2022 Honda Civic debuts in Thailand, could PH be next?

Even as Honda has laid the Civic to rest in its home market of Japan, the compact sedan soldiers on in other markets. Following its North American premiere, the Civic has landed in Southeast Asia by way of Thailand. 

All-new Honda Civic: Drive The Unrivaled

Honda’s 11th iteration of the nameplate comes to Thai customers in three trim levels: the base EL, mid-range EL+, and the range-topping RS. These obviously denote varying degrees of kit, but one thing they do have in common is a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline mill that puts out 178 hp and 240 Nm of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) spinning the front wheels.    

The Thai release retains the attributes of the U.S. market version, which Honda says is based on an evolved version of the 10th-generation Civic’s platform. Although its external dimensions hew closely to those of the outgoing model, the new Civic boasts a wheelbase that’s 33mm longer, translating to more legroom. 

The new Civic sports a more restrained aesthetic compared to the outgoing model 

A more subdued design distinguishes the latest Civic from its predecessor, while retaining the fastback-inspired silhouette. The longer hood is bannered by a new fascia featuring projector halogen headlamps, with the flagship RS getting LEDs along with high-gloss black trim on the grille, exterior mirrors, door handles, and rear spoiler. EL and EL+ variants get 16-inch wheels, while the RS stands on 17-inch alloys. 

The honeycomb mesh pattern running the length of the dashboard makes its appearance in the cabin, cleverly hiding the air vents. A 10.2-inch all-digital instrument panel premieres on the Civic RS trim, with the lower variants getting a partial LCD meter cluster. The floating-type infotainment system measures 7 inches on the EL and EL+, upgrading to 9 inches on the RS. Wireless charging and dual-zone climate control are also standard for the flagship variant. 

The honeycomb dashboard trim hides the air vents

One other important feature that’s offered across the board is the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance systems, comprising autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane centering assist, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beam, and a new front departure alert feature. The RS is also fitted with the LaneWatch camera system, although the Thai-spec version differs from the North American model in that it has no Traffic Jam Assist that grants Level 2 semi-autonomous driving at speeds of up to 65 km/h. 

All Civic variants for the Thai market are powered by a 1.5-liter turbo engine

Prices for the 2022 Honda Civic in Thailand start at THB 964,00 (Php 1.46 million), all the way to THB 1,199,900 (Php 1.81 million). Pinoy Civic fans won’t have long to wait, as reports say that the new model could reach our shores by the fourth quarter of 2021. Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) has also previously shared with Philkotse that it will be launching new models in the coming months. 

Catch more updates on the latest releases at Philkotse.com.