Nearly 3 months after making its world debut, the 2022 Honda Civic (FE4) e:HEV hybrid sedan is launched in Thailand with two variants that now occupy the highest trim of the Civic range in the Kingdom.

The two variants are the EL+ which starts from THB 1,129,000 (~RM 142k) and the RS which starts from THB 1,259,000 (~RM 158k). Note that the e:HEV RS essentially replaces the VTEC Turbo RS variant in Thailand.

Still, the Toyota Corolla Altis Hybrid undercuts the price of the Civic e:HEV with prices for the former ranging between THB 994,000 to THB 1,114,000 (~RM 125k-140k).

Powering the Civic FE4 is the same unit that is found on the Accord e:HEV, a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle DOHC naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder (141 PS/182 Nm) that is paired to a pair of synchronous permanent magnet electric motors.

Also read: The hybrid sedan Malaysia needs: 2022 Honda Civic FE e:HEV debuts with 2.0L engine, same as Accord

Combined, the i-MMD hybrid system churns out 184 PS and 315 Nm, making it more powerful than either the less powerful Thai-spec 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo (178 PS/240 Nm) or the Malaysian-spec unit (182 PS/240 Nm).

Also read: Malaysia’s 2022 Honda Civic FE gets more power than Thailand's, here’s why

The FE4's figures are similar to the Civic Hatchback (FL) e:HEV that is being offered in Europe and Japan. The powertrain is mated to an eCVT automatic gearbox while Honda Thailand claims that the Civic e:HEV has a fuel economy of 25 km/litre (4 L/100 km). It is worth noting that the fuel tank size in the hybrid (40 litres) is smaller than the petrol variant (47 litres).

Also read: No VTEC Turbo for Europe, 184 PS 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback FL e:HEV makes world debut

Aside from the glowing blue Honda logo, the Civic e:HEV is generally similar to its petrol-powered variants. The base Civic e:HEV comes with automatic full LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic wipers, a 7-inch TFT display and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with wireless Apple CarPlay support.

As for the e:HEV RS, it comes with 18-inch wheels, black trims including door handle, antenna, and rear spoiler, a 10.2-inch driver info display, a Honda Smart Key Card, a wireless phone charger, as well as black leather seats with red stitching.

Also read: 4 features on the Malaysian-spec 2022 Honda Civic FE that Thais don't get

Speaking of interior upholstery, on the Civic e:HEV EL+ variant, there are two interior colours depending on the exterior colours which are black and beige grey.

Safety features that are standard across all variants of the Thai-spec Civic e:HEV are Honda LaneWatch, a driver attention monitor, 6 airbags, and the Honda Sensing ADAS suite which comes with:

• Auto High Beam (AHB)
• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF)
• Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN)

Closer to home, the Honda Civic FE e:HEV is expected to be launched in Malaysia later this year. According to sources familiar with the matter, it will be the first electrified Civic to be locally-assembled (CKD) at the Melaka plant. For now though, Honda Malaysia is focusing on the launch of the hotly-anticipated all-new Honda HR-V, of which bookings are opened.

Also read: After Thailand, Malaysia is next to launch CKD 2022 Honda Civic Hybrid (FE) later this year