This Is The 2022 Honda Civic (In The Form Of The Late 2020 Honda Civic Prototype)

The arrival of a new generation of the Honda Civic is one of the most important moments in the automotive industry in any given year. No matter what else is going on in the car world, a new Civic is a hugely consequentlal day.

This year, that day was November 17, 2020, and the reveal of the 11th-generation Honda Civic Prototype. Disclaimer: this isn't the production model, but it is a very thinly veiled version of the production car that is due to arrive in the spring of 2021.

You can see just how closely the production model follows the prototype by looking at images of the 10th-generation Civic's launch. In fact, it is more than likely that this 11th-generation Honda Civic Prototype very, very, very closely aligns with what will be the next Honda Civic Si. Notice the black mirror caps, Solar Flare Pearl paint, big front air intake, dual exhaust, 19-inch black wheels, and aggressive Michelin Pilot Super Sport 235/35ZR-19 tires – those are exactly the kind of elements we'd expect to see on performance-oriented Civics.

But based on Honda prototype history, the body shape and general interior layout are unlikely to change at all. This, for all intents and purposes, is the 11th-generation Civic. It's been Canada's best-selling car for 22 years – 2020 will make it 23 years – and we expect the Civic will continue building upon that long-term reign for a number of reasons.

For one thing, the 2022 Honda Civic sedan that will arrive next spring will still be built right here in Canada, by Canadians, for Canadians. Over 2.2 million Civics have been sold in Canada since the first-generation Civic was launched in 1973, and over 300,000 of those sales occurred since late 2015 during the 10th-generation Civic's tenure.

• • With a slight wheelbase increase and similar overall length to the current Civic, the new model will continue to be a class-leader when it comes to interior space.
• • The low beltline (that's the line that circles the car at the base of the windows) contributes to typically exceptional Honda visibility.
• • Expect technology to be at the forefront in the new Civic, as well, with a 9-inch touchscreen and an all-digital gauge cluster.
• • In terms of safety, Honda Sensing will be standard, but there will also be new airbag designs and what Honda calls "an advanced new version of Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure."
• • A stiffer, stronger structure will lend itself quite nicely to even better ride quality and handling. 

The arrival of the 2022 Honda Civic sedan in the spring of 2021 will be followed by a hatchback bodystyle along with the Si performance edition and then the ultimate Civic: Type R. As more details seep out from Honda HQ, we'll keep you in the know with powertrain specs and trim level information.