Toyota's Corolla Hybrid finally has some competition! 2022 Honda Civic e:HEV hybrid detailed with fuel-sipping powertrain

Honda has finally lifted the lid on the electrified version of its 11th-generation Civic small car, detailing a frugal dual-motor hybrid powertrain that will land in Australian showrooms later this year.

Pairing a newly-developed 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with two electric motors, the Civic e:HEV punches out 135kW/315Nm.

This makes it more potent than the 131kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine found in Civic VTi-LX offered in Australia for $47,200 drive-away, as well as the Toyota Corolla Hybrid that uses a 1.8-litre engine and electric motor to produce a combined 90kW.

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The larger engine outputs do come at a cost though, with the Civic e:HEV expected to wear an official fuel consumption rating of “less than 5.0 litres per 100km in WLTP testing”, potentially making it thirstier than the Corolla Hybrid’s 4.2L/100km figure.

Likewise, the “target” CO2 emissions for the hybrid Civic is 110 grams per kilometre, which is higher than the rival Toyota’s 97g/km number.

The Civic e:HEV’s powertrain can also switch between EV, Hybrid and Engine modes depending on what is required at any given situation, and all without any driver input.

However, drivers can switch between Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual driving modes that will tweak engine, transmission and instrument cluster settings accordingly.

Like the already-launched 11th-gen Civic, the hybrid version features a 35mm longer wheelbase compared with its predecessor for more cabin space and improved driving stability.

Features in the Civic hybrid – at least in overseas markets – include a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a sound system sporting up to 12 speakers.

Honda’s Sensing safety suite is also included, which bundles autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control, as well as 11 airbags.

Australian pricing and specs will be revealed at a later date, but expect to see the e:HEV variant positioned above the aforementionied VTi-LX grade in cost and features.