Honda Civic 2022 Malaysia: 7 things you need to know

Shortly after launching the City Hatchback last month, Honda Malaysia has launched the 11th gen Civic (FE) on our shores. According to Honda, it aims to maintain its No. 1 position in the C-segment and they have sold over 153,000 units of the Civic since 2001.

If you’re wondering what’s new, here are 7 things you need to know.

Enhanced 1.5L VTEC Turbo 4-cylinder engine

Unlike the current Civic that’s offered with either a 1.8L NA or 1.5L Turbo engine, the 11th-gen Civic is only available with a single 1.5L Turbo engine option paired to a CVT. According to Honda, the new VTEC Turbo engine has been revised and it offers an output of 182PS and 240Nm of torque. That’s 9PS and 20Nm more than the current Civic 1.5L Turbo, and Honda claims it’s more powerful than a typical 2.4L engine.

The new Civic now comes with a new drive mode option that alters the powertrain’s responsiveness and characteristics. With a flick of a finger, you can switch between Econ, Normal, and Sports mode.

The new Civic has a rated fuel economy of 6 litres per 100km (16.67km per litre) and a rated 0-100km/h time of 8.3 seconds for the E spec variant. Interestingly, the top-spec Civic RS has a slightly slower 0-100 time of 8.5 seconds and this is probably due to the fact that it’s 25kg heavier than the E variant.

Design inspired by 3rd-gen Civic from the 80s

The all-new Civic model looks more mature as it ditches the “ketam” (crab claw) rear lamps while getting rid of the bold chrome wing design for the front. According to Honda, the new model is a modern interpretation of the classic and timeless human-centred Honda values that exudes a “New Age Identity” sedan.

When the Japanese carmaker started accepting bookings last month, it said that the 11th generation Civic design is inspired by the classic 3rd generation Civic from the 80s. If you compare the two, you can see that the car features a higher bonnet line and a more pronounced nose in body colour like the old Civic. The new headlamps do look like a modern take on the 3rd gen model’s trapezoid headlamps but it now comes with a slimmer profile.

Longer and wider but a smaller boot

The 11th gen model has a length of 4,678mm long and a width of 1,802mm, making it 30mm longer and 3mm wider than its predecessor. The wheelbase is now 2,735mm which is 35mm longer than the outgoing model.

In terms of boot size, the new model has a capacity of 497 litres, which is slightly smaller than the outgoing model’s 519-litre capacity.

New RS variant offered for the first time

For the first time, the Civic is now offered with a top-of-the-line RS variant. Besides having the red RS badge, the car gets more blacked-out panels which include a black ring insert for headlights, gloss black garnish around the pillars, black side mirror cap, black shark fin antenna and black matte 18” rims. The RS model also gets chrome finish for its tailpipe. On the inside, the car also gets combi leather seats with red stitching, leather steering wheel with red stitching, black headlining and sport pedal. For a more upmarket cabin experience, the RS model also gets front foot light and front door ambient light.

Advanced Driver Assist System offered as standard across all variants

Honda is raising the bar when it comes to advanced safety features by offering Honda Sensing as standard across the Civic range including the base E variant. The full suite of Honda Sensing features includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Auto High Beam (AHB).

The latest new addition to the Honda Sensing feature list is the Lead Car Departure Notification System which is useful at traffic lights or when you’re stuck in a jam. If the driver is distracted while the car in front has started to move, the system will alert the driver with audio notification. The feature is similar to Perodua’s Front Departure Alert that’s found on the Myvi.

For the higher V and RS variant, Honda has also included LaneWatch camera on the Civic. This allows you to view your vehicle’s blindspot from the infotainment display when you flick the steering indicator to the left. The camera can be turned on manually by pressing the Lane Watch button on the edge of the right stalk. You also get 6 airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) as standard on all Civic models.

Milimeter wave radar replaced with wide front camera

The new Civic uses a different set of sensors to detect other vehicles or obstacles for its advanced driver assist systems. Unlike the current Civic which uses a combination of a milimetre wave radar and a 50-degree camera, the all-new model uses a single wide camera that has a 100-degree detection area. For close-range detection, it also uses its parking sensor systems. According to Honda, the new setup provides a longer and wider area of detection, which should provide better reliability for autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist.

9” display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

In the infotainment department, the new Civic features a larger 9″ touch-screen display which supports wireless Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. The 9″ Advanced Display Audio head unit is offered on the V and RS variants. The base E spec Civic gets a smaller 7″ touch-screen display which supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Take note that only the 9″ version supports Wireless Apple CarPlay.

The V and RS models get a total of 8 speakers while the E model settles for just 4 speakers. In terms of USB ports, only the V and RS offer two USB ports upfront while the E model gets just a single USB port. For rear occupants, all three variants get two USB ports.

All models across the range feature a semi-digital instrument cluster that comes with a 7″ TFT display. All models in the range offer remote engine start which allows you to start the engine before getting in. For greater convenience and remote access from your smartphone, the Civic also supports Honda Connect on the higher V and RS models. It is also worth noting that paddle shifters and 8-way driver power seat are only offered on the V and RS variants.

Honda Civic Malaysia Pricing

The 2022 Honda Civic FE is offered in 3 variants in Malaysia and below is the officing pricing:

• Civic 1.5 E – RM125,634.64
• Civic 1.5 V – RM138,043.36
• Civic 1.5 RS – RM144,350.09

Prices listed are On-The-Road (OTR) in Peninsular Malaysia without insurance. The listed pricing includes the current sales tax exemption which is 30 June 2022.

The new Civic comes in a total of 5 colours which includes two new options – Meteroid Gray Metallic and Ignite Red Metallic.

Across the board, the 2022 model is priced higher than the current Civic. The current Civic 1.8 S is priced at RM109,326.51 while the 1.5 TC is priced at RM125,081.09. The top-of-the-line 1.5TC-P is going for RM134,661.28. With the higher price tag, customers are now getting a better engine and major upgrades in both safety and infotainment.