16 Aug 2017 Civic Hatchback Set to Kill

The new 2017 Civic Hatchback is set to kill the game.

By Aaron Gaghagen

Photos courtesy of Honda

Patience, young grasshopper. Yes, it seems like FOREVER that Honda has teased us with the prospect of getting a turbocharged, world-beating Civic Type R, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel now. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the announcement this week of the 2017 Civic Hatchback complete with pictures of the production version.

This turbo 1.5 liter Civic Hatchback isn't the Si or Type R, but it will out accelerate any stock non-Civic Si in US history. That's going in the right direction.

“But that’s naaaawt the Type R, dude! Honda has lost it’s way.”

If bringing the turbo 1.5 liter Civic Hatchback with manual 6 speed transmission to market is “losing their way,” then I wish they “lost their way” a generation earlier. This chassis is the foundation that the upcoming Type R is built upon. We all know that Honda is methodical when it comes to releasing new models. So, the lower trim models are typically released before the hardcore performance variants. Honda is doing the baby steps and I am all for it when the destination is a 300 plus horsepower Type R.

You won't be able to get a non-turbo 2017 Civic Hatchback, so even the lowest trim model you can get will have boost. Pretty sweet.

The real question is: Should I trade my FA5 for the new Civic Hatchback this Fall? It’d be a killer daily. Hmmm…

Nothing but Hondas. That’s exactly what you’ll find at VTEC Academy. Not because some of the other automakers’ cars that inherently drain the life out of the driving experience bore us, but because Soichiro Honda’s passion for motorsports and his company’s ability to express that in the machines they produce make a whole lot of sense.

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