By: Jason Woosey
Traditionally, the hatch and sedan versions of the Honda Civic have been distinct to the point where they didn't share much besides the name.
The reasoning was that the sedan was designed primarily for more conservative markets while the hatch pandered to Europe's drivers and their sporty expectations.
But now that the latest Civic sedan has also seemingly turned its cab backward, it appears as if the next-generation hatch is going to be a lot more closely related than was the case in previous generations. At least that's the impression we get after seeing the first teaser pic of Honda's Civic Hatchback Prototype.
Set to be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the prototype will be a stylistic preview of the next-gen Civic hatch, which is due to hit European streets in early 2017, before a global rollout that will even see it land on US shores for the first time.
Although the picture you see here is all we have to go on for now, tone it down into a more showroom-likely form and it does appear to follow the same design language as the sedan model, which we've also included in the gallery.
Honda has yet to spill the beans on any technical details pertaining to the hatch, but it's almost certain to follow the four-door's technical formula in most respects, so you can probably bank on the new 129kW, 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine being part of the mix.
The new five-door should also follow the sedan in being lighter than the previous version, while offering a longer wheelbase and increased legroom and boot space. Stay tuned.
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