Like the current Civic coupe, the new model will share a platform and lots more with its sedan counterpart. It will be interesting to see how much Honda differentiates the coupe from the sedan in terms of styling. The four-door is already much more stylized than its predecessor, so will the coupe look pretty much the same, minus two doors? Who knows.
Unless the vehicle in question is a performance car, luxury car, or actually a crossover in disguise, coupes have been a tough sell lately. Consumers just don’t seem to be as willing to sacrifice practicality in the name of style, unless some other perceived advantage comes as part of the trade. This indifference killed models like the Nissan Altima coupe and Toyota Solara, but Honda has bucked the trend with both the Civic and the larger Accord coupe.
Powertrain options for the 2016 Civic coupe should be identical to the sedan’s. That means base models will get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, while a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 174 hp and 162 lb-ft will be optional. On the sedan, the naturally-aspirated base engine is offered with either a six-speed manual transmission or CVT, while the CVT is mandatory with the turbo engine.
The Civic coupe will be followed by a five-door hatchback, plus two performance models. The Civic Si will return at some point, although Honda hasn’t confirmed which body styles it will be offered with. The more hardcore Civic Type R will also be sold in the U.S. for the first time, but probably won’t arrive here for awhile.
Accompanying the 2016 Civic coupe in L.A. will be the 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. The hydrogen car will make its U.S. debut after an unveiling at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. It will go on sale in the U.S. next year as the second purpose-built fuel-cell car offered to the public, competing with the Toyota Mirai.
