share has been unveiled in Geneva. Billed as 'the sportiest Civic ever', the prototype version of the tenth-generation Honda Civic hatchback was the star of Honda's display.
Set to arrive Down Under in May or June in sedan guise, the new Civic will be sourced from Thailand for the Australian marketplace.
Following the fast-tracked sedan, the production version of the hatch will launch locally in late Q3 or Q4 – also Thai sourced. Also confirmed for Australia the first time is a Type R variant. This is expected in early 2017.
For European consumption, the hatch will be built at Honda's Swindon (UK) plant which has recently undergone a $400m-plus redevelopment.
At Geneva, Honda stated the new Euro Civic will offer a range of engines including Honda's all-new 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC donks as well as an improved variant of the current 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbo-diesel.
The rapid arrival of the tenth gen Civic is recognition of the poor sales performance of the current offering.
Honda insiders say the company "has thrown the kitchen sink at this [tenth generation]" program. The new sedan and hatch will be the first 'Australian' Civic with latest-generation Earthdreams powertrain in full, and the new model will also feature significantly enhanced interior design and technology.
The new car's measurements show a 30mm width increase and 130mm added length over the current generation. It also sits 20mm lower than the model it is set to replace.
More aggressive styling is a deliberate ploy to re-establish Civic's small car 'leader' positioning. LED headlights and DRLs up-front and C-shaped LED taillights add to the look, which has more than a hint of current Type R about its stance.
Honda Australia insiders suggest that Australia will be one of the first markets outside the USA to get the new Civic. At this stage it certainly appears the new hatch will arrive Down Under ahead of its early-2017 European debut.
The full mechanical details of the Aussie-spec Type R are being closely guarded at this time.
motoring.com.au understands Honda Australia is planning on combined Civic sedan and hatch in excess of 2000 units per month – a four to five-fold increase on the average running rate of the car over the last couple of years.
In preparation, the company will also undertake a full dealer network review over the next few months.
– With staff
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