Amid A Global Manufacturing Restructure
Amid a global manufacturing restructure, Honda confirmed on Tuesday that it intends to shut down its production plant in the United Kingdom. The shutdown will effectively pull Honda manufacturing from England. The plant, located in Swindon, currently builds the Honda Civic hatchback and the Civic Type R models. With current output, the plant produces 150,000 cars per year. The shutdown is planned for 2021 at the end of the current Civic's lifecycle, and Honda hasn't declared to where production will move. Motor Authority reached out to Honda for more information and to ask if the move has anything to do with Brexit. The deadline for Brexit, which calls for the UK to leave the European Union is March 29 and indications are that a "no deal Brexit" is possible. In this scenario, UK would have no trade agreements with Europe, and that could prove costly to companies located in the UK. Honda spokeswoman Jessica Pawl wrote in an email. She also said Civic hatchback and Type R production could move to a North American plant.
Pawl told MA. She noted the hatchback model's reception has exceeded the company's expectations in the U.S., which could sway executives to bring the model to North America. According to Honda, 20 percent of Civics sold in the U.S. 65 percent of the Civics produced in Swindon in 2018 were exported, 55 percent to the U.S. Should the Civic hatchback and Type R relocate to North America, two plants seem like likely candidates. Honda operates the Alliston, Ontario, and Greensburg, Indiana, plants in Canada and the U.S. Both currently build the Honda Civic sedan models. Honda also operates two plants in Mexico that currently build the Fit, HR-V, and CR-V. When asked if tariffs had anything to do with the decision, Pawl said she was unaware if that played into the decision. The move to close the Swindon plant will cut 3,500 jobs, and Honda said consultation activities will begin today for affected employees. The restructuring announcement also noted the automaker's plant in Turkey will close in 2021. That plant builds the current Civic sedan.
The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from the GTI is a significant upgrade with 228 horsepower, a boost over the 147-hp, 1.4-liter turbo four that powers all the other Jetta models. Some 80 more horsepower and 74 more pounds-feet of torque will definitely provide a performance boost. In other Jettas, putting the car into Sport mode was necessary for a satisfying driving experience; in the GLI, hopefully Sport takes things from good to great. Other things 鈥渂orrowed鈥?from the GTI include its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and electronic limited-slip differential. The GLI also has the same brakes as the Golf R and GTI. Most important, the standard transmission is a six-speed manual. Inside, the same positives and complaints from other Jettas remain. The front sport seats are the place to be 鈥?they鈥檙e comfortable and not over-bolstered, even for my larger frame. The GLI has a driver-friendly cockpit and is available with Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, the brand鈥檚 customizable digital gauge cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
In back, though, materials quality still drops off, and amenities for passengers like air-conditioning vents or extra USB ports are lacking. 2019 Volkswagen Jetta: A Base Model Worth Buying? What Does It Cost to Fill Up the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta? How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta? The downside of all this borrowing from the GTI, of course, is 鈥?why not just get a GTI? Especially given that the GTI could be less expensive 鈥?though we won鈥檛 know pricing for the GLI until closer to its on-sale date in the spring. If you want a sedan, maybe the Civic Si sedan will satisfy your sportiness needs, but it doesn鈥檛 come with an automatic transmission. The Subaru WRX is another option worth considering. But if you simply must have a Jetta, the GLI looks like it will be the one to get 鈥?and we鈥檒l know more once we drive it. Cars.com鈥檚 Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com鈥檚 long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don鈥檛 accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com鈥檚 advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
