Honda Civic e:HEV hatch gains RS with Prelude-style S+ Shift in Japan – simulated shifts, launching June

Honda is fleshing out its Civic e:HEV hybrid lineup in Japan with a new RS variant, joining the enthusiast-spec turbo petrol version (the latter, in case you were wondering, is available exclusively with a six-speed manual). The big news for this model, set to be launched in June, is the addition of the company’s novel S+ Shift technology, which only recently debuted on the Prelude.

This enables the driver to “row through the gears” through a simulated eight-speed gearbox, despite the car being directly driven by an electric motor and a single-speed transmission (the engine can, as before, clutch in to provide motive power at higher speeds). This is an extension of the Linear Shift Control already found on regular e:HEV models, which varies the engine speed to match throttle inputs – except now there are actual stepped “shifts” as, as well as paddle shifters for better control.

Beyond this new feature, there are no reported changes to the powertrain, which continues to centre around an electric motor producing 184 PS and 315 Nm of torque. This is juiced by a 2.0 litre direct-injected four-cylinder engine with 141 PS at 6,000 rpm and 182 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm, and when clutched in it helps deliver a total system output of 203 PS.

Those of you keeping score will remember that this is the same exact setup found in the Prelude, now including the S+ Shift function too. That leaves the two-door body style and its trick Civic Type R-derived suspension and brakes to be the coupé’s only raisons d’etre, making that car’s steep premium over the regular Civic an even more bitter pill to swallow.

Just like on the petrol variant, the e:HEV RS gains sportier suspension tuning that “provides light and direct steering and a sense of unity with the vehicle’s behaviour,” with the difference being the addition of new 18-inch matte black alloy wheels from the US-market Civic Si. Inside, there are part-leather seats, red air-con vent accents and a new flat-bottomed steering wheel – again from the Prelude.

Closer to home, the Civic e:HEV in Malaysia is also offered in RS form (in fact, this is the only version you can currently get of the hybrid model), albeit in a sedan body style rather than Japan’s hatch. With the C-segment model expected to receive a mild update similar to the CR-V this year, could we be seeing the S+ Shift feature being offered here soon, too?

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