2016
Honda Civic Coupe
Honda has just
introduced the coupe variant. The car is on show this week at the Los Angeles
Auto Show and will be arriving in showrooms next March, as a 2016 model.
You’ll immediately
notice that the new Civic Coupe is much sleeker and sportier than the
previous-generation model. It features a lower roofline and more planted
stance. Honda says there’s a longer wheelbase (+2.9 inches), wider body (+1.9
inches) and shortened front overhang (-1.4 inches). These extra proportions see
interior space grows by 8.4 cubic feet and rear-seat legroom by as much as 5.0
inches—not bad for a compact.
Both the new Civic
Sedan and Civic Coupe share a platform that brings weight savings and
improvements in torsional rigidity, ensuring that the 10th-generation Civic
models are far superior to the predecessor models when it comes to driving
dynamics. The suspension is also completely new, with redesigned MacPherson
struts up front and a new multi-link rear setup mounted to a rigid rear subframe.
Honda also blessed the
new coupe with same powertrain options as the sedan, including a base 2.0-liter
i-VTEC I-4 (158 hp, 138 lb-ft of torque) mated to a six-speed manual or CVT.
The step-up engine is a new turbocharged 1.5-liter I-4 making 174 hp and 162
lb-ft. The turbo is mated to a CVT with unique tuning. Both engines make
significantly more power than the outgoing 1.8-liter I-4 engine’s 133 hp and
129 lb-ft. The 2.0-liter is the most powerful base engine ever offered in a
Civic and the turbo 1.5-liter is the most powerful non-Si engine offered in the
Civic. Fuel economy ratings for the 2.0-liter engine are said to be 31/41/35
mpg city/highway/combined, while Honda anticipates the turbo 1.5-liter will
return 31/42/35 mpg. Official EPA ratings are still pending.
The interior is pretty
much lifted straight from the sedan. All trim levels receive significant
upgrades to interior style, with soft-touch materials and high-grade finishes,
along with a bevy of new standard and available features, including the Honda
Sensing suite of electronic driver aids plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
smartphone integration systems. Other features, normally reserved for premium
cars, include remote engine start, heated seats and side mirrors, rain-sensing
wipers, and even LED headlights.
As mentioned, a
showroom appearance for the Civic Coupe will take place next March. Later in
2016, Honda will introduce a Civic 5-door hatchback and eventually the sporty
Civic Si and Civic Type R.
