Honda Civic X 3

While the Honda Civic Hatchback Prototype has been teased ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut next month, over in Europe our spy photographers have already captured the real thing out and about. This is the first time the cooking model has been spotted – previously only the hotted-up Type R model has been seen.

Despite being a standard model, the new tenth-generation model is a very sporty looking thing indeed, with a sleek, low slung look and aggressive styling details, likely denoting a warmer Type S model. Over at the front, the hatch sports a very similar mask-like fascia – with optional full-LED headlights – to the sedan and coupé, but adds protruding lower splitters.

The splitters carry over to the side skirts, while, as with the sedan, an extra side quarter glass appears to have sprouted aft of the rear doors. Interestingly, the new hatch loses the distinctive hidden rear door handles seen on both the previous eighth-gen and ninth-gen five-door models, instead featuring four conventional pull-type handles. Also spotted are large turbine design alloy wheels.

Honda Civic X 10

At the rear, it’s pretty much as seen on the sole teaser photo, with C-shaped tail lights that, like on previous models, go across the tailgate and split the rear windscreen. There’s a separate spoiler on top as well, while a very aggressive diffuser low down frames a pair of centre exhaust exits.

Honda has already confirmed that the next Civic will arrive in Europe with 127 hp/200 Nm 1.0 litre and 201 hp/260 Nm 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engines, while the current Type R‘s larger 310 PS/400 Nm 2.0 litre turbo mill, as well as the 1.6 and 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesels, should also be carried over. As with the US-market sedan, expect the hatch to be offered with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT.