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While enthusiasts eagerly awaited the Type R, Honda is currently catering to those who put efficiency over performance. It launched the Civic Hatchback e:HEV in Europe earlier this week and is now bringing its Sedan equivalent in Thailand. Featured here in a sporty-looking RS trim, this electrified sedan sports the same hybrid setup as its Euro hatchback cousin.
At the heart of the Civic Sedan e:HEV is the newly developed 2.0-liter petrol engine. The four-pot mill runs on the Atkinson cycle and works in conjunction with a pair of electric motors. Combined, the hybrid powertrain is good for 181 horsepower (135 kilowatts) and 315 Newton-meters (232 pound-feet) of torque. That’s a decent output figure considering the spicy Civic Si only has 19 hp (14 kW) more while torque is down by 55 Nm (40.5 lb-ft).
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Of course, the e:HEV is heavier than the Si once you add the two e-motors and the 72-cell lithium-ion battery pack. Honda is proud to say that the combustion engine has a thermal efficiency of 41 percent – one of the highest among road-legal production cars. With the e-CVT, however, it’s much sportier than the Civic Si with its six-speed manual gearbox.
With this being a full hybrid, it also offers limited electric range for extra efficiency. Honda currently has the car on display at the 2022 Bangkok Auto Show in Thailand where the black sedan has 18-inch alloy wheels and chrome-plated door handles. It also gets a striking red “RS” badge as well as contrast stitching in the same hue for the synthetic leather-wrapped seats.
Honda Thailand will sell the Civic Sedan e:HEV from June at a starting price of 1,150,000 Thai Baht for the base EL+ trim level. That’s about $34,300 at the current exchange rate. Go up to the RS shown here and you will pay 1.27 million THB or about $37,800.
The most exciting addition to the Civic lineup is without a doubt the Type R. It will be unveiled later this year exclusively as a hatchback with a manual gearbox and petrol engine only.
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