2022 Honda Civic Prototype shows off more sedate styling for next Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 rival

Honda has given a glimpse of what to expect from its 11th-generation Civic with the unveiling of a Prototype version on the Twitch streaming platform.

Finished in an eye-searing orange paintwork, the Civic Prototype does away with the current car’s sharp edges, angles and scalloped body work in favour of a more mature aesthetic.

A clear line can still be drawn from old to new though, as the Prototype sedan sports a wide front grille flanked by slim headlights and a lower air intake that is separated by a body-coloured divider.

However, the fake vent foglight surrounds have now been ditched for cleaner front fascia.

From the rear, the updates are much more apparent as no black plastic can be seen. Instead, the Civic Prototype wears a chiseled bumper with integrated dual-exhaust outlets and a molded boot spoiler.

In profile, the glasshouse looks similar to the existing 10th-gen Civic, but the hip line is now positioned above the door handles for a higher-riding look.

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Though Honda did not show the interior of the Prototype, online scuttlebutt points to a less fussy cabin to go with the more mature exterior design.

A leaked image shows a simplified steering wheel with less buttons, as well as a floating multimedia screen instead of the dashboard-integrated touchscreen of the current car.

What is currently unknown about the new car though, is exactly what will be powering Honda’s newest small car.

The current Civic range is powered by either a 104kW/174NM 1.8-litre petrol engine, or a 127kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, both paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to drive the front wheels.

It is expected the new-generation Civic will debut as a 2022 model, leaving Honda plenty of time to continue teasing its volume-selling model.

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Though the Prototype is in a sedan form, expect to also see Honda continue its Civic in the hatchback shape, while a more potent Type R performance variant is also likely.

Production of the latter will need to switch to a new facility however, with Aussie-spec Type Rs coming from Honda’s Swindon, UK plant, which is due to be shuttered by mid-2021.