Fresh Off Geneva, Civic Hatch New York-Bound

The Civic Hatchback prototype, seeing its global debut at the 2016 Geneva motor show today, will be unveiled to North American audiences in a few weeks at the 2016 New York International Auto Show.

The car, expected to be equipped with the same 174-hp 1.5L turbocharged 4-cyl. available in the new ’16 Civic sedan and coupe, will go on sale in the U.S. later this year, marking the return of a hatchback body style to the U.S. Civic lineup after more than a decade’s absence.

“With its sporty lines, Honda turbo engine technology, hatchback utility and an impressive list of premium features and cutting-edge safety technology, the Civic Hatchback Prototype infuses the Civic lineup with an added layer of 5-door versatility, as well as a big dose of European hot hatch styling,” Honda says in a release.

A photo reveals a C-pillar raked sharply forward, low ground clearance and dual exhaust pipes. Honda production models typically err closely to the design of prototypes.

Still to come are the Si performance variants of the new 10^th-gen Civic and, for the first time in the U.S., an even higher-horsepower Type R variant that will go toe-to-toe with Ford’s Focus RS and Volkswagen’s Golf R.

Last fall, Honda stated the introduction timing for the Type R in the U.S. was 2017.

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