Mugen Will Have Your Honda Civic Hatchback Look the Business

We can probably all agree that Japan’s almighty Mugen is a force to be reckoned with in the aftermarket realm. As time went by, the manufacturer stacked up on a plethora of top-grade custom modules for Honda’s fearsome machines, such as the CR-V, City and the legendary Civic Type R, to name a few.

Honestly, it goes without saying these folks aren’t playing around. Besides developing some seriously ominous body kits, the Japanese tuner also amassed countless performance enhancement units that’ll have your ride behave like a wonder. In fact, let’s take a minute to drool over one such exploit.

To be a little more precise, the project in question revolves around Honda’s beloved Civic Hatchback. Sure, this sexy thing is no Type R, but we'll have to admit it looks the part, nonetheless. Before we dive in, we’ll be reminding ourselves about a few of the stock vehicle’s main specs and features.

The base trim in the Hatchback family goes by the name of LX. It is powered by a feral 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four mill, with sixteen valves and a compression ratio of 10.6:1. At around 6,000 revs, this bad boy is perfectly capable of delivering up to 174 hp, while a respectable torque output of 162 pound-feet (220 Nm) will be achieved between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm.

A Continuously Variable Transmission (or CVT, for the layman) is tasked with enabling the engine’s force to reach a front-wheel-drive system. Suspension duties are taken good care of by a MacPherson strut at the front, accompanied by a multi-link setup on the opposite end. The entire structure crawls on a set of 16-inch alloy wheels.

Should you be feeling more adventurous, the range-topping Sport Touring trim brings about a modest boost in the power output department. The 1.5-liter inline-four fiend will generate as much as 180 ponies at 5,500 rpm, along with 177 pound-feet (240 Nm) of solid twisting force from 1,900 to 5,000 rpm. The powerplant feeds its vicious oomph to the front 18-inch hoops by means of a six-speed manual gearbox, controlled via dual-mode paddle shifters.

Needless to say, this hot hatch is a genuine superstar, even if its performance-oriented sibling tends to outshine it in every possible way. As to Mugen’s cosmetic pizzazz, their inventory houses an array of top-shelf components that’ll do a great job at giving your Civic Hatchback a truly monstrous aesthetic.

For starters, you will find a muscular front bumper and a carbon fiber grille garnish, joined by a pair of bulky side skirts and rugged carbon side mirrors. At the rear, the firm offers a neat wing spoiler, as well as a fresh diffuser, which hosts angular dual exhaust tips.

To complement these visual upgrades, Mugen’s customers may choose between two sets of aftermarket wheels. Regardless of your chosen design, the hoops feature a diameter of 19 inches. The new items wear state-of-the-art disc brakes on all four sides. Lastly, the tuner will go as far as treating the cabin to a carbon fiber steering wheel and bucket seats.

Sure enough, Mugen’s visual goodness guarantees to let everyone know this isn’t your standard Honda Civic Hatchback! What are your thoughts on this whole shebang?