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Believe it or not, the Honda Civic is almost 50 years old. The very first example rolled off the production line in Japan in 1972, and the small sedan (and hatchback) has been a staple since arriving in the United States a few years later.
As the Civic approaches nearly half a century, the four-door gets a facelift for its 11th generation. Although this is only a prototype, Honda says it is representative of the production car that will arrive early next year. While riding on the same platform as the current model, the Civic 2022 will have a whole new look for the exterior and interior, better technology, more safety features, and even a few new exterior paint options.
Exterior design
The 2022 Honda Civic sedan prototype features an all-new front end with a more pronounced grille and sharper headlights with LED daytime accents (there’s a lightweight demo in our first video). The new signals are meant to give the Civic a meaner look, while keeping the design relatively simple. The rest of the body, meanwhile, maintains the same athletic proportions and ride height as the 10th gen model it is based on, but looks a bit smoother with new side details, a crumpled C-pillar (at the Cadillac) and more pronounced details on the front and rear. Honda told us that the new design is supposed to make the Civic look lower and wider than before, although it is almost identical in size to its predecessor.
The rear end of the Civic prototype is much bolder than before with larger split taillights (so long, light bar) in a smoked housing. We don’t know if the darker finish will carry over to production – at least, not on the base model. A subtle “trailing edge” spoiler gives the Civic a more radiant profile appearance while helping aerodynamics, and the dual tailpipes on the prototype provide a sportier grip. This car is finished in Solar Flare Pearl paint and includes 19-inch black wheels, which Honda will eventually offer on the production car.
The Honda Civic 2022 will be available in two body styles: sedan and sedan. The company has already announced the discontinuation of the coupe, but the Si sedan and Type R sedan will live in the next generation and still offer standard manual transmissions.
Interior design
Inside, the 2022 Honda Civic sees the most dramatic changes. The only render provided by the company shows a flat, horizontal dashboard design and very few buttons. The goal, according to Honda, was to maintain the Civic’s focus on exceptional ergonomics and visibility. According to the designers, the overall theme is intended to mimic the simplistic layout of the interior of the All-Electric Honda E.
The design itself provides for modest changes to the finishing parts and the general layout. Most notable of the new elements is the honeycomb-shaped accent that extends from below the touchscreen towards the passenger-side dashboard. Take a closer look and you’ll notice that the trim conceals the HVAC vents, giving the impression of a continuous design element. And rather than integrated into the dashboard, the touchscreen now sits above it.
Technology and security
The central touchscreen inside the Honda Civic goes from 7.0 inches in the current model to a more robust 9.0 inches here in the prototype. The new interior design also sees the larger screen move up the dashboard, iPad style, rather than integrated into the interior. The Civic is also the first Honda product to feature a fully digital instrument panel.
When it comes to safety, the Honda Civic has always been one of the safest options in the segment. The current 2020 model receives the brand’s Honda Sensing active safety equipment series at every trim level. We expect the 2022 Civic to be even safer. While the company is not willing to share details yet, Honda says the new Civic will have “several new active and passive safety systems,” which includes upgrades to the Honda Sensing suite.
Price and release date
As we said, this is only a prototype. The real 2022 Honda Civic will likely not show up until early next year before hitting dealerships soon after. But we won’t know the details of the new Civic’s launch until the production version officially debuts in the first quarter of 2021.
The official price for the 2022 Honda Civic, meanwhile, will come even later. The current Honda Civic starts at $ 21,050 for the base LX model, and the high-end Touring trim starts at $ 28,100. That doesn’t include the hot Honda Civic Type R hatchback, which starts at $ 37,495 for 2021. Given that the 2022 Civic is a pretty big overhaul, we’d expect this version to cost around the same price when. it will be put on sale, if not a slight increase.
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