Honda has unveiled the 11th generation version of its Civic family car ahead of its UK launch later this year, ditching regular petrol engines to only offer petrol-electric hybrid versions.
The new car will also be the first Civic for many years not to be built in Britain, after Honda’s factory at Swindon closed in July 2021.
The Honda Civic e-HEV adopts a new and (according to its creators) cleaner look, with a lower bonnet line and a larger glass area, plus a fastback-style rear end replacing the distinctive wing of its predecessor. The body door pillars are an inch further back while innovations include a tailgate made from resin, which saves weight over the previous Civic and makes it easier to open and close.


A slightly longer wheelbase helps free up more space within the car. Inside, the design follows the example of recent Honda models such as the HR-V and Jazz, with few buttons and a large central touchscreen.
The hybrid powertrain combines a lithium-ion battery with two electric motors and the 2.0-litre petrol engine, which has also been newly developed. Combined power output is 183hp with 315Nm of torque. Honda is yet to release performance and economy figures for the engine, but says that it expects CO2 emissions levels of under 110g/km.
A fixed-gear automatic transmission is controlled by an ‘Intelligent Power Unit’ mounted under the rear seats, which matches the engine and motor output to the driving situation. The driver can also select from four modes, Eco, Normal, Sport and an individual mode that allows bespoke control of the engine and transmission.
The new Civic is expected to go on sale in the Autumn of 2022, with UK specifications and prices yet to be announced. Honda also announced that three new models are set for launch in 2023 – an all-electric small SUV which is described as “the centre of Honda’s product line-up”, a hybrid compact SUV and the next-generation CR-V, which will be available with both plug-in hybrid and regular hybrid powertrains.
The current tenth-generation Honda Civic has been on sale since early 2017 in the UK – praised for its practicality and generous levels of standard equipment. It currently holds an Expert Rating of 69% in our Expert Rating Index, meaning that it isn’t rated quite as highly as the leading vehicles in its class, but it is still considered a good car.