New 2022 Honda Civic e:HEV hybrid revealed for Europe

2022 Honda Civic e:HEV:-The eleventh-generation Civic debuted in the US almost a year ago and has only just made it to Europe. Now he is a guest here: last year, Honda closed factories in the UK and Turkey, where Civics were made for the European market, and completely switched to imports. The new Civic will be delivered here from Japan, and the range is reduced to a minimum. Europeans are offered only a hatchback – and only in the new hybrid version of e: HEV, the debut of which is timed to coincide with the entry into the local market.

2022 Honda Civic e:HEV

2022 Honda Civic e:HEV

The electrification of the European range of Honda began a few years ago. The Jazz , HR-V and CR-V models are already sold only in hybrid versions in the local market, so the new Honda Civic only continued this trend. Its hybrid e:HEV system is designed in the same way as other gasoline-electric models of the company, and can operate in both serial and parallel modes.

Under the hood is a new-generation 2.0-liter naturally aspirated direct-injection engine that operates on the Atkinson economy cycle and has a high (though not a record) thermal efficiency of 41%. And two electric motors work with it. One is connected to the internal combustion engine and operates in generator mode, and the second rotates the front wheels. Its return is 184 hp. and 315 Nm.

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Most of the time, such a hybrid moves on electric traction: the internal combustion engine drives only the generator to charge the lithium-ion traction battery). But at high speed, when the efficiency of the electric motor drops, the clutch connects the gasoline engine directly to the wheels. There is no gearbox here. The average fuel consumption should be less than 5 l/100 km on the WLTP cycle. Driving electronics have Eco, Normal, Sport and customizable Individual modes.

Otherwise, the Honda Civic e:HEV for Europe is almost no different from petrol hatchbacks for other markets. It has a wheelbase of 2735 mm (35 mm more than the previous model ) and a chassis with a multi-link rear suspension, and the fifth door is made of composites (with a steel frame), which reduced its weight by 20% compared to the previous model and make the hinges more compact by adding headroom for the rear passengers.

And the main feature of the hybrid in the cabin is a push-button transmission control panel instead of the usual lever. The European Civic has virtual instruments on a 10.2-inch display (optional in other markets). There are two options for the media system – with a touchscreen of seven or nine inches. The Honda Sensing complex is included in the basic package, which includes an automatic braking system, adaptive cruise control and other assistants.

Sales of hatchbacks of the new generation will begin in Europe in the fall. Prices have not yet been announced, but it is clear that the hybrid will be significantly more expensive than the previous petrol model, which now costs from 21,300 euros. Even a more compact Honda Jazz with a hybrid system is priced at a minimum of 22,850 euros. According to the company’s plan, the Civic Type-R hot hatch, the new generation of which will be released this year, will remain the only purely gasoline model in the European range.