"Given our efforts to optimize production allocation and production capacity on a global scale, we have concluded that we will produce the Civic for North America in North America," Hachigo said. Our previous story appears below.
Honda just announced this week that it will be closing its Civic hatchback factory in Swindon in the U.K. Besides meaning the potential loss of 3,500 jobs, the plant closure left us wondering what the future is for the Honda Civic hatchback, particularly the Type R, both of which are produced there for global markets including our own. But Honda has provided us a statement that reveals the hatchback and Type R appear to be safe, where production may be moved to, and when we may be seeing a totally new Civic.
According to Honda, the company is looking at bringing hatchback production to North America. Part of the reason for this is that the hatch is quite popular. Honda says that almost 20 percent of North American Civic sales are of the hatchback, and that's more than the company expected. And it does seem logical to bring production closer to where the cars are being sold. The Type R in particular would make sense since its engine is already build in Ohio.
If Honda does bring production to this continent, it won't begin for a few years, which makes sense since the Swindon factory won't close until 2021. Interestingly, though, Honda has specifically said production in North America wouldn't start until the next-generation Civic is launched. So we're thinking that we'll be seeing a new generation of Civic right around 2020 or 2021.