It’s here – Honda Malaysia has finally opened the order books for the new 11th-generation Civic on our shores. The FE, which will be launched in the first quarter of 2022, replaces the popular tenth-generation FC and aims to continue the company’s stranglehold at the top of the C-segment sedan market.
Only the range-topping RS model is being shown at the moment, powered by a revised 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo four-cylinder. Unlike in Thailand, we get the full outputs of 182 PS at 6,000 rpm and 240 Nm from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm (up 8 PS and 20 Nm), sent to the front wheels via the usual CVT. A leaked memo indicated that the forced-induction engine will be made standard, ditching the base 1.8 litre i-VTEC naturally-aspirated mill – but we’ll have to wait until the launch of the car to know for sure.
I’m sure you’ve already seen the styling and made up your mind about it, so here’s the Cliff Notes version. The FE has a cleaner, more mature design with straighter body lines and the ditching of the FC’s characteristic “Solid Wing Face” front bar and C-shaped taillights. In their place are a slimmer grille and headlight combination and Audi-like trapezoidal LED taillights. The C-pillar kink remains, however.
Unique to the RS model are automatic LED reflector headlights with darkened internals, a gloss black rear spoiler, visible twin tailpipes and gloss black highlights – the latter can be found on the wing mirrors, door handles and shark fin antenna. There are also a smattering of RS badges, and while the Thai- and Indonesian-spec models have to make do with 17-inch alloy wheels, we get the same 18s found on the US and Japanese cars, coming with a handsome Y-spoke design and a matte black finish.
Against the measuring tape, the new Civic is 4,678 mm long, 1,802 mm wide and 1,415 mm tall, making it 30 mm longer, three millimetres wider and one millimetre lower than before; its 2,733 mm wheelbase is also 33 mm longer. Honda says that the latter provides more legroom, especially for rear occupants.
We’re not allowed to show you photos of the interior until after the launch, but we do know that the Civic will come with a more upscale interior than the outgoing model. International photos show a clean horizontal dashboard, a freestanding infotainment touchscreen and full-width air vents with a honeycomb metal mesh cover. The company promises improved material and switchgear quality in concert with the more upmarket look, as well as increased visibility thanks to the A-pillars being pushed 50 mm rearward.
In terms of safety, the RS comes with the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features, which include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, lane keeping assist and automatic high beam. New for the FE is a Lead Car Departure Notification System, which alerts the driver if the car in front is moving off from a stop. It remains to be seen if the entire package will be offered as standard, as is the case in Thailand.
Also fitted are six airbags, stability control, an electronic parking brake with auto brake hold and Agile Handling Assist, the latter being a brake-activated torque vectoring system. Honda’s LaneWatch blind spot camera is also fitted to the RS.
Honda is promising some improvements under the skin, including a stiffer body structure, increased sound insulation and a retuned chassis aimed at delivering a better ride and handling balance. The new Civic also comes with a new Sport mode, activated by a centre console toggle switch, which sharpens the throttle and CVT response and adds more weight to the steering for a more engaging driving experience.
GALLERY: 2022 Honda Civic official teaser photos
owsem Civic 182PS , hear that VtecKickedinYo’
Love it but having a CVT system means you won’t be getting much out of it
When a merc dp comes to gip comment on honda article, obviously you are not owning one, lol
Hatchback looks better
Kudos honda. Good cars come to those who wait
In overseas, they use blind spot monitor but in here, we got LaneWatch blind spot camera with no 360 degree parking system
ketam better and powerful than civic fe
Steering rack solved?
bring in the si
Old-type design
Its almost like Honda pulled out all the stops to design the previous Civic FC just to run out of any innovative design ideas and created a bland unassuming car with the FE.
It does not stand out as a design like the FC does. No unique design cues at all.
Unique desin also no use, still ugly what
If BS BQ QC is not enough, such an ugly looking back will definitely kill Honda if their BS BQ QC haven’t. RIP Honda MY, BQ my foot.
Syukurlah Malaysia masih aman.
Please come with bose speaker plsssssssss
What happened to their designer?
uncle car, old design, toyota corolla more sporty
Overnight the Civic has gone from cutting edge sporty and futuristic, to super bland uncle car design.
Something is wrong with Honda management.
Exterior design no wow factor and not sporty. Interior wise great improvement over civic Fc.
good car with improvements over FC. have its own way in beauty. either you love it or hate it. but will the petty Honda Malaysia improve on the steering rack claim issue? putting blames on use of different rim size when it’s own variants have different sizes. Not an issue in US.
Dayum that rear looks out of place. Honda also ought to retire that old Lane Watch system and hopefully their factory QC has improved….?
This is one car that I think the hatchback version can out sell the sedan. Bring on the CivicHatch.
Saw someone said the car designer received a paycut during the MCO lol
Sure can’t get good sales in Malaysia, 80% Malaysia Civic is with Red Emblem Type R.
Super ugly car. Looks outcdated. Suitable for uncle. . Give em 3 years max this car will stop selling
Clamshells will one day grown up too, yes this generation looks much more mature but looks are subjective and one day may became aesthetic fatigue too.
Hot headed young chaps will grow too so there’s this civic for another demographic, longer wheelbase also means even more practical for the matured ones who’s going to have family.
Best of all, one for track one for family outings lo…
The Civic reminds us of a bygone era, when the common man aspired to own their C- or D-segment sedan of choice. Back then, most hatchbacks were too small and cramped, MPVs were too ugly, and SUVs and pickup trucks were too utilitarian and crude.
In fact, just 5 to 10 years ago, our local market for C- and D-segment sedans (non-luxury) was still relatively healthy and competitive. The Corolla Altis/Camry, Civic/Accord/Perdana, Sylphy/Teana, Elantra/Sonata, Cerato/Forte/Optima, Mazda3/Mazda6, Lancer/Inspira, Prevé, Jetta/Passat all enjoyed decent to excellent sales. There were others too like the Focus/Mondeo, Peugeot 508, Fluence, Cruze/Malibu etc..
Fast forward to 2021, and Proton doesn’t even make a C/D sedan anymore, Corolla is ‘niche’, Mazda3/6 pricing is almost in Mercedes territory, Accord and Camry has replaced Perdana as the official ‘kereta sedan MP’, Lancer and Sylphy/Teana are long gone, Korean C/D sedans are all gone except for Elantra/Sonata, Euro sedans are all also gone save for the Passat and Arteon (the sole new D-sedan nameplate introduced here in the last few years, and CKD too)…
Civic is the only exception in the dying C/D-sedan segment, somehow retaining its popularity in our market, at least up to the previous FC generation. I’m pretty sure FC Civic sales alone accounted for over 50 percent of all C/D-sedan sales here over the last few years… even higher if you consider CKD-only models.
Speaking about CKD, every single generation of Civic has been assembled here in Malaysia, since 1977 no less. CKD assembly initially took place at Kah Motor’s Oriental Assemblers plant in Johor up to about 2004, when production shifted to the Honda Malaysia plant in Malacca, with the ES facelift.
Needless to say, Civic was a consistent Top 10 best-seller in our market up to the late 1990s. In 1992, Civic ranked fourth in sales, and in 1996, it was the best-selling non-national car. 23 years later, Civic’s little brother City would claim that very same title.
Although the traditional market for C/D-sedans is now all but dominated by overpriced (crossover) SUVs, ‘squashed’ A/B-sedans, arguably superior hatchbacks, and car-like pickup trucks, I still believe the sportiness of C-sedans, and the prestige of D-sedans will always have their place in the market, and those few that survive like the Civic, will go on to represent the best the segment has to offer.
Good luck to Honda Malaysia, here’s hoping the new FE will live up to the FC, if not by popularity, at least in spirit.
Deswai buy sekenhen Civic FC is smart choice,
cant see interior cos its gonna be disappointing
Wish Honda Malaysia would introduce the Si here. While it’s great that the Type R has been brought in officially, the price has gone up significantly (from 8th Gen to 10th Gen). The Si would fill in the gap nicely, between the RS and the Type R, for people who want a little more engaging drive but not necessarily want to (or can afford to) spend north of RM300k for a performance Civic.
We prefer hatchback….
Awesome interior but lousy quality!
I prefer the look of civic ketam better
Booking placed but will definitely cancel if the car does not come with the bose sound system when launched.
Does it comes with Bose now ?
Design like a modern proton saga, disappointied
This FE will suffer the similar fate like the FB.