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By Parks McCants Apr 1 2015 - 3:20pm

Stunning 2016 Honda Civic Concept exudes performance attitude

2016 Honda Civic Concept is visually stunning and turbocharged! This designed and built in North America "World Car" offers enough cutting edge performance and tech-driven personal connectivity and active safety features to give the competition a run for the money. We're collectively blown away!
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2016 Honda Civic Concept is visually stunning
2016 Honda Civic takes its design cue from Civic Type-R
2016 Honda Civic places new spin on compact sport value and future-forward design eliments

Watching Honda’s John Mendel present what will undoubtedly be a sales winner for American Honda Motors was but a small part of the spectacle that is “The Year of Honda.” Unveiling Wednesday in New York, what is arguably the most dramatic looking pre-production Civic Coupe Concept in a decade, was just the beginning of a string of announcements that will shake up the auto industry; as well as Honda Civic owners and metric “tuner” fans looking to the next “big thing” in Civic development.

But that’s just a very small part of the story that is “The year of Honda.” Designed and built in North America, 2016 Civic just raised the bar for design and performance in what was previously the automotive compact economy class. This up-sized performance Civic takes Honda in a bold new direction.

10 million strong and 9 generations deep, 2016 Civic will dominate the segment

Looking to the New York International Auto Show(NYIAS) Honda stage, we viewed a 2016 Honda Civic Coupe prototype of greater proportion, future forward design dynamics and fat-wide-tracked attitude. While not the European Type R, the North American designed “ World-Car” platform carries the Civic lineage forward through downwind, tunnel sweeping, road hugging Flatitude ™. It’s fat, we like!

Honda tells us that the sedan iteration of the 2016 Civic will be available for North American markets in the fall; with the coupe and the European imported 5 door hatchback following in early 2016.

3 body styles, 2 engine and two transmission options

For 2016, Civic buyers will have the option of 3 body styles including the imported Euro-5 door Civic Hatchback, and a North American built and powered Sedan and Coupe. This will be the first Civic Hatchback offered in North America since 2003, and the first 5 door Civic Hatchback offered in the history of American Honda.

While Honda has not shared specifications, according to Mr. Mendel, a 1.5 liter North American built EarthDreams ™ turbocharged VTEC will be opted in higher trims with a DOHC direct injected VTEC engine standard. A close ratio 6 speed MT and “G” patterned CVT will transfer torque to the pavement through a limited slip, FWD differential.

Imported European Type-R for North America

According to John Mendel: Honda’s listened to Civic owners, race enthusiasts and the automotive press corp. John agrees! It’s time to import a Type-R to North America. Honda will follow up with details later in the year as news develops.

Looking to the Honda Stage, Torque News believes that if Honda’s 2016 Civic Coupe Concept is any indication of the design direction of the production car, 2016 Civic will dominate the compact segment with exceptional automotive design and performance attitude.

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Comments

JeffS wrote on April 2, 2015 - 12:12pm
Hey there Parks, hope this finds you well. "Holy crap", a stunner and to my eye absolutely gorgeous. If the production version stays true to the concept, and the interior, (not yet disclosed from what I understand) and the engine, (output not yet disclosed, personally interested in the SI's output) stay true to form, put me on the short list and I will be trading in my '14 SI, (no complaints, love the car). As it is my understanding the SI will not be available 'till 'sometime '16, so I'll wait 'till '17 to see if any glitches need be worked out, but I am already drooling at the prospect. Talk about a kick ass daily driver "Sports car", Honda looks like it is going to hit the, "sweet spot" big time. What a looker, (as long as the production model doesn't stray too far from the concept shown). Although the presentation from Mendel would lead one to believe, "this is it" Honda/Acura have presented concepts in the past that were a pretty far cry from that which ended up into production. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but apparently Honda is throwing down the gauntlet and back in the game with a vengence. Also, from what I gather from the presentation, the "Type R" will be making its way across the pond. Back to the Future!! Be Well and all Best.
Parks McCants wrote on April 2, 2015 - 2:03pm
How ya doing Jeff. It's been awhile. Yes, I'm blown away by the looks and sports implication of this car. We'll see how true the concept stays to the production model. However, I believe that Honda's on the right track! Take care.
JeffS wrote on April 2, 2015 - 3:33pm
Parks, have any idea or ballpark on what the Turbo engine output may be. It seems Honda is being pretty tight lipped about it. I would imagine it's gonna be significantly North of the current 2.4, at least in torque. I would guess there is also going to be a pretty good bump in HP, as I imagine Gen. 10 is going to be somewhat heavier. Heard any rumors or mumblings? I agree, after a bit of a hiatus, resting on their laurels, somebody has rekindled the fire and put them back on the right track. My guess is losing significant Market share to the Koreans across the line up isn't sitting very well with the Higher ups. It certainly appears Honda has awoken from their nap. Good stuff for Hondaphiles.
cbas wrote on April 8, 2015 - 8:53pm
from what I have heard the 1.5l turbo will have the same power output then the 2.4l but the 1.5 will have a way better fuel economy. Also for the concept look I don't think the production ones will have the same entire look they always show the car with like 10k of stuff on in as the concept lol. im guessing if a guy wants the exact same car as the concept look you will be paying in the 37 - 45k to get it. No offense to Honda I just bough my self a 2015 civic si and I love the car it drives so smooth and the shifting is amazing not to mention how responsive the clutch is. But I remember when they started with the 2.0l si how expensive they were when they first came out compared to what they are priced at now. Saying that is that I think the new 2016 civic si will be between 30 - 40 k compared to the 20 - 27k we are playing for the 2015 si. Knowing that the new type-r is coming out and it was priced around 45 - 47k in the uk getting the car produced outside and brought here I think the type-r will be a 50 - 57k car which is a lot of money when you have Subaru sti and the Mitsubishi evolution also that will be less then that. Well all of that said the new 2016 civic will look so nice but if the si model comes ou being around 35 - 40 k to buy ill wait 2 or 3 years for the price to come down in the 20 - 27k range.
JeffS wrote on April 9, 2015 - 7:39am
Hey there cbas, One never quite knows with Honda, I have seen concepts from them that were very close to the production model and ones that were not. I'm guessing this one is pretty close. The 20" wheels and those mirrors will be gone. The LEDs will probably be toned down and I wonder if the front end will be a mite different. I do think the, "Overall" look will probably, (hopefully) remain. I have seen the 1.5 Turbo's output guesstimated as you describe, about the same as the 2.4. I'm not sure if that is the engine the SI will get, maybe on steroids, as I have read figures for the SI at around 250HP, (I think I saw speculation that they will use a tuned down version of the, "R's" engine). If they do not bump up the HP in the SI, I think that will be a mistake. Honda has been tight lipped about the interior thus far, I'm guessing that will be moved a bit upscale as well, which will probably add weight, (along with the new body style), so if they put the same HP and torque into it, it would probably have less performance than our '14 & '15, I don't see that happening. Also if they bump up the price to 35+K I think that would be a mistake, but I do not see that happening either. My guess is the SI will top out at around 30 or so, (FRS, BRZ price range) and you'll probably be able to get into the base SI for about 27-28, we'll see. The Type R will probably be a different animal altogether and from what I understand won't be the same as the euro. model. It will cost some serious coin. I do not think the R is going to be a particularly good daily driver, it will be essentially a Track car out of the box, racy with a, "Uber firm" suspension. I'm with you, I really like my '14, allot of car for the money. It could use another 20-30 HP, a cold air intake and freer exhaust does the trick for relatively little cash. for about 1500.00 Skunk2 has a nice set up and moves the car up a notch in performance, (a relatively easy install if one is a decent shade tree mechanic). As Parks states, I think Honda is on the right track. I can't believe Honda will shoot themselves in the foot by, "overpricing" the new Civics, regardless of the model, I'm expecting allot of, "Bang for the buck" just like we got with ours. Be Well.
rons wrote on May 15, 2015 - 11:28pm
nice to see honda putting some performance in the civic......most small cars are slow turds