AUCKLAND, New Zealand December 10th, 2021 – Today Honda releases the 2022, 11th-generation Civic Hatch to the New Zealand market. The most fun-to-drive Civic Hatch ever combines striking, Euro-inspired exterior styling and five-door versatility with an even sportier driving experience.
Inspired by the coupe-like profile of European sportbacks, the 2022 Civic Hatch builds upon the 11th Generations new clean and simple exterior design direction in a fresh and exhilarating new way. It also promises driving enthusiasts an even more dynamic experience, with ride and handling developed in Europe and an upgraded 1.5-liter turbocharged engine.
The all new Civic includes technological updates including our most advanced and comprehensive Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies ever offered in New Zealand. Key standard equipment includes a 9” color touchscreen, Bose premium sound system and a 7-inch digital instrument display.
“Civic is a critical part of Honda’s DNA in New Zealand, and that continues with the new 11th-generation” said Matt Woodburn, Marketing & Product Manager.. “With its sporty, fun-to-drive driving character, Euro exterior styling and flexible interior packaging, the new Civic Hatch will appeal to those new Honda fans as well as our long term Civic loyalists”
As Honda’s longest-running automotive nameplate, globally customers have purchased more than 24 million Civics since 1972, making it one of the top six best-selling passenger cars globally, ever. New Zealand was the first country outside Japan to assemble the Civic, and they were assembled on our shores up until the 6th Generation.
What's New:
Key Features (Standard)
Man Maximum/Machine Minimum Philosophy “Sokai Civic”
In designing the 11th-generation Civic, Honda stylists and engineers sought to create a car that would be a “breath of fresh air” they set the grand design concept as “Sokai Civic” with goal of creating a truly refreshing and enjoyable vehicle. They focused on the original Honda design approach of “Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum” (or “M/M”), which uses technology and design to serve the needs of the driver and passengers. The styling of the 2022 Civic manifests these timeless design concepts in a fresh and exhilarating new way.
A “thin and light” body design with a low hood and front fenders, and a low horizontal beltline grounds the body, accentuates the wheels and tires, and enables an expansive, airy greenhouse. Inside, the M/M approach results in a strikingly simple, clean and modern take on classic Civic values. By evoking the uncluttered cabin design of early generations of Civic, the new model’s interior features exceptional visibility, intuitive ergonomics, extraordinary passenger volume and driver-focused technology.
Sporty Exterior Design
With a coupe-like profile inspired by European sportbacks, the 2022 Civic Hatch sports a new exterior design in a distinctive and sporty way. Its low hood, front fenders and horizontal beltline grounds the body, accentuates the wheels and tires, and enables an expansive, airy greenhouse. A low beltline with horizontal windowsills and door-mounted side mirrors takes inspiration from the 3rd Generation Civic, and improves visibility while maintaining the clean lines of the exterior. A sharp shoulder character line carves a gentle arc from the front fender to the taillights, giving continuity to the design. The lower character line carries up from the bottom of the front door, rising across the rear doors, and through the rear fenders for an enhanced sense of motion.
Compared to the 10th-generation Civic Hatch, its windshield pillars also have been moved rearward by nearly 5 centimeters, its wheelbase is 3.5cm longer and its rear track is 1.3 cm wider.
Civic Hatch incorporates unique styling cues to give it an even sportier attitude, including a distinctive grille mesh with a slight concave shape.
The Hatch’s smoother, sleeker roof line is made possible by a new lightweight composite hatch and by moving the hinge mechanism outward, allowing a roof height reduction of 50 mm in the hinge area. A unique taillight design, and center high-mounted high stop light that spans nearly the entire width of its hatch, further emphasize Hatch’s wider rear track. LED lighting is used extensively for the exterior, including the wide-set headlights, daytime running lights, parking lights and fog lights.
Four colors are available on the 2022 Civic Hatch, including the new to Civic Premium Crystal Red, Civic exclusive Sonic Grey Pearl is carried over along with customer favorites Premium White Pearl and Crystal Black Pearl.
Versatile Human-Centered Interior Design
By evoking the human-centered cabin design of early generations of Civic, the Hatch’s new interior is simple, clean and uncluttered with exceptional visibility, intuitive ergonomics, extraordinary passenger volume and driver-focused technology.
The pulled-back A-pillars, low hood, flat dashboard and hidden windshield wipers enable a windshield with clearly defined corners for a panoramic view. The instrument panel is designed with a minimum of cutlines to reduce windshield reflections and visual distractions, and the attractive new metal honeycomb instrument panel accent isn’t just visually striking, it hides the air vents. Class-above materials are also used, especially on touchpoints, and careful attention has been paid to the premium action of all switchgear and controls.
In the rear, Civic Hatch features larger side windows, a new small corner window in the C-pillar and a single piece rear window to enhance rearward visibility, creating a more spacious and airy feeling for rear seat passengers.
Civic Hatch rear legroom has been improved by nearly 3.5 cm and rear headroom has been preserved, thanks to the new hinge design for the new composite hatch.
Interior versatility is key to Civic Hatch’s unique character, with generous cargo space more easily accessible thanks to a 4cm wider lower hatch opening and low lift-over height. The standard 60/40 split seatback can be quickly folded for expanded capacity and the side-pull cargo cover makes it easy to quickly open or conceal the rear cargo area.
Standard on the Civic Hatch is Honda’s new Anti-fatigue Seat (Debuted in New Zealand earlier this year in the Next Generation Jazz) enhances comfort on long drives. Trim is take to the next level with combination perforated leather and Ultra Suede® seats with added shoulder support. Both Drivers and Passengers seats are power adjust 8 and 4 way respectively.
New Rigid Body Improves Dynamics and Safety Performance
Civic Hatch’s new body structure shows significant gains in rigidity, with a 19 percent improvement in torsional rigidity versus the previous generation. The stiffer structure supports improvements in ride, handling and refinement. Reductions in noise, vibration and harshness are further augmented with the extensive use of structural adhesives, spray-in foam in the pillars, and additional sound deadening in the firewall and under the floor.
To meet present and anticipated future collision standards while minimizing additional weight, Civic Hatch uses the next generation of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. This is realized through careful design coupled with the use of lightweight materials, such as aluminum and various grades of high-strength steel, as well as the additional structural adhesives.
Sporty and Fun Powertrains
For the 11th-generation the Civic is standard with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder producing 131 kilowatt at 6,000 rpm and 240 newton meters of torque at 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. Multiple measures contribute to improved fuel economy ratings, including new more efficient turbo plumbing and the addition of Variable Timing and lift Electronic Control (VTEC®) to the exhaust valves.
It’s coupled with a revised CVT that enhances fuel efficiency through the use of a more robust electric hydraulic pump that reduces the load on the mechanical pump, and a ball-bearing secondary shaft to reduce friction. The CVT also has been programmed to provide early downshifts during braking and features revised Step-Shift programming that simulates physical gear changes under hard acceleration for a more familiar and enjoyable driving experience. Fuel efficiency and emissions are also improved due in part to a new standard idle-stop system and a new catalytic converter design.
In addition to the standard Normal and Eco driving modes the 2022 Civic Hatch with now features a user-selectable Sport mode. Using a toggle switch on the center console, the new Sport mode alters the drive ratios and mapping for a sportier feel. Eco mode reduces throttle and transmission sensitivity, as well as air conditioning output to help preserve fuel efficiency.
Chassis Tuned for Responsiveness, Fun-to-Drive and Comfort
For maximum driver enjoyment, Civic Hatch’s suspension and steering were developed in Europe and fine-tuned for North America. Civic has long been recognized as the benchmark for sporty handling in the compact class, and this is the most fun-to-drive Civic Hatch ever.
The front MacPherson struts feature new low-friction ball joints and front damper mount bearings to improve steering feel and self-centering. The spring and damper alignment has been optimized to minimize operational friction, and a new larger compliance bushing with an improved bushing axis minimizes harshness.
The rear track’s 0.5-inch additional width adds stability and the additional 3.5 centimeters of wheelbase help smooth out its ride quality. New rear lower control arm bushings promote better straight-line stability and turn in, while reducing noise and vibration inside the cabin. The electronic power steering has been re-tuned to provide better feedback and improved straight-line stability.
These suspension and steering upgrades result in a smoother, more linear and more precise feel in turns, with the reduction in yaw delay leading to a more responsive and synchronized feeling behind the wheel. Additionally, the reduced suspension friction and improved bushings help reduce harsh road shock, such as when going over railroad crossings, by 20 percent.The all-new aluminum front subframe, with an efficient truss and rib structure, provides rigidity and stability.
Technology that Serves the Driver
This is also the most technologically advanced Civic Hatch ever featuring a new 7-inch color LCD drivers display which features an all-digital tachometer and information display on the left side, and a physical speedometer dial on the right.
Drivers also can display a variety of user-selectable information, such as the current music selection and a trip computer, on the left and right side of the screen. The middle of the display is used to indicate the status of various Honda Sensing® safety and driver-assistive systems, and the Civic icon on the screen features brake lights, headlights and turn signals that turn on and off with those functions.
Civic Hatch Sport features an all-new 9” color touchscreen, which is the largest touchscreen ever offered in Civic, wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ (wired) integration, and standard Qi-compatible wireless charging.
In addition to large, easy-to-recognize icons and a simplified navigation structure with fewer embedded menus, the 9” touchscreen features a physical volume knob and hard buttons for Home and Back functions. A 0.8-inch finger rest immediately below the screen on all Civics provides a stable surface to rest your hand, so using the touchscreen is easier and less distracting while driving.
Civic First Bose Premium Sound System
A new Bose audio system takes Civic audio to the next level, thanks to Centerpoint 2 and Bose SurroundStage digital signal processing that is custom-engineered precisely for the Civics new interior. Regardless of seating position, drivers and passengers are placed in the middle of the music, with a clear and spacious listening experience for all audio content.
Expert audio engineers developed the Bose sound system with advanced components and technologies, working closely with Honda engineers to integrate the system early in the vehicle design process for optimal performance. Clear, impactful sound is delivered through high-performance Bose speakers, strategically placed throughout the Civic’s interior for exceptional music reproduction across all frequencies, low to high.
Helping to preserve the quality of the listening experience, Dynamic Speed Compensation technology automatically adjusts volume and tone based on vehicle speed, reducing the need for drivers to manually adjust settings while on the road.
Bose Premium Sound System details:
Stiffer Body Structure Improves Dynamics and Safety Performance
The 11th-generation Civic body structure is the most rigid in Civic history. The Hatch variant includes multiple new active and passive safety systems. This includes a first for Honda in New Zealand in the application of driver and passenger knee airbags.
Civic’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure is enhanced for improved compatibility with larger vehicles.
Standard in the Civic Hatch is a new Honda Sensing® suite of active safety and driver-assistive technologies that uses a new single-camera system providing a longer, wider field of view than the previous radar-and-camera based system. Combined with software advances and a new, more powerful processor, the system is capable of more quickly and accurately hazards, along with road lines and road signs. Honda Sensing® also adds Traffic Jam Assist, and the new camera-based system improves on existing functionality, such as more natural brake application and quicker reactions when using Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). It also has more linear and natural steering action when using the Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS).
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