The automaker has updated the Civic for next year with a few choice additions aimed at value and driving enjoyment.Honda has been on a tear overhauling its 2027 lineup, and the changes have impacted some important players.First, the brand gave the Passport TrailSport a few key updates that improved the SUV's off-road prospects. Then, the Type R hatch benefited from some choice changes to make it even more of a driver's tool.The Civic is set to get a much larger revamp soon, so Honda hasn't changed the visuals just yet. - Credit: HondaNow Honda is keeping the trend rolling across the rest of the Civic range. As part of the 2027 updates, the best-selling compact gets a little extra refinement and an added play for enthusiasts.Threading the needleIn practice, this means Honda has introduced a new Sport-L trim that rides above the Sport and sits below the Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid on the sedan and hatchback body styles.Honda's Sport-L is meant to bridge the gap between the Sport and Sport Hybrid trims. - Credit: HondaIn addition to giving the Civic Sport the leather upholstery and front power-adjustable seats of the Sport Touring Hybrid, it also benefits from front seat heating and dual-zone climate control once restricted to Hybrid grades.And that's not all. In keeping with the treatment, Honda has also given the Sport-L a passenger seatback pocket, illuminated vanity mirrors and silver-colored interior trim.In addition to leather upholstery, the Sport-L trim adds niceties like power adjustable and heated front seats. - Credit: HondaWhile these might all seem like minor niceties, they provide a solid bridge in value between the Civic Sport and its higher-spec siblings. The step up to a Hybrid might not be that much, but a Touring Hybrid comes at a meaningful premium (comparatively).A simulated shiftHonda has kept engine and transmission options the same, though the Sport-L isn't the only update the automaker has in store for the Civic.For 2027, the automaker has also ported S+ Shift tech over from the Prelude for the Sport Touring Hybrid.S+ Shift makes its way over from the Civic's Prelude sibling. - Credit: HondaThe mode uses eight virtual gears in an attempt to mimic physical stepped changes within a direct-drive hybrid system.Along with offering gear holding during cornering and engine noise augmentation, it provides rev-matched downshifts and paddle-input operation.The manual Civic Si notably goes on hiatus for 2027, but the tech does at least give drivers with an enthusiast bent an option that's cheaper than the Prelude and CTR.Honda's 2027 Civic skips the Si trim, leaving buyers who want to row their gears the Sport Touring Hybrid or the CTR. - Credit: HondaAvailability and pricingThe 2027 Civic lineup starts at $24,995 for the LX sedan before a $1,295 destination fee. According to Honda's announcement, next year's models are starting to roll out to dealers now, and the Sport-L will be arriving in the coming months.2027 Honda Civic Starts at $24,995 About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he's not chasing the latest industry news, he's probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.