2023 Honda Civic e:HEV launches in Malaysia; should it come to PH?

MANILA: The brand-new 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV hybrid was just released in the local market by Honda Malaysia. With the addition of the hybrid model, the Civic portfolio has increased to four, providing buyers with a large selection of options.

The classic global small car from Honda, the Civic, is the foundation for the 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV. The all-new hybrid Civic builds on its 50-year legacy by combining outstanding performance and efficiency with increased levels of interior comfort, aesthetic appeal, and general utility.

It completes Honda's ambition to electrify all of its mainstream models by the end of 2023, particularly for the European market, by coming standard with the company's reliable e:HEV powertrain technology.

In its latest guise, the Civic embodies a new, progressive ‘exhilarating‘ approach to design. Coupled with Honda’s ‘Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum’ (M/M) development principle, this joint approach has shaped all aspects of the Civic’s design and development.

The 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV features a sleek and sporty silhouette, which has been achieved through lowering the bonnet line 25 millimeters over the previous generation, whilst the glass area has been increased to create a light and airy interior. To exude a refined, premium feeling, cleaner, noiseless, surfacing has been applied, with more defined belt and feature lines highlighting key details.

Enhancing the assured stature of the vehicle is its lower character line, as well as giving improved visibility from the rear seats. In comparison to the previous generation Civic, the base of the A-pillar has been positioned further back to align with the center of the front wheels, this gives the car a more balanced proportion in profile as well as a wider, more assured stance from all angles. The highest point of the roofline has been placed further forward than the previous Civic, with a gentle slope to the tailgate creating a sleek, fast-back style look.

This sleeker body profile makes tires appear larger and in combination with the wider track and tighter wheel-arch hemming, achieves a sporty, ground-hugging stance. Despite taking a new approach to aesthetics, the famed practicality and human centric thinking of the Civic family remains a key characteristic. For example, the side mirrors are now attached directly to the front doors, helping reduce unnecessary blind spots and supporting the safety of drivers and passengers.

The Civic is known for being a versatile hatchback, and the 11th generation continues this tradition by offering more room and functionality than before. The 35mm longer wheelbase has enabled designers to increase dynamic performance and straight-line stability while also constructing a larger, more pleasant cabin. For the first time in Civic history, the tailgate is now made of resin.

It is 20% lighter than the previous Civic because of the use of innovative manufacturing techniques, making it simpler to open and close. The supporting hinges have also been shifted outward, resulting in a cleaner roofline and adding to the new, more streamlined rear appearance.

Once inside the 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV, the horizontal style of the dashboard emphasizes the width of the cabin which, when combined with a wider field of vision gives a truly airy and open feeling. The interior also benefits from new tactile, high-quality materials throughout, including a striking metal honeycomb-pattern air vent detail running the width of the dashboard. On Advance grade the drivers’ display now features a 10.2-inch HD color LCD panel for improved visibility.

The Civic's use of Honda's proven e:HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) powertrain technology includes the use of a new 72-cell lithium-ion battery, two small but potent electric motors, and a newly developed two-liter direct-injection, Atkinson-cycle engine. The powertrain's combined maximum motor output is 135 kW, and its maximum torque is 315 Nm. A number of new components have been added to the architecture of the most recent internal combustion engine iteration to enable it attain a thermal efficiency of 41%, one of the greatest numbers in the automotive industry for a production road car.

Managing the engine is a new, compact Power Control unit that now lies under the bonnet with the rest of the powertrain to provide the primary drive force for the 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV. The newest iteration of Honda's Intelligent Power Unit, which is located underneath the back seats, is lighter and smaller but has a higher energy density. This technology provides the impression of immediate torque and strong acceleration while maintaining exceptional efficiency.

Without the driver's input, this cutting-edge drivetrain can seamlessly switch between EV, hybrid, and engine driving. Four drive modes - Eco, Normal, Sport and a new Individual mode, which allows individual management of the engine, transmission and cluster gauge display, can be set by the driver to personalize the vehicle response as necessary.

At the heart of the e:HEV system is the fixed gear transmission. It has been engineered to minimize mechanical friction, and is managed by an intelligent power control unit that adapts the vehicle to each driving circumstance. The 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV is expected to emit less than 110 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

The 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV also features Honda’s expanded Sensing suite of advanced safety features and driver aids.

A new 100-degree front wide-view camera and enhanced recognition technology improve the Civic’s capacity to identify pedestrians, road lines, boundaries, other vehicles including motorcycles and cyclists. For the first time, the all-new Civic is equipped with sonar sensors – four at the front and four at the rear.

In addition to improved Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keep Assist and i-ACC technology, Low Speed Braking Control, Blind Spot Information, Cross Traffic Monitor and Traffic Jam Assist are all new additions to the Civic’s comprehensive active safety offering.

In addition to the new active safety technology, new structural components have also been incorporated to meet Euro NCAP’s stringent safety standards.

These include additional door beams that improve side collision performance; front bumper beam safety plates that absorb impact energy to reduce leg and knee damage; a total of 11 airbags including side airbags for the rear seats; knee airbags for the front seats to reduce occupant injury during front impact; and a front center airbag for the driver seat to prevent a collision between the driver and front passenger during side impact.

The all-new Civic e:HEV is the most dynamic, efficient, and safest Civic yet thanks to its premium light and airy interior, refined, clean external design, sophisticated safety and convenience systems, and ideal balance of economy and performance.

The Honda Civic has sold more than 27.5 million copies worldwide since its release in 1972. As it debuts in Malaysia today, the 2023 Honda Civic e:HEV will build on the achievements of earlier iterations and set new standards for its class.

Photos from Honda

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