As is generally the case, we once again find ourselves swooning over the European Honda Civic hatchback that made its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The new-for-2012 North American-spec Civic hasn’t exactly resonated well with us, and while we haven’t had the chance to drive the new Euro Civic, our thought is that it simply must be better than the milquetoast slab of economy car that we’ve been served here in the United States.
We’ve always liked the Euro Civic’s five-door shape, with its rear door handles integrated into the C-pillar. But as for the rest of the 2012 model’s design elements, there’s a bit of overall weirdness, especially around its rump. Nevertheless, it’ll likely do well in Europe, where bold designs are more widely accepted (just look at anything by Peugeot or Citroën).
Powering the Civic are a range of three different engines – two fueled by gasoline, one by diesel. The top-end diesel powerplant is Honda’s 2.2-liter engine with 148 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and below that, the two gasoline engines measure in at 1.4 and 1.8 liters, putting out 99 hp and 140 hp, respectively.
2012 European Honda Civic
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