Honda introduces updates to Civic hatch range

HONDA Australia has announced an update for its Civic small hatch range, bolstering its safety credentials with the addition of the Honda Sensing suite of active safety technology on the mid-spec VTi-L and RS variants.

The updates to the hatch range mirror that of the sedan applied in February last year, with a range of interior and exterior upgrades also applied to the rest of the line-up.

Honda’s Sensing package includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist and steering assist.

The introduction of Honda Sensing on the RS and VTi-L form a part of Honda’s plan to roll out its safety tech on every last local Honda offering by 2022.

Given the addition of Honda Sensing as well as equipment upgrades across the range, prices have gone up for all non-performance grades by between $400 and $1250 to now start at $22,790 plus on-roads for the VTi up to $34,090 for the VTi-LX. The hi-po Type R still tops the range at $51,990.

On the outside, each variant now gains new alloy wheel designs, starting with new 18-inch hoops for the RS that have been shod in wider Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber.

VTi and VTi-S score box-fresh designs, while the VTi-LX takes the previous RS design and applies a new dark grey finish.

Front bumper designs have been restyled across the range, incorporating body-coloured accents in the new lower panel, along with a new front grille.

Sports-oriented RS grades also score a new rear diffuser design.

A range of other equipment upgrades have been applied over the range such as high beam support on VTi-L, RS and VTi-LX and rear privacy glass on VTi-S.

New colours have been added to the Civic’s paint palette, including Ignite Red metallic on all grades, Phoenix Orange pearlescent on RS, and Taffeta White on all grades bar RS.

Inside, Honda has redesigned the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a volume control knob and hard buttons for key shortcuts, while the dashboard and seat trims have been redesigned.

No changes have been made to the two Civic powertrains – a 104kW/174Nm 1.8-litre aspirated four-cylinder engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-pot good for 127kW/220Nm – both driving the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Honda sold 10,531 examples of the Civic in 2019, down 21.8 per cent on the 13,470 it managed in 2018, trailing segment leaders such as the Toyota Corolla (30,468) and Hyundai i30 (28,378).

Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said the new additions make the Civic hatch a more complete package.

“When you factor in the additional safety technology and the improved functionality of the major cabin controls, the new Civic hatch offers the complete package – performance, quality and reliability, wrapped in a sleek and modern sporty exterior that is sure to catch the eye of small car buyers,” he said.

2020 Honda Civic hatch pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs