If you’re a fan of the Honda Civic hatchback there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that in 2021 there’s still a hatchback model. 2020 was the last year you could get a Honda Civic coupe for the current generation. 

What’s the bad news? Should you get the new 2021 Honda Civic hatchback? What’s new in 2021?

There’s nothing new in 2021

According to Cars.com, there’s just one update to the Honda Civic hatchback for 2021. It’s going to cost you $250 more.

That’s it. 

Those wondering whether to buy a 2020 or 2021 model of the Honda Civic hatchback might consider going with the 2020 model to save money. And as the team at Cars.com points out, you might even be able to broker a better deal for the 2020 model at the dealer if they’re trying to move inventory.

With the price hike on the 2021 Honda Civic and no real changes otherwise, the automaker elected to hold off releasing the EX-L models for a while. Expanding on the EX models, the EX-L has a few additional features like heated seats and mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, and more.

What Honda’s saying

A spokesperson for Honda explained that production challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and current market conditions were largely responsible for the company’s move to streamline some products like the EX-L hatch models. They stated that they planned to add it back to the lineup once demand increases.

Tough times and waning interest prompted changes elsewhere like with the Honda Civic coupe.  Back when Honda announced that the Honda Civic coupe wouldn’t be produced for 2021, they explained that the hatchback models made up almost a quarter of Civic sales. Coupe sales only accounted for 6%. That’s down from 16% in 2016 which was the year the current generation of Civic was introduced.

And what about the Civic Si models which were available with both coupe and sedan body styles? Honda explained that production of the Honda Civic Si would “pause” at the 2020 model year as they prepare the next Civic generation. That new generation is said to include a new Civic Si sedan. 

Whether we get a Si or Type R hatchback in the fifth generation remains to be seen. Honda’s representative did say that the Civic hatchback would be the “sporty and personal choice in the Civic lineup.”

The 2020/2021 Honda Civic hatchback

It’s easy to see why many are fans of the Honda Civic hatchback. It started out pretty basic and over time has become a fun, practical compact car.  According to Edmunds, the Honda Civic hatchback offers fast acceleration, solid handling, and real flexibility when it comes to hauling cargo. 

The Civic hatchback is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It gets 174 horsepower in all models except for the Sport and Sport Touring models that get 180 horsepower. The LX and EX models come equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Sport and Sport Touring models get a standard six-speed manual transmission with the CVT as an option. 

The smallest car in the Honda lineup has an impressive list of standard driver-assist features. There’s adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Also standard across all Civics is the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety features. Certain infotainment features aren’t standard which is odd. There’s a small touch screen in the base models where you can tune the radio but that’s about it.

All models of Civic got extra insulation for sound to help keep out road noise and make for a more serene ride. There’s also Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration in all models but the base LX.

Shopping for a new Honda Civic hatchback? Go with the 2020 models where you can save $250 or more.