'Forbidden fruit' Honda Civic hatchback returns to Canada this fall

The Honda Civic hatchback returns this fall to the Canadian market after a decade-long absence.

Similar to the 10th-generation Civic sedan, the new hatchback will have a more aggressive look with sharper lines. The five-door will also be the basis for the high-performance Type-R.

"We're bringing back the much-anticipated sporty, stylish and sophisticated Civic Hatchback to Canada, as we amp up the performance of our incredible Civic lineup with each new model," said Dave Gardner, senior vice-president of operations for Honda Canada, in a statement.

It will be offered in three trims with one engine – a 1.5-litre turbocharged in-line four cylinder that will make either 174 or 180 horsepower depending on the trim level. It will come with either a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT.

"The Civic Hatch has been a staple for Honda in Europe, but has long been the forbidden fruit for Honda fans in the U.S.," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice-president for Honda in the United States. The model has also been absent from the U.S. lineup.

Unlike the sedan, which is built in Alliston, Ont., Honda will make the hatchback in Swindon, England, and ship it to North America.

The hatchback prototype was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and the production version is not much different.

"We knew that we needed to create a striking and stand-out exterior design that challenged conventional European compact styling while staying true to the original Civic's core values," said Honda project leader Daisuke Tsutamori, last March.

Honda hopes the new hatchback will attract buyers who may be thinking about the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.

Honda first sold the hatchback when it first went on sale in Canada in 1973, but stopped selling it in 2005.

The Civic has been Canada's best-selling car for the past 18 years, selling just less than 65,000 in 2015.