Honda has confirmed that UK versions of the upcoming new Civic hatchback will be offered with an updated IMA hybrid powerplant. Unlike the current dowdy Civic IMA, next year’s British-built Civic hybrid will have the looks to match its state of the art underpinnings. In action, the new Honda will also work a little more like Toyota’s hybrids - allowing the VTEC engine to switch off entirely during low-speed, stop-start motoring, or during braking. The compressor for the air conditioning system can also run off either the engine or the electric motor.
While Toyota’s Prius has been a runaway success in the US, it’s still a rarity on UK roads. Its size - and contentious styling - count against it. Hybrids offer the biggest savings when stuck in congested city traffic, but most cars bought by Londoners, for example, are a lot smaller than the Prius. The Civic could be the car to break through the popularity barrier in the UK, bringing hybrids into the mainstream.