Honda’s redesigned 2022 Civic compact sedan made quite an impression on its debut earlier this year, and now it’s joined by the hatchback sibling, set to build on that formula for success.
The hatchback has two roles to play, as the coupe does not return to the 11th generation Civic. It will be both the sportier and more practical choice than the sedan, with a 6-speed manual transmission and more cargo space.
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Seeing the hatchback in person confirmed what our previous spy footage showed: it has more of a fastback profile than the clunkier look on the previous hatchback. According to Honda, this is partly due to a new composite tailgate. The lower weight of the tailgate allowed for a smaller hatch mechanism and thus a smoother design. The hatchback is 4.9 inches shorter than the sedan, with the entire length deducted from the rear overhang, making the hatchback look abbreviated in profile.
Otherwise, the styling between the two models is similar from the B-pillar to the front. The hatchback gets a honeycomb grille and a slightly lowered hood to make it look sportier, but these changes are very subtle. The good news, however, is that the hatchback is not to be confused with an Accord.
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Underpinning the 2022 Civic range, including the hatchback, is a stiffer version of the front-wheel drive platform from the outgoing Civic. In the sedan, these changes result in a car that steers more confidently and drives well on both city streets and the freeway. We expect the same behavior with this body shape.
Powertrains correspond to those of the sedan. A base 2.0-liter in-line 4 with 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque can be found in the LX and Sport trims, while a spicier 1.5-liter turbo in-line 4 with 180 hp and 177 lb-ft in the EX and Sport Touring models (the latter replaces the sedan’s Touring trim). A continuously variable transmission is still standard in the hatchback, which will also offer an optional 6-speed manual transmission for Sport and Sport Touring. According to Honda, the manual’s deflections have been shortened and a dual-mass flywheel has been used to reduce drive noise and vibration. The manual is particularly helpful for the base engine, which has a fairly narrow power band.
Honda has not yet commented on future performance variants of the hatch, but we hope to see them in both Si and Type R forms at some point. The 1.5-liter turbo in-line 4 in the outgoing Si puts out 205 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, and the 2.0-liter turbo in-line 4 in the outgoing Type R spits 306 hp and 295 lb-ft out. Hopefully these numbers can grow a bit too.
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
Honda Civic Hatchback 2022
The cabin design is essentially the same as the sedan. This means digital screens for the instrument cluster (a partially digital screen is standard and a fully digital screen is available on higher-end models) and infotainment as well as standard wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sport Touring will be by far the best equipped of the four equipment variants; It will be the only option to get the larger 9.0-inch multimedia screen, a Bose sound system with 12 speakers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad.
With 24.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, the 2022 Civic hatchback also offers more cargo capacity than the sedan. That’s slightly behind the 25.7 cubic feet of the last generation Civic hatch, but it easily beats the 14.8 cubic feet of the 2022 Civic sedan. On the back there are two privacy screens, one of which is attached to the window and the other can be pulled over the top of the cargo area to keep prying eyes away from the valuables in the rear area.
While the sedan is being built at a plant in Alliston, Canada, the hatch will be sourced from a plant in Greensburg, Indiana. It will be the first time a Civic hatchback will be sourced from a US plant. The timing of the sale has not been announced, but Honda said the 2022 Civic will hit the market “later this year”. In the meantime, we are very much looking for price and fuel consumption figures.
