Next gen 2012 Honda Civic spied as 5-door version for first time

Posted by Winston Lim on 26 Jul 10'

Spies on the streets of Offenbach, Germany, caught pictures of the ninth generation 2012 Honda Civic during testing. The five-door prototype shows that the Civic could wind up with a smaller body and wheelbase than the current model.

Seen near Honda's research and development facility in Offenbach, the Civic looks to maintain its short hood, though its rear glass appears to have a steeper rake. Door handles for the rear doors look to still be nestled in at the c-pillar.

Glimpses of the rear LED light clusters can also be seen through the excessive padding tacked onto the car. It also appears that the car gets a completely new set of headlights, though there may be some tape covering up parts of the lenses.

Reports suggest the car will get a new petrol engine, and the diesel version will have an engine smaller than the 2.2-liter currently on offer. Potentially, the car could get a dual-clutch transmission similar to those found on their motorcycles.

Down the road, a Civic hybrid version is also likely to hit the market.