For years US car buyers have stayed away from hatchbacks and wagons, but times are changing. Today if you want a compact hatchback you now have more options than the VW Golf or Mazda3. After abandoning the hatchback segment years ago, Honda has finally brought back the Civic Hatchback and it’s great! Honda gave me the keys to a 2017 Civic Sport with a manual transmission. Here are five things you should know about the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback:
2The sportier version
Related: 2017 Honda Civic Type R gets 22/28 mpg rating
To reduce the stigma that usually comes with hatchbacks (their slow, boring, econo boxes), Honda has positioned the Civic Hatchback at the sportier end of the Civic lineup. While the Civic Sedan and Coupe come standard with a naturally-aspirated 158-hp 2.0L four-cylinder, the Civic Hatchback is only available with a 1.5L turbocharged engine. The standard Civic Hatchback packs 174 horsepower and 174 lb-ft. of torque, but if you step up to the Sport you get 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft. of torque with the manual and 180 horsepower and 162 lb-ft. if you choose the CVT transmission. Even with 180 horsepower on tap, the Civic Hatchback is rated at 30/39 mpg with the manual and 30/36 mpg with the CVT.
