Hybrid-Only Honda Civic Now Priced from $49,990 in Australia

The Honda Civic has been facing an uphill sales battle in Australia with only 881 cars sold through November. That’s substantially less than the competition, including the Volkswagen Golf (2,593), Mazda 3 (9,618), and Hyundai i30 (11,616). To stem the tide somewhat, Honda has repositioned the Civic as a more up-market family car and made it 100 per cent hybrid (excluding the performance-focused Type R).

Now priced from $49,990 drive away, the new Honda Civic will be offered in two e:HEV hybrid variants (e:HEV L and e:HEV LX). Prices have gone up by $2,700 over the outgoing non-hybrid Civic with the top-end trim now costing $55,900 drive away. That does compare favourably to the Volkswagen Golf GTI (from $56,090 plus on-roads) but is substantially more expensive than the top-of-the-range Mazda 3 GT (from $38,570 plus on-roads).

The good news is that this price increase is more than outweighed by the added technology, and the major highlight is the fact that the 2.0-litre direct injection petrol is now combined with two electric motors to generate a combined 135kW of power and 315Nm of torque.

RELATED: Honda PRELUDE Concept Signals Return to Sports Car Roots with Hybrid Stunner.

Honda claims to have tuned the powertrain for a more dynamic driving experience while featuring multiple drive modes that alter the throttle response and fuel efficiency.

The four driving modes include: Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual. Sport as the name suggests provides more steering feedback coupled with a livelier throttle response. On the other hand, Eco mode prioritises efficiency with a tempered throttle response while Normal features an optimum mix of both performance and efficiency. Individual mode meanwhile lets you customise the steering feedback, throttle response and gauges. Standard is a single-speed fixed-gear transmission. In terms of fuel efficiency, the hybrid powertrain brings in better numbers at 4.2L/100km on a combined cycle.

We think the new Civic is significantly more handsome than its radical predecessors but Honda has further sharpened up the exterior with a redesigned front bumper and body-coloured lower headlamp garnishes.

Elsewhere, new 18-inch alloy wheels add a touch of sportiness to the design, and you can combine them with four colour options – Premium Crystal Red, Platinum White, Sonic Grey (available on e:HEV LX) and Seabed Blue (available on e:HEV L).

Sit inside and the sombre design philosophy remains, but the equipment list now has Google with the Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. The Honda connected car technology app has also been updated and the Honda SENSING suite of advanced drive assistance features has now been added.

With a gradual shift in its market positioning, sales of the Civic have seen a decline over the past few years while Honda hopes the move to a hybrid-only line-up will help to carve out a niche for itself.

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