Honda has provided more information about the new Civic Tourer ahead of its official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013.
The new Civic Tourer was developed and designed in Europe, allowing Honda’s European R&D team to lead the creative and technical design process. The sleek and sophisticated profile of the Civic Tourer does not compromise the car’s practicality. The Civic Tourer delivers exceptional versatility and functionality with class leading interior space of 624L (trunk volume with the rear seats up, measured up to the tonneau cover).
The Civic Tourer will feature either the1.6 i-DTEC engine from the Earth Dreams Technology series or the 1.8 i-VTEC engine in manual or automatic transmission. A brand new Adaptive Damper System (ADS) will help to enhance stability and comfort under varying load and driving conditions.
The Civic Tourer will be built at Honda’s UK manufacturing facility and will be launched in Europe from early 2014.
“I am very proud of the Civic Tourer’s sporty, sleek and dynamic proportions, which somewhat hide the car’s true functionality and versatility. To achieve true utility on a compact car, you have to consider how to make the most of the space in the cabin, which generally also affects the design. Due to the clever platform of the Civic, we had freedom to optimise the package. The end result is a car that has almost a sports-car silhouette. For me, the strength of the car is the synergy of functionality, versatility, and dynamic expression.” Adrian Killham, Large Project Leader, Civic Tourer, said.
The exterior design of the Civic Tourer is sophisticated and sporty, its unique style is defined by a bold line that runs continuously from the front A-pillar to the D-pillar creating the impression of a floating roof line.
The development team for the Civic Tourer spent much time working on new ways to interpret this section of the car to deliver a feeling of premium value and character. The glass of the rear quarter window has been extended to cover the body work of the D-pillar and the rear door sash has been raised by 17mm compared to the Civic 5-door to enable this bold styling line and creating an elegant look.
Behind this sophisticated and sporty design is a hidden versatility that leads to clever functionality and unrivalled practicality.
The Civic Tourer benefits from the same unique centre fuel tank layout used in the Civic 5-door. The fuel tank is located under the front seats allowing the Civic Tourer to offer unparalleled interior space and Honda’s magic seat configuration.
The Civic Tourer offers class leading trunk space across both the C and D segments. The cargo area will accommodate 3 large-sized Samsonite cases with the tonneau cover pulled over to conceal the cases.
- 624L trunk volume (Rear seats up, up to window)
- 1668L trunk volume (Rear seats down, up to roof lining)
There is a small compartment suitable for storing the tonneau cover so that it can be detached and stored out the way when it is not needed.
Furthermore, there is additional under floor storage in the boot which makes carrying tall objects in the boot easy and the height of the loading lip has been reduced by 137mm compared to the Civic 5-door to facilitate effortless loading.
Honda’s unique Magic Seats deliver further practicality and space within the Civic Tourer, enabling a range of seating configurations for maximum versatility.The rear seats assembly folds down in one easy movement, and the interior trunk floor of the Civic Tourer has been raised compared to the 5-door to create a completely flat area when the seats are folded down.
The rear seat cushions can also be flipped up to reveal ample floor space for carrying tall objects. A 60:40 split in the seat base offers even more options for carrying both people and cargo and provides an alternative load area if access via the tailgate is limited.
The Civic Tourer will feature either the1.6 i-DTEC engine from the Earth Dreams Technology series or the 1.8 i-VTEC engine in manual or automatic transmission.
The 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine was first applied to the Civic 5-door and subsequently to the new CR-V. The engine is the first of Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology series to be introduced in Europe.
The philosophy behind Earth Dreams Technology is to deliver an impressive balance between fuel economy and driving performance and this is certainly the case in the Civic Tourer.
The 1.6 i-DTEC engine is comprised of an aluminium cylinder head joined to an open deck aluminium block and is the lightest diesel engine in its class. The mechanical friction has been reduced to the level equivalent of a petrol engine. All the rotating parts have been carefully optimised to reduce their friction, helping to provide excellent fuel economy whilst making sure the new Civic Tourer is fun to drive.
The 1.6 i-DTEC engine was designed specifically for the European Market and is built at Honda’s UK Manufacturing plant (where the Civic Tourer will also be built).
The Civic Tourer also features an innovative Adaptive Damper System. This is the first time that a rear adaptive damper system has been introduced on a production car and it features three settings – comfort, normal and dynamic – all of which have been developed to enhance stability and comfort under varying load and driving conditions. This allows the Civic Tourer to remain comfortable during highway cruising, yet firm and agile when high-performance handling is required.
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