2021 Honda Civic hatchback: Vs. the current model.

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While I admirer Honda for cleaning up the Civic Hatchback design, I also wished it had given the car a bit more personality.
From these patent designs, it basically looks like a cross between the current Civic and the Accord.
The hatchback version is now more like a fastback. Which is nice. But also makes me wonder why they would need the sedan version at all.
The current design for the hatchback has always been a bloated mess. With way too many lines, spoilers with fake vents and scoops. The new one is at least tasteful. 
While the current Civic is a hugely popular car for Honda (still over 325 000 of them were sold last year)
The competition has also been hard at work. The Corolla has been redesigned into a very attractive car.
There is a new Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Elantra.
I am not sure the next Civic will look “new” enough to keep the huge sale numbers going…
This could also be seen as a return to simpler designs from Honda. Which is what millions of people used to love about them.
They should also offer some kind of electrification, but Honda is, unfortunately, usually very late about that…

Conversation 12 comments

  1. I agree with Vince on this one. the side view tells all: grafted Accord nose on a civic fastback body (with Clarity tail lights?) — WHY would they need a sedan version at all?

    actually, from the side view, it would have looked better to have the old nose and the new car (from the A-pillar backwards)

  2. 100% agree with Adrian.

    Everything from behind the front nose is much better resolved and doesn't look as cartoonish as the current car. But that front end is hideous, especially from the side profile view. Only a mother could love that raging forehead look.

  3. I rather like the current bloated mess, although if necessary make it boring in order to keep an occasional hatch in the lineup. I'll forgive them.

  4. I agree with everything others are saying about the styling from the A-pillar back, huge improvement. I don't like the fact that the windshield rake and front end design is way more conservative. Glad they got rid of the overstyled taillights and huge fake vents though.

  5. I'm liking this. A nice return to simple surfacing. The DLO and details are much cleaner. I think the Accord is great looking aside from the unibrow, so borrowing the shoulder-line and C-pillar treatment is a good call.

    Something is still off about the front end. It's reminding me of the new Fit with that body colored forehead piece. And the taillights are cool in concept, poor in execution.

    I'm sure the real life photos will look better than these flat gray images, but overall sorta meh/handsome enough. People complained endlessly about the wackiness of the current model. Well here you go…

  6. The new hatchback might even be worse than the current one. The new one reminds me of the BMW 3 series GT hatchback. Not attractive

  7. I always hated the front end of the previous generation civic and this one improves it a little by getting rid of the chrome bar which never looked good other than make the car look uglier). However it still looks pretty much carried over from the previous generation and reinforces my belief that Honda and Acura designers have no clue as how to design a beautiful car (Honda will never ever win any accolades for its styling if it continues to use the same cluesless design studios).

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