The neighbour’s showing off their latest new car – and it could look just like the one coming to Kiwi driveways.

OUR mates next door have given Kiwis an early look at the new-generation Civic hatch in probable regional market guise.

Honda New Zealand has confirmed it will also be soon releasing information about the 11th generation model, as Honda Australia has just done, but it’s embargoed until December 10.

At the moment the Auckland-based national operation is not saying what, if any, differences in market specification exist or if New Zealand is following Australia’s lead in model selection.

The images today are from Honda Australia’s press kit, and show the car in its range-topping VTi-LX format, which over the Tasman carries a $7600 premium over its predecessor, a price hike that brings the car close to the sort of money being asked there for small luzury cars from Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz.

Standard equipment has increased over the outgoing Civic range-topper, however, with the new model featuring in Australia market guise blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 12-speaker Bose sound system, wireless phone charging, a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, electric and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and LED headlights and tail-lights.

 Standard active safety features include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring (replacing a LaneWatch camera system), rear cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist and driver attention alert.

Powering the car is an evolution of the current car's 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, developing 131kW on 91 octane and 134kW on 95 octane petrol, in either instance also generating 240Nm torque. 

Drive is to the front wheels and via a CVT automatic transmission.

Our neighbour’s range will be enhanced in late 2022 by an 'e:HEV' hybrid model, with a high-performance Type R expected some time in 2023.

The new car is larger than the old, with increased length, wheel track, and wheelbase, Also, the front pillars have been shifted rearward by 50mm, joining a lower roofline, window line and a sleeker bonnet for a sportier look.