On display at the Honda stand at the 2016 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) is the Honda Civic Hatchback Prototype, which first made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year.
Now, it is not unusual for a regional motor show to feature show cars previewing production models which are not coming to said region – see, for example, the Honda EV-STER, which previewed the S660 kei roadster, displayed at the 2013 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) – but this one’s a bit different.
You see, Honda Australia has confirmed that it will receive the Civic hatch in the first half of next year. That’s not big news in itself, as the current five-door is also sold Down Under – but while that car comes all the way from Swindon, UK, the next generation will be built just up north from us in Thailand.
This means that the upcoming Civic hatch will almost certainly be offered for sale in ASEAN markets, as it wouldn’t make much sense for the Thai plant to build a model solely for sale in Australia. The question of whether Malaysia will receive it is a bit more difficult to answer – our Civic sedan is locally-assembled – but it’s certainly a more likely proposition now than if the car came all the way from the UK.
When the Civic hatch does go on sale in Australia, it will be offered with the same 139 hp/174 Nm 1.8 litre naturally-aspirated i-VTEC and 170 hp/220 Nm 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo four-cylinder petrol engines and continuously variable transmission (CVT) as the sedan, and the rest of the region in general.
As for the show car itself, the matte grey Prototype is exactly like how you’d imagine a truncated Civic sedan would look like – there’s no boot, obviously, but the low-slung roofline remains, as do the distinctive C-shaped tail lights. The hatch gains pronounced rear haunches to differentiate it from its four-door sibling.
The outlandish bodykit seen here will apparently make it onto production models pretty much unscathed – as seen in spyshots and patent drawings – with only the green highlights, massive wheels and twin centre exhaust exits not making the cut.
GALLERY: Honda Civic Hatchback Prototype official images
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Cantik sekali.
duh! Civic sedan sudah x jalan … hatchback ni hodoh lagi
Very soon Honda will stop CKDing cars in Malaysia and just make in in Thailand. Even the Japanese now can see, Thailand is a better investment than Malaysia.
This is because in Malaysia, our culture is sleepign during work hours as promoted and defended by MAS and Perkasa. As Perkasa represents the majority, this means, it is really our culture to sleep during work hours.
Over do a bit.
Exactly overdone! The front lamp and bonnet looks ok, but the bumper is too overly done!
Profile / side view is terrible and horrible. It looks proportionally freaking ugly and abnormal!
Rear view / lamp, Honda, please redesign it to make it a real unique / sportier looking rear, instead of plucking the same rear lamp of Civic sedan and apply here, wanna clear the stock?
For me, it feels like to make a hatch back simply because “they need to produce a hatch back”.
cvt killing it..
Exactly. Couldn’t agree more.
Green brake calipers? 0_o
I hope HMSB will consider assembling the FC Civic hatch as well.
In June, HMSB Malacca’s Civic production actually exceeded City production. 2,067 vs. 1,053 units. In one month, HMSB produced more FC Civics than they did FB Civics in the first six months of 2015 (2,022 units). Just imagine that for a moment…
I don’t see why HMSB shouldn’t CKD the FC Civic hatch as well. They’re already assembling the engines here (if I’m not mistaken), and a lot of parts/ components are shared with the FC sedan, so they don’t need to expend all that much more on localisation costs. If the FC hatch comes in as a CBU, then surely it will probably cost RM15 to 30k extra compared to the sedan.
If I had to choose between the FC hatch or sedan, I’d pick the hatch anyday. Looks more ganas and even more futuristic compared to the sedan.
MY market likes proper sedan (civic 10) or proper hatchback (Jazz, Myvi, Iriz). fastbacks like Lancer sportsback, Suprima S, Focus HB r not popular. Chances of CKD civic HB is minimal unless market hot for it.
Yes we like sedan but Civic sedan rear end is too futuristically weird (or simply ugly or out of proportion).
But the hatch looks so much more better.
Very funny Honda. That’s no prototype, but quite literally 99% production capable. I like this hatchback version better than the sedan which I think has some odd proportions. Now hoping that they come out with a wagon variant. That will be hot!
damn ugly, getting uglier..
All New Civic Turbo hatch ini akan diproduksi CKD di Indonesia tahun depan
fak bodykit look like Ahbeng car!!
I am here begging to Honda M’sia, pls offer manual transmission.
HM says if u book 1000 units right now, then they will consider ur request.
side profile like iriz.
Please bring in 1.5T + 6MT version instead.
This hatch will produced in Indonesia next year.