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2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Press Kit - Chassis

Based on the 10th generation Civic platform, the 2017 Civic Hatchback's chassis is specially tuned and adapted for its role as a nimble, versatile and, most importantly, fun-to-drive compact car. The sophisticated front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link suspension utilize specially tuned low-friction dampers, while the front stabilizer bar is upgraded from the Sedan's unit. The result is crisper turn-in and flatter cornering for the Civic Hatchback. In addition, the Hatchback's dual-pinion, variable ratio Electric Power Steering (EPS) uses proprietary software algorithms that further contribute to its direct, driver-oriented feel.

Like the Civic Sedan, the Civic Hatchback chassis includes front fluid-filled suspension bushings for improved ride quality and isolation from road noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The EX, EX-L Navi, Sport and Sport Touring trims add rear fluid-filled suspension bushings for further ride and handling refinement. Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control and a 4-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist add to the Hatchback's capability. Straight Driving Assist reduces steering effort when driving on sloped or crowned roads, while Agile Handling Assist uses the brakes to improve both turning response and cornering ability. An Electric Parking Brake (EPB), Automatic Brake Hold and Hill Start Assist add convenience in traffic or on hills.

All Civic Hatchback trims feature aluminum alloy wheels as standard equipment, with diameters ranging from 16 inches on the LX trim to 17 inches on the EX and 18 inches on the Sport and Sport Touring. All-season tires ensure responsive performance and versatility in a wide range of road and weather conditions, while an indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) uses the ABS sensors and advanced software to determine when a tire is low on pressure.

Key Chassis Features

  • MacPherson strut front suspension
  • Multi-link rear suspension
  • Dual Pinion, Variable Ratio Electric Power Steering (EPS)
  • Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control
  • 4-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist
  • Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
  • Front and rear stabilizer bars
  • Fluid-filled suspension compliance bushings (standard front, available rear)
  • Straight Driving Assist
  • Agile Handling Assist
  • Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Automatic Brake Hold

Chassis Summary

All Models

  • MacPherson strut front suspension
  • Multi-link rear suspension
  • Front and rear stabilizer bars
  • Front fluid-filled suspension compliance bushings
  • Power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes
  • 4-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist
  • Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
  • Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control
  • Agile Handling Assist
  • Dual Pinion Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS)
  • Straight Driving Assist
  • Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Automatic Brake Hold
  • Hill Start Assist
  • Indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

LX

  • 16-in. alloy wheels
  • P215/55R16 93H all-season tires

Sport

  • 18-in. alloy wheels
  • P235/40R18 91W all-season tires
  • Front and rear fluid-filled suspension bushings

EX and EX-L Navi

  • 17-in. alloy wheels
  • P215/50R17 91H all-season tires
  • Front and rear fluid-filled suspension bushings

Sport Touring

  • LED headlights
  • 18-in. alloy wheels
  • P235/40R18 91W all-season tires
  • Front and rear fluid-filled suspension bushings

Front and Rear Suspension The 2017 Civic Hatchback's suspension delivers highly agile and fun European-inspired handling. The system uses a combination of front MacPherson struts and rear multi-link with a rigid subframe, and features specially tuned dampers with larger bodies and low-friction bushings that enhance the car's sporty character while also improving ride comfort. Using a strut-style front suspension improves the room available for crash reinforcement. Meanwhile the multi-link rear suspension provides outstanding handling characteristics and ride quality, while also helping to maximize second-row seating and cargo space. Front and rear stabilizer bars on all trims improve turn-in response while reducing body roll during cornering. The stabilizer bars are bonded to their mounting bushings and use low-friction connecting links for smoother operation.

MacPherson Strut Front Suspension The MacPherson strut front suspension is engineered to provide inspired handling performance and a responsive feel for the driver. Specially calibrated geometry ensures a high degree of quickness and precision, smoothness and stability. The lower suspension arms are connected to the subframe and to the body via fluid-filled bushings, which provide the ideal combination of handling responsiveness and precision, along with maximum isolation from road noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). All front suspension arms and the front hub carriers are steel, and all Civic Hatchbacks use a tubular front stabilizer bar.

Multi-Link Rear Suspension The multi-link rear suspension includes stamped-steel arms, cast-aluminum hub carriers and a stabilizer bar. Mounted on a rigid subframe, the rear suspension provides agile handling, both during normal driving and in emergency maneuvers, together with a flat ride. The trailing arms are located on the unibody for exceptional control of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) while maintaining precise handling. All Civic Hatchbacks use a solid rear stabilizer bar for crisp turn-in and body roll control.

Fluid-Filled Suspension Bushings Like the other Civic models, the Civic Hatchback's suspension uses fluid-filled bushings to provide superior ride isolation as well as chassis vibration control. All Civic Hatchback models utilize front fluid-filled bushings and the EX, EX-L Navi, Sport and Sport Touring trims add rear fluid-filled bushings. These bushings are specifically tuned to provide minimum vibration transfer to the occupants, further reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

In front, the lower control arms pivot in the fluid-filled bushing, which is designed to help absorb road harshness and vibration while still retaining the exacting precision required for sharp, nimble handling. For the front suspension, a specially ventilated under-cover allows airflow to cool the bushings, ensuring more consistent performance in all ambient temperature conditions, as well as enhanced long-term durability.

Dual Pinion Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS) The Electric Power Steering (EPS) incorporates dual pinion gears and a variable gear ratio for steering feel, performance and comfort that is unsurpassed in the class. Compared to a traditional single-pinion steering system, the dual pinion EPS utilizes the physical steering input from the driver as well as from a supplemental electric motor. A non-contact torque sensor measures the driver's steering effort and an ECU determines how much electric motor assist to add, with the result being seamless, natural feeling steering in all situations.

The steering ratio is variable over a 17-percent range with a final full off-center ratio of 10.93:1 (11.12 for Sport and Sport Touring trims). This provides a quick 2.2 turns lock-to-lock for the LX, EX and EX-L Navi trims (2.1 turns lock-to-lock for Sport and Sport Touring trims), enabling easy parking and maneuvering. Although the Civic Hatchback shares its EPS hardware with the Civic Sedan, the Hatchback is tuned to yield higher steering effort on center and smoother initial turn-in, resulting in a more driving-enthusiast oriented feel.

Also contributing to the enhanced steering performance and feel of the Civic Hatchback is a high level of stiffness for the steering mount, and a large 30 mm steering column diameter.

Straight Driving Assist Straight Driving Assist reduces the steering effort required when driving on a sloped or crowned road. When the Straight Driving Assist system detects that steering effort is being applied to keep the car driving along a slope, the Electric Power Steering system applies motor assist. This reduces the muscle effort required to maintain the desired direction on the sloped road to the same level as is required on a flat road.

4-wheel Disc Brakes with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist The Civic Hatchback is equipped with 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-channel ABS, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist as standard equipment. The system utilizes a large-diameter master cylinder to achieve a short-travel, firm pedal. This results in a comfortable and refined braking feel at low speeds, predictable and easy operation on the highway, a sporty, fun-to-drive feel on winding roads, and reassuring high-performance stopping in emergency situations.

The ventilated front brakes rotors are 11.1 inches in diameter (0.9-inch rotor thickness) and are clamped by single-piston brake calipers. The rear disc brakes incorporate 10.2-inch diameter solid rotors (0.4-inch rotor thickness) paired with single-piston brake calipers. The low-friction design of the brake calipers reduces energy losses when the brakes are not in use, directly improving fuel efficiency.

Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) is an Electronic Stability Control system that works in conjunction with the Civic Hatchback's Drive-by-Wire™ throttle and its 4-channel ABS systems to enhance control capability while the vehicle is accelerating, braking, cornering or when the driver makes a sudden maneuver.

VSA also provides a limited-slip differential effect for the driving wheels by applying braking force to a slipping wheel, thereby redirecting driving force to the wheel with more traction. While the driver can reduce the traction control effectiveness allowing more wheel slip during stuck conditions by pressing the VSA button, ABS remains fully operational at all times. (See the Safety & Driver Assistance section for more information.)

Agile Handling Assist Standard on all Civic Hatchback trims, Agile Handling Assist selectively uses the vehicle's brakes to improve initial turning response and overall cornering ability. Agile Handling Assist utilizes brake vectoring to improve corner traceability and promote a confident handling feel. By applying braking force to the inside wheels during cornering at high lateral G, the system creates a yaw moment, thus generating more turning force and reducing understeer.

Hill Start Assist The Hill Start Assist function helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards when the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is stopped on a hill. Hill Start Assist automatically activates when the vehicle senses a certain incline and is fully stopped in any forward gear when facing up hill or reverse gear when facing downhill. The system uses a longitudinal G-sensor along with a wheel speed sensor to control the hydraulic brake modulator.

Electric Parking Brake (EPB) The standard Electric Parking Brake (EPB) is simpler, more convenient and comfortable to use than a traditional parking brake. The EPB also frees up center console space, allowing a higher console and an extended armrest length.

Engaging the parking brake now requires only a pull on a switch on the center console. To release the parking brake, the driver simply presses on the accelerator pedal (while the seatbelt is buckled) when the transmission is in Drive or Reverse (CVT models) or else pushes on the parking brake switch while operating the brake pedal.

Automatic Brake Hold When activated, Automatic Brake Hold retains brake pressure when the vehicle comes to a stop such as at a traffic light or in heavy traffic. This frees the driver from continually pressing the brake pedal to maintain the vehicle in a stopped position until the driver presses the throttle pedal.

Operating the system requires two simple actions from the driver:

  • Activating/deactivating the system via a switch on the center console
  • Pressing on the brake pedal until the vehicle comes to a stop

Once these steps are taken, Automatic Brake Hold will indicate engagement and then maintain brake pressure when the vehicle has come to a stop, even if the driver later releases the brake pedal. A green "Brake Hold" icon on the instrument panel illuminates to show that the system is functioning. The Civic 5-Door then remains stopped – even on a hill – until the driver presses the accelerator pedal. At this point Automatic Brake Hold releases the brakes and the vehicle resumes normal braking function.

Wheels and Tires The Civic Hatchback LX rides on P215/55R16 tires mounted on 16 x 7.0-inch aluminum alloy wheels, while EX trims are equipped with P215/50R17 tires and 17 x 7.0-inch aluminum alloy wheels. For even sportier handling, Civic Hatchback Sport and Sport Touring trims use P235/40R18 tires and 18 x 8.0-inch aluminum alloy wheels. All tires carry an all-season M+S rating, making them suitable for year-round use in all weather and road conditions.

Developed cooperatively with Honda engineers, the tires help reduce rolling resistance while also helping to improve both ride quality and handling. With low unsprung weight, they also allowed the engineers greater control of suspension tuning, which further improves ride and handling characteristics.

A summary of the 2017 Civic Hatchback's wheel and tire sizes include:

LX

  • 16 x 7-inch alloy wheels
  • P215/55R16 93H all-season tires

EX and EX-L Navi

  • 17 x 7-inch alloy wheels
  • P215/50R17 91H all-season tires

Sport and Sport Touring

  • 18 x 8-inch alloy wheels
  • P235/40R18 91W all-season tires

Space-Saving Spare Tire For all Civic Hatchback trims, the spare tire is a space- and weight-saving temporary unit that is mounted under a carpeted floor in the cargo area.

Low-Friction Wheel Bearings As in other Civic models, the Civic Hatchback's wheel hubs feature new low-friction bearings that measurably reduce rolling resistance, which directly contributes to improved fuel efficiency.

Fuel Tank The 12.4-gallon fuel tank and fuel lines are molded of high-density polyethylene for low weight, freedom from corrosion, impact resistance and fuel vapor losses. The tank and filler pipe are formed as a single unit, reducing weight and complexity, while further improving safety in the event of a collision. Additionally, the tank is positioned ahead of the rear wheels to help guard against collision damage. A high-efficiency fuel pump is housed inside the tank, and the fuel filter is a lifetime design that never needs replacement. An integrated baffle system positioned inside the tank reduces the sound of fuel sloshing.

Chassis Features

Suspension & Chassis Features LX Sport EX EX-L Navi Sport Touring
MacPherson Strut Front Suspension
Multi-Link Rear Suspension
Stabilizer Bar (mm, front / rear) 25.5 x t4.0/ 16.5
Front fluid-filled suspension bushings
Rear fluid-filled suspension bushings
Dual Pinion Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS)
Steering Wheel Turns, Lock-to-Lock 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.1
Steering Ratio 10.93:1 11.12:1 10.93:1 10.93:1 11.12:1
Turning Diameter, Curb-to-Curb (ft.) 35.7 37.8 35.7 35.7 37.8
Power-Assisted Ventilated Front Disc / Solid Rear Disc Brakes (in, front/rear) with ABS 11.1 / 10.2
Wheel Size and Construction 16 x 7J alum. alloy 18 x 8J alum. alloy 17 x 7J alum. alloy 17 x 7J alum. alloy 18 x 8J alum. alloy
Tire Size and Type P215/55R16 M+S 93H P235/40R18 M+S 91W 215/50R17 M+S 91H 215/50R17 M+S 91H P235/40R18 M+S 91W
Compact Spare Tire T125/80D16 97M T125/70D17 98M T125/80D16 97M T125/80D16 97M T125/70D17 98M
Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control
Agile Handling Assist
Straight Driving Assist
Electric Parking Brake
(EPB) with Automatic Brake Hold
Hill Start Assist
Indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

(See the Specifications and Features document for all data.)