2022 Honda Civic Hatchback May Come With Spoiler

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

A 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback test mule was spotted in Columbus, Ohio, sporting some of the most unnecessarily aggressive automotive camouflage in recent memory. But the thick black cladding wasn’t enough to mask what the 11th Gen Civic Forum immediately identified as a rear spoiler.

Historically, most of Honda’s design previews have been so close to the finished product that most of us don’t even bother referencing them as concept vehicles anymore. They’re akin to a final draft with a few embellishments that are likely to be toned down before anything hits the assembly line. But the 11th-generation Civic Sedan Concept came out looking like a Honda’s attempt at building the Volkswagen Jetta, leaving the manufacturer with a shortage of radical design cues to scale back.

Of course, the more mature styling of the next-generation Civic doesn’t prohibit Honda from building versions that appeal to the children trapped inside our dour, adult exteriors. Type R and Si variants are a guarantee and the manufacturer has already been bragging about how the 2022 model year comes with a stiffer chassis, upgraded suspension options, and an available manual transmission for people interested in exercising their fine motor skills during the daily commute.

A spoiler seems as though it would slot in there rather nicely and the one we’re seeing in the spy shots is tasteful enough to make it onto the most vanilla versions of the hatchback without causing offense. It might even be too subtle if the hatch in question happens to be a performance model. We didn’t exactly expect Honda to go full Plymouth Superbird with the new Civic. But your author feels the subtle spoiler featured in the spy images and sedan doesn’t even surpass what was offered on the Oldsmobile Intrigue — may the earth lay lightly on its steel — in terms of how many thumbs up it’s likely to garner from passersby.

There’s also a chance that the symmetrical bump located just above the rear taillights is an optical illusion created by the wild amount of black padding added to the test vehicle’s media shroud. Though it seems the less likely explanation since t he Civic 4-door has already been shown with an integrated lip spoiler.

[Image: 11th Gen Civic Forum]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Art Vandelay Art Vandelay on Feb 04, 2021

    Even if it doesnt come with one, it will likely receive a giant one from the third or forth owner as most Civics do.

  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Feb 04, 2021

    I know its a mule with a cover over it but... waht? That's just a bizarre looking rear end to me.

  • ToolGuy My latest vehicle acquisition is slightly older than this one, same parent company, but has a full frame, rear-wheel drive and a longitudinally-mounted pushrod V8 gasoline engine. Almost like it was engineered and manufactured by a completely different group of people. Hmmm...
  • EBFlex Smart people
  • Wjtinfwb "Rovelo" tires? Good to see TTAC is not above the shameless commercial endorsement of unknown product like it's bigger print competitors.
  • Wjtinfwb Looks in decent nick for a Junkyard car. Other than the interior being partially gutted for some trim pieces, you could probably drive it out of the junkyard. Maybe a transmission issue and the cars value precluded a $2k or more fix? J cars were pathetic when introduced in '82 and never really got any better. But GM did sort out most of the reliability issues and with a modicum of maintenance these would run a long time if you could stand the boredom. Guess this owner couldn't.
  • GS340Pete I see a lot of these on the road. I can't remember the last time I saw one on my local Chevy dealership's lot. They've never in my memory had a few lined up with balloons. Short sighted to kill it off? Perhaps. But I certainly think the rows of $65k and up trucks is short sighted. That's going to bite soon. Looks like they're piling up already.And what about the Trax? Malibu or Trax? Gotta be honest, I'd pick the Trax.Although it should have 50 more HP IMHO. And why are so many preaching doom about the 'wet belt' engine?RIP, Malibu. Ride the highway in the sky with the Impala (talk about short sighted.)
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