Honda Civic 1.0 prototype review

Honda Australia has expressed its desire to add the Civic Type R hot hatch to its showrooms since the hype around the auto started in late 2013, and up until now has been holding out hope that it could launch the current vehicle in 2016.

We have seen models with exterior designs that are impressive and the same thing should apply when the 2017 Honda Civic makes its way onto the market.

Honda's all-new, 10th-generation Civic is now on sale, but so far all we've got is the pedestrian Civic Sedan.

The European Honda Civic will feature the two new downsized turbo petrol engines (first announced in 2013) when it's launched in early 2017.

The second engine will be a 1.5-liter turbo engine that will be delivering about 174hp and will return about 31mpg in the city and 42mpg on the highway.

Everyone else's reaction will depend as much on how numerous existing Civic's foibles have been ironed out - and on how good a job the new one does on making the new engine seem sophisticated and refined as well as capable and efficient.

Honda 1.0 (left) and 1.5 litre VTEC Turbo engines.

Given the hardware for the Type R is still effectively brand new, the engine and other mechanical bits are expected to carry over to the new performance model largely unchanged, though Honda could look to give the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder a tune-up from the current outputs of 231kW/400Nm.

Production of the Euro version will take place at Honda's United Kingdom factory in Swindon where they are investing €270 million to get it ready for the new Civic. The variable valve timing system's proven advantage is retained. They could just be using the "VTEC" badge as a marketing tool, since a turbocharged engine doesn't really need this technology.