Short of a bike rack, there are very few easy — and clean — ways to transport a bike from point A to point B, let alone a pair of bikes. Honda has seemingly solved the problem with the Civic Tourer Active Life concept that will be presented next to the wild Project 2&4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Honda has replaced the rear seats with an innovative rotating rack that can hold up to two bikes. More than simply a storage unit, the Active Life doubles as a mobile workshop thanks to features like compartments built into the side of the trunk to store tools and water bottles, an overhead light built into the trunk lid, an air pump, and a retractable work bench.
Rack aside, the interior gains a black headliner inspired by the fire-breathing Civic Type R, strips of blue trim on the dash, and blue contrast stitching on the steering wheel, the center console, and the door panels.
Outside, the Active Life stands out from a regular-production Civic Tourer thanks to an eye-catching three-tone blue, black and white paint job, black 18-inch alloy wheels and a concept-specific aerodynamic roof box designed to store equipment such as helmets and shoes.
There are no mechanical modifications to speak of. The Active Life is powered by a stock 1.6-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Euro-spec Civic. Bolted to a manual transmission, it delivers 120 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, enough to send the wagon from zero to 62 mph in 10.1 seconds.
Honda hints that it built the Active Life concept to showcase just how roomy the Civic Tourer’s trunk is. That means it will most likely remain a one-off model designed for the auto show circuit, and, much to the chagrin of Tour de France teams from all over the world, it won’t spawn a regular-production wagon in the near future.
