The 11th-generation Honda Civic Hatch has launched in Australia with a starting price of AU$ 47,200 (US$ 33,700). Aussies have been able to purchase a 10th-gen Civic hatch for as little as AU$ 31,000 (US$ 22,100) but for this new model, Honda Australia has decided to launch it in a single, well-equipped variant dubbed the VTi-LX. It will launch locally on December 6 and by pricing it considerably higher than the outgoing model, Honda aspires to position it as a more premium product.
Powering the Honda Civic Hatch VTi-LX is a
1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 175 hp at
6,000 rpm and 240 Nm of torque from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. This engine
is coupled to a continuously variable transmission driving the front wheels.
Next year, the range will grow with the arrival of Honda’s e:HEV hybrid
powertrain. The range will then be topped out by the new Civic Type R that’s
just around the corner.
Three driving modes are available for the
Civic VTi-LX, namely ECON, Normal, and a new Sport mode. The Sport mode
activates an exclusive shift map for the CVT and alters the drive ratios to
ensure revs remain above 2,000 rpm, except when stopped or driving at low
speeds.
A number of important features come
standard with the Civic VTi-LX. These include Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross
Traffic Alert, Traffic Jam Assist, Driver attention monitor, 9-inch infotainment
display, wireless Apple CarPlay, Qi wireless phone charger, over-the-air
updates, acoustic windshield, heated and auto-retractable wing mirrors, a
Plasmacluster ion-based air purification system, four-way electrically
adjustable front passenger seat, and ambient door trim and front footwell
lighting.
