[Chitown Drifter]

Hello everyone, the title of my first post is the car I hope to be driving next year!

My current ride is a 2007 Honda Fit Sport I bought new. It's been a reliable, economical, and fun to drive car with amazing cargo capacity for its size, but I'm ready to move up to something more refined (quiet) on long road trips.

The new Civic hatchback (released next spring?) looks like the car for me. My only real concern is the lack of options with the 6 speed manual transmission. I've owned nothing but sticks for 35+ years and have no intention to change. I'd like to have most of the features in the higher trims, but I can live without some of them. I'm sure the 2.0 normally aspirated engine would be just fine. However, the 7" touch screen with Android Auto is a must. I really don't want to settle for a 4.5" screen that doesn't mirror my smart phone, so hopefully the hatchback with manual trans will have better options than the sedan.

Looking forward to learning more about the new Civic in this forum,

CD

 

[Chitown Drifter]

According to honda a 6 speed manual will be making it's way to the 1.5T models for the 2017 model year civics, in time for the hatchback which will probably debut as a 2017 model as well. So no worries, good things are still on the way.

Thanks Robb, that's the kind of info I want to hear!

I'm willing to wait longer if I have to. My Fit is still running great @ 111k miles, so a new car right now is more a matter of want than need. I tend to keep a car about 10 years, so I'm very reluctant to compromise.

 

[Chitown Drifter]

I can't find any solid info from Honda as to howthe final hatch will be configured, and there are very different stylesamong the images I've found on the internet. I'm sure it won't have "magicseats" like the Fit, but I'll be satisfied with a couple morecubic feet behind the rear seat.

Before the new Civic wasannounced I'd been focusing on the Mk7 Golf, and maybe the Sportwagen which hasgreat cargo capacity and just fits in the maximum 180" length for my spotin the garage (Civic sedan is too long, but the hatch will likely be shorter).Golf shortcomings are reliability, fuel economy (wasn't planning on TDI)and the 5 speed manual (which hasn't gotten great reviews) only comes in basetrim, though Android Auto is now standard.

The Civic hatch (and mydecision) is still a long ways off, so plenty of time to learn more asdevelopments unfold.

 

[Chitown Drifter]

In Europe the civic hatch always had the magic seats since 8th gen so it would be just plain stupid of Honda to drop such a magnificent idea. I would be very surprised if the civic hatch won't have magic seats.

Magic seats in the Fit are made possible by placing the gas tank under the front seats instead of the rear. Is the gas tank under the front seats in the European Civic and this new 10th gen? If not, then it has to be a different configuration than the Fit. Anything that improves cargo capacity & versatility is a plus, but aside from road trips my rear seats are up with the security cover hiding the contents behind. If the Civic hatchback has a little more room back there than my 2007 Fit, that would be enough for me.

 

[Chitown Drifter]

Android Auto with a 6MT will likely only be available on the Si Sedan and Coupe. At least for the next year or so. The 1.5 MT won't be available until MY2017. And it may not be available on the hatch right away (if at all).

If it were me, I would get the body/transmission I wanted and work in the radio afterwards. Android Auto is a standard that's available everywhere. And the experience would be the same whether factory or aftermarket. Hence, you'd likely sacrifice very little to integrate an aftermarket head unit for much less than the comparable trim.

I'd be willing to go with base trim and aftermarket infotainment system, providing the system could be fully integrated with steering wheel controls and whatever else is connected to the Honda factory unit. Additionally, an aftermarket dash kit specific to the new Civic would likely be necessary to make the head unit fit. Might take a while for that to become available.

 

[Chitown Drifter]

I'm with you argon, except I want a hatchback with maximum cargo capacity. The other car I'm considering is the Golf Sportwagen. Definitely leaning towards the new Civic with better fuel economy and reliability.