Honda unveiled the new Civic Hatchback yesterday as a more practical and stylish alternative to the model’s sedan version. Initially, it’s also going to be the only 2022 Civic available on the market with a manual transmission until the next-generation Civic Type R arrives. It turns out we won’t have to wait too long until we see the hot hatch from Japan.
The original press information from Honda regarding the US-market Civic Hatchback didn’t include information about the new Type R but a version of the press release for the global audience does mention it will arrive in 2022 together with the Civic Hybrid. The automaker doesn’t explain whether that’s for the Japanese, European, or North American market, though we expect both models to be available worldwide with a staged launch throughout 2022.
More Civic News Of Note:
That’s literally everything Honda wants to share for now but, thankfully, we have some early details about the new Civic Type R to share with you. There are contradicting rumors, though, as far as we know, it will be offered exclusively with a manual transmission and will become the brand’s last purely gasoline-powered vehicle in Europe. Also, don’t expect to see an AWD performance hatch as the automaker has officially ruled out the possibility for an all-wheel-drive derivative of the eleventh-generation Civic.
At this early point, it looks like the new Civic Type R will be an evolution of the current model with tweaks to the tried-and-tested formula. This means a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine should provide power for the hot hatch, channeling power to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. A minor power boost is likely in the cards but don’t expect anything huge considering the CTR will be driven by its front wheels only.
Source: Honda