5 things to know about the upcoming 2022 Honda Civic RS

Honda Civic enjoys a strong identity among Malaysians who loves a car with exceptional styling and great performance. The Japanese automaker first introduced the Civic in the Malaysian market in 2001 and has sold around 148,000 units so far. Well, now it is ready to expand the fan base of this legendary model in the country as it has started accepting the bookings for the long-awaited 11th-gen Civic which made its global debut earlier this year.

Honda Malaysia previewed the 2022 Civic in an all-new RS avatar that sits at the top of the lineup. Here, we bring the five key important things to know about this sporty sedan.

Larger and wider

Based on the brand’s advanced manufacturing technique and Lazer Brazing technology, the all-new Honda Civic is larger and wider than the outgoing model. The credit goes to the expansion of the rear thread providing a low and wide stance. The sedan now measures 4,678 mm in length (+30 mm), 1,802 mm (+3 mm) in width, 1,415 mm (-1 mm) in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,735 (+33 mm). The longer wheelbase seems to provide more legroom to the rear occupants.

New exterior styling

According to Honda, the new Civic exudes a New Age Identity with a sporty, sophisticated, and premium outlook. It introduced the RS trim for the first time, which shows a clear departure from the 10th gen model in terms of design. The Honda designers pushed back the A-pillars for an elongated hood that lends a premium silhouette to the car. Included in the key exterior features are:

• Slimmer front grille
• New LED headlights with restyled daytime running lights 
• New rear combination LED tail lights
• Black painted side mirrors
• Black painted shark fin antenna
• Black painted outer door handles
• New trunk spoiler
• 18-inch black matte alloy wheels

Intuitive features onboard

The new Civic RS is not only stylish but also technology-packed with advanced features and that proves its long list of intuitive safety systems, including an enhanced Honda SENSING. This ADAS pack now offers a natural and smooth steering operation, says Honda. It also has a new feature called Lead Car Departure Notification System, which alerts the driver about the departure of the preceding car during idle times like waiting at a traffic light. 

Other safety bits of the improved Honda SENSING pack are Adaptive Cruise Control, Low-Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and Auto High Beam.

Besides Honda Sensing, the upcoming Civic RS safety specs include Honda LaneWatch, six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brake Distribution, Vehicle Stability Assist, Agile Handling Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, Auto Brake Hold, Hill Start Assist, Walk Away Auto Lock, and a new Driver Attention Monitor.

Also read: New Honda Civic grabs 5-star safety rating

Enhanced engine 

Honda has also raised the bars in terms of performance as the new Civic RS is powered by an enhanced 1.5-litre VTEC turbocharged engine. It generates an increased output of 182 PS (+ 8 PS) at 6,000 rpm and segment-leading torque of 240 Nm (+20 Nm) from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. The revised mill is paired with the usual continuously variable transmission sending power to the front wheels. 

Touted as “the most fun to drive Civic ever made,” the updated sedan also benefits from a new drive mode option i.e. Sport which offers powerful torque sensation and high acceleration responsiveness. The other two available driving modes are ECON and Normal. Performance numbers of the upcoming model have not yet been announced by the brand.

Better ride and handling balance

Along with a revised engine, the Japanese automaker also brings onboard some other key improvements under the skin of the updated Honda Civic. These include a stiffer body structure and a retuned chassis to provide a better ride and handling balance to the driver. Honda has also improved sound insulation to make the sedan quieter on the inside when compared to the outgoing model.

Honda is set to launch the new Civic in Malaysia sometime in the first quarter of 2022. Till then, stay tuned with us for all further updates.

Also read: Honda teases the new Civic Type R ahead of debut in 2022