The Civic Hatchback is coming. Will you buy it?

I remember a few years ago, when I asked a Honda fan next to me when he would buy a Civic, he would always say something like this after a while of "Amway": When can I buy a hatchback in China? Edition, when should I buy it?

The domestic Civic hatchback concept car released by Honda

With the increasingly frequent exposure of test cars, Honda officials finally confirmed the news at a media conference held not long ago : The domestically produced Civic hatchback model will be officially launched this year.

In the author's impression, it seems that from the moment the tenth-generation Civic model entered the country, the hatchback model was accompanied by words such as "supposedly, immediately, soon" in the ears of the waiting party. Back and forth. After nearly four years of "immediate" experience, this car is finally officially meeting us.

Domestic Civic Hatchback low-profile model

Domestic Civic Hatchback high-profile model

From the application diagram of the hatchback Civic model released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology not long ago, we do not It is difficult to tell that the appearance of the new car retains the design of the overseas version of the Civic hatchback after its mid-term facelift to the greatest extent. The L-shaped decorative strips on the front and rear bumpers have also become a feature that distinguishes the hatchback and sedan models. Compared with the Civic sedan currently on sale in China, the hatchback model has a unique rear wiper and rear spoiler design at the rear. In addition, the two-outlet exhaust layout in the middle and the rear surround with a diffuser shape also further enhance the sporty feel of the new car.

In terms of body size, according to the declaration information, the length, width and height dimensions of the hatchback model are 4517mm?/?1799mm?/?1434mm respectively. Referring to the length, width and height dimensions of the current sedan model of 4658mm?/?1800mm?/?1416mm, it is not difficult to find that although the hatchback model has been reduced in length, the height of the body has been increased to a certain extent. This may be able to To improve the "bottom dragging" phenomenon that is easily encountered in current models.

The picture shows the new car declaration information released on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

In terms of power, judging from the known information, the early version of the model will be equipped with a maximum power of 177 horsepower and a peak torque of 220 N· 1.5T engine and meets the National VI emission standards. The transmission part will be matched with a 6-speed manual or CVT gearbox depending on the model. Manual hatchback, for many car fans, this is a necessary condition for a "little steel gun". Do consumers really like hatchbacks?

Of course, it is belatedly arriving and faces many challenges in the eyes of many people. Even though the consumer group is developing towards a younger generation, it seems that there has never been a hatchback that has become a domestic model. Among the mainstream models in the market, few hatchbacks have reached the top of the sales list. The status of SUVs and crossovers in the auto market has undoubtedly affected the development of hatchback models, and the downturn in the auto market last year seems to have made this phenomenon more serious. Familiar models such as the Golf and Focus hatchback were all in disgrace last year, while the Angkesela only offers a sedan version when introducing a new generation of models.

Whether it is viewed from the perspective of macro-consumer preferences or the market environment, the domestic hatchback version of the Civic may have been born at the wrong time. But in Honda's view, there are reasons for their insistence on introducing this model into China at this time. Push it into the sea?

The reason why the Civic model attracts so many young people’s attention is simply because it has a shape that is closer to the Civic TYPE-R. The high-performance steel cannon, dubbed the king of Japanese front-wheel drive vehicles, has established an image of a "civilian hero" for Civic after going through a series of stories such as becoming a golden supporting character in comics and competing for the fastest front-wheel drive car in New York. However, the "totem" that can only enter the domestic market as a parallel import is difficult to reach. Unless they are crazy (zhen) hot (tu) fans (hao) who are not short of money and have faith, most Civic fans still choose to buy it in the domestic market. They don't think the sedan version is "pure" enough.

After Honda triggered a wave of topics through slogans such as "If the Civic does not change, it is better to push it into the sea" and "Straight-line acceleration benchmark", it not only raised the popularity of the Civic to the top, but also successfully aroused It has stimulated young consumers’ strong interest in sporty and personalized cars. It seems that Honda understands the advantages of building a mass base in the early stage.

The domestic production of the hatchback model is undoubtedly another extension of the Civic’s popularity. Maybe in the near future, we will be able to see or hear slogans such as "Just 998, transform into TYPE-R immediately" appear.

After laying a mass foundation, when consumers can spend less money to buy a Civic that looks closer to TYPE-R and has more personality, it is not surprising that it triggers spontaneous publicity.

From the "Honda Brand Day" event after last year's Guangzhou Auto Show to Honda's recent demonstration of a concept modified car based on the hatchback Civic, it is not difficult to find that Honda is vigorously building its automotive culture platform. On the one hand, it meets the needs of some consumers, and on the other hand, it provides more young consumers with a personalized space to exert their "hands-on ability". Honda will also use this to label the Civic model, further strengthening people's awareness of this car's modification potential and sports genes, and unknowingly affecting consumers' car purchasing tendencies. Perhaps this is Honda's original intention of introducing a hatchback model at an "untimely" time.

In addition, by introducing the hatchback version, Honda has also turned the domestic Civic into a relatively complete car series. From the previous solo battle of a Civic model to a car series group offensive, this will be beneficial and harmless, both in terms of the expansion of sales and popularity. Summary?

The reason why the Civic, which had a serious price increase back then, became one of Honda's best-selling models was not only due to good timing, but also Honda's promotion strategy. However, today, when the industry is still sluggish, will the hatchback version still be difficult to find in the past? Its pricing will be a major attraction.

After Honda began to carefully manage the cultural structure of the brand car, the rapid increase in Civic sales and popularity also gave Honda more courage and opportunities. From the current point of view, although it is unlikely that Honda will introduce the Civic TYPE-R through official channels in the future, after the sales performance of the Civic "car series" stabilizes in the future, is it expected to launch a small number of domestically produced Si sports models to satisfy some cars? What about the fan’s desire to drive an original “modified car”?

Of course, we have not forgotten the collision of the domestic Civic in the China Insurance Research Institute crash test. The high contrast between the domestic version and the overseas version in the crash test of the same specifications has made many consumers "heartbroken", but it may indeed explain some problems. Whether Honda can learn from its lessons and improve the overall product quality while reducing costs to a certain extent on the hatchback model, thereby dispelling consumer doubts, this may be more effective in winning the hearts of consumers than the introduction of TYPE-R.

Do you prefer the hatchback version or the sedan version? May as well share your views.

Editor?|?Chen Yuxiang

Picture?|?Network

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome .