The 2017 Honda Civic hatch has arrived on sale. Honda Australia this week said that the new five-door model will likely more than double its sales, with private buyers the main target for the company. Small hatchbacks are a favourite among those consumers.

The hatchback models are differentiated from their sedan siblings by unique front and rear bumpers with large black fake air vents (these are pretty polarising!), a black grille finish (unlike the chrome version on most of the sedan models), and all hatches have a body-colour roof spoiler, black hatch spoiler, and – obviously – a rear windscreen wiper.


The interior has a ‘charcoal’ head-liner, luggage tie-down hooks, and a retractable cargo blind. Honda calls this a lateral tonneau cover, and unlike in most other hatches, it isn’t capable of holding any weight like the traditional parcel shelf, it’s just there to stop people peering into your boot through the glass on the hatch.

The slightly sportier looking RS models are marginally different again, with twin central exhaust tips, piano black side skirts, black front and rear lower spoilers, and a 12-speaker stereo with subwoofer. It costs AUD 500 more than its sedan counterpart – see the full pricing run-down below.


The hatch model has a five-variant range, with no manual models available. The line-up kicks off with the VTi and VTi-S, both of which are powered by the brand’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine teamed to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) auto, while the VTi-L, RS and VTi-LX have a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, also with a CVT.

The  1.8L engine has 141 Hp of power at 6500 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4300 rpm, while the downsized 1.5L turbo model has a bit more grunt, with outputs of 173 Hp at 5500 rpm and 220 Nm from 1700-5500 rpm. The 1.8L uses a claimed 6.4 litres per 100 kilometres, while the 1.5L has a slightly lower claim – 6.1L/100km.


Obviously being a Honda there is a focus on practicality, with the Civic hatch offering the largest boot of any five-door model in its class: there’s a 414-litre cargo hold, which is a bit smaller than the sedan (519L) but has the added practicality of better load-in height.

The rear seats fold down in a 60:40 split, but there are no Magic Seats this time around. Standard equipment highlights include a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, not to mention Bluetooth phone and audio, a rear-view camera and six airbags (dual front, front-side and full-length curtains).


Here’s a full pricing and spec breakdown for the 2017 Honda Civic hatch range:
  •          VTi: AUD 22,390
  •          VTi-S: AUD 24,490
  •          VTi-L: AUD 27,790
  •          RS: AUD 32,290
  •          VTi-LX: AUD 33,590