Could the 2022 Honda Civic hybrid cost nearly twice as much as a Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 or Hyundai i30?

Honda caused waves when it announced pricing for its 11th-generation Civic earlier this month, and with the Japanese brand committed to electrifying its model range, an even more expensive version is yet to come.

Though the 2022 Honda Civic hybrid – known as the e:HEV – is yet to be revealed anywhere in the world, it is understood the electrified version will break cover in the new year for a late 2022 Australian showroom debut.

But that begs the question, how much will it cost?

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With the new-gen Civic range being trimmed to a single high-spec variant, the VTi-LX, pricing has jumped to $47,200 drive-away, putting it well above former small hatchback rivals like the Toyota Corolla (from $25,395 before on-road costs), Mazda3 (from $26,340 BOCs), Hyundai i30 (from $23,420 BOCs) and Kia Cerato (from $25,490 BOCs).

The just-launched Civic is powered by an updated 131kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, so expect to pay more for a more complicated petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, but exactly how much more?

Looking to the Accord mid-size sedan, which is available with a 140kW/260Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine or a 158kW/315Nm 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, there is a $3000 price premium for the fuel-sipping version.

It would make sense then, that the same price difference could apply to the Civic, meaning a $50,200 drive-away price for the electrified small hatchback.

This would put it leagues above the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which starts at $27,395 before on-road costs, and even above the likes of the Mazda3 X20 Astina ($42,390 BOCs) and its cutting-edge sparkless-ignition engine.

In fact, a circa-$50,000 Civic e:HEV would encroach territory occupied by the similarly-sized, but all electric, Hyundai Ioniq Electric (from $49,970 BOCs) and Nissan Leaf (from $49,990 BOCs).

To justify the cost, Honda will of course fit the 2022 Civic Hybrid with its latest powertrain technology, likely a version of the e:HEV system found in the new-generation HR-V due to launch next year.

In the small SUV, the e:HEV ‘self-charging’ hybrid uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor combo to produce 96kW/253Nm, which is way down on power compared with the standard Civic,

Fuel economy drops to just 4.5 litres per 100km though, bettering the current Civic’s 6.3L/100km figure.

And at this price, the 2022 Honda Civic Hybrid will likely retain the full equipment list of the flagship VTi-LX trim, meaning 18-inch wheels, 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen, 12-speaker Bose sound system, heated front seats and dual-zone climate control, as well as a full suite of advanced driver safety systems.

The 2022 Civic e:HEV won’t be the first time a frugal fuel-sipping Honda small car is made available in Australia, with a hybrid variant launching back in 2004 priced at $29,990.

Adjusted for inflation using the RBA’s calculator, that would equate to about $43,092 in 2020 dollars – not too dissimilar to the speculative pricing of the 2022 Civic Hybrid.