I just stopped by the Honda dealer to grab some fluids for the insight and they had five new Civic Hatches positioned in such a way that I had to walk right by them, and circle around them, and look in the windows. I haven't been visually drawn in by a compact car in a while, but holy moly do I love that car. Thank God they're not making an Si hatch and the TypeR will be too expensive to justify. I could be happy waking up to that car every morning.
They're good looking, but the sedans aren't bad either IMO. Haven't seen one of the coupes yet. Only thing about the hatch is the rear visibility is downright awful. As in, bad enough that a friend who really wanted one and was waiting for them to be available went to the dealer to check it out when one arrived. She sat down in it, made it about 30 seconds before deciding the visibility was too bad to live with and buying a sedan instead.
They had a few of them at the local auto show. I really would not be unhappy to drive one of the hatches.
Rear visibility is terrible in everything these days, although I didn't sit in a sedan. Sadly, I think it's only going to get worse now that they have the crutch of mandatory rear cameras to fall back on.
Really not a fan of the looks, but the EX-T model is catching my eye. Make mine a coupe with a 6 speed and I think I'd be happy for a while.
I'm just the opposite. Truly find them horrific. Like... they make the wierd nissan/lexus cars look good.
Bobzilla wrote: I'm just the opposite. Truly find them horrific. Like... they make the wierd nissan/lexus cars look good.
Same here. Seen them in the wild and they make me cringe.
I think they are really weird, and while I don't like all of the weird weirdness, I weirdly want one.
Weird.
They look interesting in certain colors. There's a blue/gray color that looks nice on it.
A bit off topic, but this thread got me wondering: does anybody know what drives automotive styling trends? I think of some things like the first gen Mazda 3 was gorgeous, the came the 2nd gen which was awful, and the newer ones look good again. But what is the impetuous for these awful angles, strange diffusers, and busy rear fascia on so many new cars?
Yeah, place me in the "too much weird, unnecessary plastic-y styling features all over the place" camp. Plus, (and I know this is absolutely NOT a Honda-only thing, every maker is guilty), its freaking huge for a "compact" hatch.
But, I really liked the EP hatch, and no one else did, so perhaps Im not in their core customer base.
NickD wrote:Bobzilla wrote: I'm just the opposite. Truly find them horrific. Like... they make the wierd nissan/lexus cars look good.Same here. Seen them in the wild and they make me cringe.
For me it's not just the ugly but the size. Holy crap. My Forte parked beside one looked absolutely TINY.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Every time there is a thread discussing what looks good and what doesn't, I'm reminded how incredibly varied people's tastes are. I've met people who think the Series 1 E-Type Jaguar is ugly. I've also met those who lust after cars I find hideous.
In the end, there is no right or wrong answer. You dig what you dig. (but please, dig a hole and put the Civic into it, so I don't have to look at it! ) 
Kidding, kidding...I kid.........well, sort of....
I think they over did the black plastic on the outside but I do like them, which I even think is weird.
Yeah there's something about this car that really catches my eye, and not because I'm a huge Honda fan. Pictures do not do it justice, in fact when I saw some of the first pictures I thought it really didn't work. BUT now I do a double take every time one passes by. At the moment, it's the only new car on the road that makes me take a second glace. Somehow it works in person.
4cylndrfury wrote: Yeah, place me in the "too much weird, unnecessary plastic-y styling features all over the place" camp. Plus, (and I know this is absolutely NOT a Honda-only thing, every maker is guilty), its freaking huge for a "compact" hatch.
I parked next to one while visiting Home Depot Racing...
Pulled this from a top-ten list of the ugliest things on earth:
5. Gangrenous Legions
6. Frilled Shark
7. 2017 Civic Hatchback
8. Pontiac Aztec
9. Mama June
I drove a Sport and really like the way it handles. Since I've bought six Hondas from the same dealer, they know I'm an interested customer so they let me take one home.
I can't say it's the best looking car I've driven, but I don't think it's bad. For one thing, outside vision is better than most new rides I've been in lately.
Sadly the dealer had no stick shift hatch in stock, so I didn't even bother to talk price. I told him when a stick shift Sport comes in, give me a call. If the stick is as good as the rest of the car seems to be, I'll buy one. 
I'm not a fan. I had a 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' conversation with my mother-in-law the other day as we were on the road for 40 miles about the new Prius. She liked the brake lights and faux 50's tailfin look. I think it makes no sense and is ugly enough that it would rule out my ever buying one just based on the brake lights.
I know they're polarizing, I think that's why I was so taken by the car in person. It's been a long time since a car in this class did anything but bled into the background of bland cars. I also liked (and still do) the Mazda2, it was just done very well for what it was. This new hatch is a bit daring, makes you look, the black in place of the chrome is the right touch.
I don't think there's a place for one in the family right now, but I'm excited to see where they take this body style over the next couple of years and how the TypeR looks in person.
I owned an M Coupe, so I understand that someone might like it. I also like Hondas. But something about the rear end makes me shiver.
In reply to calteg:
It's almost 90's minivan size.
There's something weird about the front grille on these new Civics. I thought it was falling off on the first one I saw driving around, but it turned out to just be the angle I was looking at it from.
I don't like the rear end of the new Civic, hatch or sedan. Over all, I feel they have some nice aspects, but there are a lot of random bulges, etc. that detract from it. Lately it feels like former Pontiac designers have infiltrated a number of different car companies.
Here's a question: do they offer the Sport trim on the sedan or coupe? They will be offering the SI in the sedan, but I haven't seen a Sport sedan.
Also, Honda really should install a turbocharger on the Accord Sport. Just sayin'.
pinchvalve wrote: Pulled this from a top-ten list of the ugliest things on earth: 5. Gangrenous Legions 6. Frilled Shark 7. 2017 Civic Hatchback 8. Pontiac Aztec 9. Mama June
Just saw this.... it beat out the Pontiac Aztek? That's pretty bad.
To my eye, it falls into the 'trying too hard' school of design. They tried to make a copy of a WRX (which itself suffers from trying too hard) with some added ugliness in the grill and rear end and without the AWD. It seems like a car that would've been cutting edge 10 years ago, but now seems very derivative. It's like Honda decided they should chase Toyota in the styling department and try to win the race to the bottom of the beauty barrel.
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