Given I was so complimentary about the 2022 Civic I thought I might attend the official press launch, and learn some more details about it.
Believe it or not, this is the eleventh generation Civic. According to the press pack, it should embody Civic’s three key values of cutting edge technology, being fun to drive, and, of course being as reliable as the day is long. I can’t speak to the third of these – it will take a few years and a few hundred thousand miles before we know whether the eleventh generation measures up to it’s predecessors in terms of reliability. My stress testing of the self-driving features and a high speed razz along a curving road confirmed the first and second.
Two engines are offered, the base 2 litre and and 1.5 litre with a turbo, making 158 and 180 hp respectively.
The Si model has a manual transmission and Type R-like features such as automatic rev-matching on downshifts and a twelve speaker Bose stereo.
Obviously the important thing is the Type R; its not due till next year, although Honda have released some teaser images
I have respected Civics ever since I used a 160k 1996 example for a summer, and was struck by its incredible reliability. When I got it smogged, the tech said that unless he had seen it himself, he would not have believed it possible for such an old, high mile car to be running as cleanly as it was (this was in the days when they used an exhaust probe). This kind of longevity, doggedly loyal service built the Honda and Civic brands. I believe Honda’s marketing team when they say that for certain demographics, the 2022 Civic is aspirational yet affordable.
Practical but good to drive, well-priced but bristling with twenty-first century tech, the Civic leaves you wondering what sensible person would ever drive anything else.
Images : Honda
