2022 Honda Civic price and specs

Honda is taking the Civic upmarket.

The new Honda Civic hatchback will be offered in one trim level at launch, the fully-loaded Civic VTi LX. Pricing is fixed at $47,200 drive-away around Australia, and there are no options except for colour.

The now-defunct entry-level 2021 Civic was priced at $31,000 drive-away, while the range-topping 2021 Civic RS was $39,600 drive-away. As recently as 2016 the Civic was available from $18,490 before on-road costs.

The 2022 car’s drive-away puts it head-to-head with the Volkswagen Golf R-Line, along with entry-level versions of the BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 Sportback, and Mercedes-Benz A-Class based on its sticker price.

Honda Australia boss Stephen Collins says the brand’s new business model and focus on more profitable, generously-specified models grades mean the Civic is playing a new role for Honda locally.

The new Civic will be petrol-only at launch, but a hybrid option will follow in the second half of 2022. The hot Civic Type R hatch will likely arrive in Australia at the end of next year, ready to take on the Volkswagen Golf R and Ford Focus ST.

Unlike the current Civic, which is built in Thailand, the 2022 car will be built in Japan for Australia. Annual sales are expected to be small compared to the current model.

Honda sold an average of 11,149 cars across the Civic sedan and hatch ranges every year since 2017, but it’s expecting to shift 900 petrol hatches per year when the 11th-generation car joins the range full-time.

Despite the low projected volumes, Mr Collins said the Civic is an integral part of the Honda range in Australia.

“It’s such a part of us that we have to bring it to market,” Mr Collins said.

“Honda Australia has an over 50-year history, and I think it started with Civic and Accord,” he said. “I think if you ask the general person in the street to name you a couple of Honda models, I think they would be the two top ones – despite the fact we sell a lot more CR-Vs and HR-Vs.

“It’s so synonymous with our brand, we’d never contemplate not having it.”

Pricing

2022 Honda Civic VTi LX: $47,200 drive-away

Engine

Power in the 2022 Honda Civic comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine with 131kW and 240Nm running on 91 RON regular unleaded fuel.

It’s mated with a CVT as standard. The 0-100km/h sprint takes around 7.5 seconds, according to Honda.

Fuel Economy

The 2022 Honda Civic uses a claimed 6.3 litres per 100km on the combined cycle. It has a 47-litre fuel tank.

Dimensions

The new Honda Civic hatchback measures 4549mm long, 1414mm tall and 1800mm wide on a 2735mm wheelbase.

In contrast, the outgoing hatch is 4515mm long, 1421mm tall and 1799mm wide on a 2700mm wheelbase.

Honda says rear legroom has naturally been improved by nearly 35mm, while rear-seat headroom has been preserved and the tailgate has a 40mm wider opening.

Claimed boot space is 449L with the 60/40 folding rear bench in place. That includes 45 litres of underfloor storage where the spare wheel once sat – there’s now a tyre repair kit mounted in the side of the load bay.

The new Civic weighs in at 1369kg.

Servicing and Warranty

The Honda Civic is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with five years of roadside assist and map updates.

Maintenance is required every 12 months or 10,000km. Each of the first five services is priced at $125.

Safety

The 2022 Honda Civic has yet to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP or ANCAP.

It comes loaded with standard safety equipment, bundled under the Honda Sensing banner. The suite of assists rely on a single wide-angle camera mounted behind the windscreen, rather than a camera and radar combination.

Honda says there’s a heater to stop the windscreen fogging in front of the camera, and the suite of safety assists will work when the wipers are running at full speed.

There are eight airbags, including knee airbags for the driver and passenger, front and front-side airbags, and full-length curtain airbags. There’s no central airbag.

Standard active safety features include: