The next generation Honda Civic won’t arrive for a while, but the CivicXI forum has already spotted the design in the automaker’s patent images. The 11th-generation Civic can be seen here in hatchback form, which is one of the two bodystyles that the U.S. will receive along with a sedan, but Honda will drop the two-door coupe entirely.
That’s right: for the first time in a long time the Civic won’t be available as a two-door coupe. And certainly not as a station wagon either.
What’s missing from the 11th-generation car, based on these patent images?
For one thing, the large air intakes that sit below the headlights on the current model, dwarfing the headlights in size. And the large vents that sit below the taillights as well, housing a black plastic mesh pattern on the Type R. Honda has also reshaped the C-pillar kink present on the current model, giving the new sill line a more elongated appearance.
The doors, meanwhile, appear to have traded the deep indentation at the bottom for something a little less dramatic, dialing down the racer looks of the current Civic hatch.
Another subtle detail we can note is the top leading edge of the nose, which extends beyond the shutline of the hood. This surface extends quite far ahead of the hood line, giving the nose a much more blunt, upright shape, while also giving the front fascia a rhomboid outline. Viewed in profile, it’s easy to see how the 11th-generation model now features a very upright nose that remains fairly flat almost until the hood line. This look contrasts with the much more wedge-shaped front overhangs that Honda had given past generations of the Civic, opting for a sleeker shape.
This redesign will give the Civic a visually longer front overhang, with the front wheels positioned much closer to the door line than to the front edge of the car. The net result reminds us a bit of the profile of the Citroën CX, of all things, which also had a very long front overhang and a relatively short rear overhang, while featuring the greenhouse of a roomy four-door hatchback.
Overall, the 11th-generation model appears much more conservative and much cleaner visually, though we suspect that these patent drawings aren’t showing the spoiler or spoilers that will be available on sportier variants of the new model. Another item worth noting is the design of the front fascia, which has also been toned down a bit with a narrower grille up front and far less angular headlights. Of course, we don’t expect this to be the look of the Civic Type R, as that variant still has a very distinct audience that it will have to please.
We should see the real thing in the metal during the second half of 2021, but likely not at an auto show, as manufacturers have turned to one-off online events to reveal new cars.
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