Honda Civic (USA) review

• Overview
• What is it?
• Why do you prefer the hatchback?
• Turbo? Manual? Go on…
• Wait, didn’t you say there are two engines?
• Speaking of fuel economy, does Honda make a Civic hybrid?
• Do the Civic’s competitors offer hybrid power?
• Is the Civic expensive?
• What else should I know?
• What's the verdict?
• Driving
• What is it like to drive?
• How are the powertrains?
• What about the Civic Si?
• Is the Civic efficient?
• Honda Civic Type R Sport Line review: the wingless, ‘subtle’ super-hatch
• Honda Civic Type R review: madcap Limited Edition driven
• Honda Civic Type R review: the first UK test
• Interior
• What is it like on the inside?
• Can you get lots of fancy things?
• How’s the tech?
• Buying
• What should I be paying?
• Okay, but which one should I actually buy?

Overview

What is it?

It’s the ubiquitous Honda Civic, the reliable econobox defined. It might look a little anonymous at first – like a nondescript car you’d see in an ad on a fuel pump or in an insurance pamphlet – but the Civic is a stalwart of Honda’s lineup and a benchmark for its class.

Honda sells the 11th-generation Civic in both sedan and hatchback body styles – the latter of which is the correct choice – and with two different engines. There’s also the Civic Type R, but that holy-grail hot hatch is so laser-focused on performance and has so many bespoke tweaks, it’s only fair to break that out into a separate review.

Why do you prefer the hatchback?

First of all, it looks a whole lot better, and it also makes the Civic more functional, with 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the sedan’s 14.8. You can even fold the rear bench flat to carry larger items, and while Honda doesn’t publish a seats-down cargo spec, I can personally say I used a Civic hatchback while moving, and managed to cram a whole heck of a lot of stuff back there.

The hatchback also unlocks a special trim level unavailable on the sedan: Sport Touring. This package combines the Sport trim’s good-looking 18-inch wheels with all the more powerful turbo engine and extra luxury goodies normally reserved for the top-end Touring. It’s also one of the only ways to get a Civic with a six-speed manual transmission, which is a relative rarity in this segment and will earn you 500 cool points with the Top Gear team.

Turbo? Manual? Go on…

The 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine is standard on the Civic sedan’s EX and Touring trims, as well as the Civic hatchback’s EX-L and Sport Touring models. It offers 180hp and 177lb ft of torque, and unless you opt for the manual on the Sport Touring, it’s mated to a relatively inoffensive continuously variable transmission. The turbo engine is frugal, to boot, estimated to return as much as 42 mpg highway with the CVT.

Then there’s the Civic Si. This higher-performance version of the Civic sedan turns the wick on the 1.5T engine up to 200hp and 192lb ft of torque, and only comes with a slick-shifting six-speed stick. The Civic Si has 18-inch wheels, slightly different suspension tuning, and special sport seats, but it’s also a pretty sweet deal at $29,895 including destination.

Wait, didn’t you say there are two engines?

I did, but one is pretty forgettable. That’d be the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-4 reserved for the Civic’s base LX and Sport trims, and it’s… fine. It certainly isn’t going to blow you away with only 158hp and 138lb ft of torque, and it isn’t as economical as the turbo engine, either, achieving a maximum of 40 mpg highway.

Speaking of fuel economy, does Honda make a Civic hybrid?

Nope – well, not yet anyway. Honda confirms a Civic hybrid will launch sometime in 2024, effectively replacing the you-probably-already-forgot-about-it Insight sedan.

Do the Civic’s competitors offer hybrid power?

Some do. The Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla are available with electrified engines, both of which are pretty stinkin’ efficient. The Civic’s other key rivals include the Kia Forte, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, and Volkswagen Jetta. The Forte GT, Mazda3 2.5, and Jetta GLI are worthy foes for the Civic Si, as well.

Is the Civic expensive?

Nah, it’s one of Honda’s most affordable products. A base Civic LX sedan will run you $24,845 including a $1,095 delivery fee, and the Civic LX hatchback is only $1,000 more expensive, at $25,845. Sport, EX, EX-L, and Si models move up the pricing bracket from there, and the most expensive version of the Honda Civic is the Sport Touring hatchback, at $32,345 all-in.

What else should I know?

One of the Civic’s strongest selling points is its suite of safety tech – or rather, that this stuff is standard on all trim levels. Forward-collision warning, lane-departure alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control come equipped on every single Civic – even those with a manual transmission.

The Honda Civic continues its tradition of setting the benchmark for compact cars thanks to its near-perfect balance of versatility, efficiency, solid interior refinement, and excellent road manners. It’s the kind of car that’ll never let you down, thanks to Honda’s proven long-term reliability, and isn’t a bore to drive – especially with the turbo engine.

Furthermore, with two body styles, a range of trim levels and even a hot-to-trot Si variant, there’s a Civic for a wide range of budgets. It can be a frugal economy car, feisty little sedan, or a fully loaded compact with luxury trimmings. No matter how you slice it, the Civic is a car that’s easy to like.

Continue reading: Driving

Driving

What is it like to drive?

Gosh, it’s pleasant. The Civic’s mission is to not offend, meaning it’s a cinch to get in and get going. There’s no finicky electronic gear selector and the gauge display is elementary in its design. This is the sort of car you don’t have to think about in order to drive – which, for a staggeringly large percentage of the population, seems to be the norm.

Focus on the details, however, and the Civic is full of delights. The steering is lovely, not too light nor unnecessarily weighty. The suspension is appropriately balanced, striking a great middle ground of comfort and compliance. Rough city streets won’t jostle you about, yet the Civic also doesn’t feel like it’ll fall apart should you enter a corner with gusto.

How are the powertrains?

The turbo is the champ, simply for how smoothly it delivers its plentiful low-end torque. You can overtake big rigs on the freeway by gently rolling into the throttle; all 177lb ft arrives at just 1,700 rpm. Plus, since the engine doesn’t have to rev high to access the brunt of its power, the continuously variable transmission won’t exhibit any of the horrific whiny drone that often accompanies this type of gearbox.

Pairing the CVT with the base 2.0-liter engine, on the other hand, is a slightly different story. The transmission has to work harder to eke out this motor’s 158hp and 138lb ft of torque, so you’ll find yourself digging deep into the throttle to get up to highway speeds. If you only ever drive in town or in heavy traffic, the 2.0-liter engine is probably all you’ll need, but considering the turbo option is more powerful and more efficient, it’s really the way to go.

What about the Civic Si?

Ah, yes, what a sweetheart. The Si isn’t quite as hot as something like a Subaru WRX or Volkswagen GTI, but it’s also significantly less expensive. The boosted 1.5-liter engine is great, and 200hp is all you need, especially combined with a taut chassis and sharp steering. You can even get the Civic Si with a set of summer tires from the factory, which is a boon for cornering grip.

Is the Civic efficient?

Quite. With the turbo engine, the Civic sedan is estimated to return 33mpg city, 42mpg highway, and 36mpg combined. The hatchback doesn’t do much worse, offering 31mpg city, 39mpg highway, and 35mpg combined. Even that sporty Civic Si is a relatively light sipper, rated at 27mpg city, 37mpg highway, and 31mpg combined.

Interestingly, the base 2.0-liter engine is actually less efficient than the more powerful 1.5-liter motor. You’re looking at a maximum of 31mpg city, 40mpg highway, and 35mpg combined for a 2.0-liter sedan or 30mpg city, 38mpg highway, and 33mpg combined for a 2.0-liter hatch. All things considered, you’re much better off with the turbo – even if it is slightly more expensive.

Previous: Overview

Continue reading: Interior

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

You know how the Civic’s exterior design is sort of meh? The interior is the same way, but in this case, that’s a good thing. As soon as you sit in the car, you know where everything is. There are no hidden buttons or weird control knobs for the multimedia screen. The layout is simple but logical. It’s a design that should age well.

Cloth or leather upholstery is available depending on the trim level, and the front seats are cushy but supportive. Rear-seat head- and leg-room is ample – maybe that’s why so many ride-hailing drivers choose Civics – and only the tallest of passengers will have issues. Cargo space is decent, too, with 14.8 cubic feet of space in the Civic sedan’s trunk, or 24.5 cubic feet of room in the hatch’s hatch.

Can you get lots of fancy things?

You can, though the really good stuff is obviously reserved for the most expensive versions. Spec a Touring sedan or Sport Touring hatch and you get heated leather seats, a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.2-inch digital instrument panel, a kickin’ Bose stereo, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a sunroof, four USB charging ports, a wireless phone charger, and more. It’s a super nice car fully loaded, but even a midrange Civic feels more premium than many of its rivals. The Civic is an inexpensive car, not a cheap one.

How’s the tech?

Eh, it’s kind of a mixed bag. While all the driver-assistance features work well, Honda’s native multimedia setup is kind of basic. The graphics aren’t super crisp and the system occasionally lags if you try to do things too quickly. Just use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for the best experience. Seriously.

I dig the digital gauge cluster, but it’s a shame it’s only available on the most expensive variants. The rest of the Civic models get this weird half-digital display, where part of the cluster is reconfigurable but the rest is fixed. It’s a weird half-step that just ends up looking half-assed.

Previous: Driving

Continue reading: Buying

Buying

What should I be paying?

The base Honda Civic LX sedan costs an entirely reasonable $24,845, which includes a mandatory $1,095 delivery fee. (If you prefer the Civic hatch, add $1,000 to that price.) The LX isn’t some kind of bare-bones stripper model, either, with standard amenities like Honda’s full suite of driver-assistance tech, automatic LED headlights, automatic climate control, pushbutton start, and a 7-inch infotainment screen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

From there, the Civic Sport adds a bit of visual panache with larger 18-inch wheels and unique interior accents, for $26,445. Stepping up to the EX sedan or EX-L hatchback moves you back down to 17-inch wheels, but upgrades you to the 1.5-liter turbo engine, and for not a ton more money, starting at $27,295 (sedan) or $28,995 (hatch).

Finally, the Touring sedan and Sport Touring hatch make up the tippy-top of the range, and come with everything you could ever want in a Civic. Pricing for the Touring sedan starts at $31,445 while the Sport Touring hatch – available with manual or automatic transmissions – will run you $32,345.

The punchy Civic Si sedan stands alone as its own model, and costs $29,895 including destination. And no, you can’t buy a Civic Si hatchback. Well, not with a Honda badge anyway. The same basic powertrain is available under the hood of the more upscale five-door Acura Integra.

Okay, but which one should I actually buy?

If you want the best-driving Civic, it’s the Si, without question. If you want the best-driving Civic that’s also loaded with features, the Sport Touring hatch is your jam. But if it’s the best overall value you’re after, with the greatest frugality, functionality, and amenities, then you can’t go wrong with the middle-of-the-road Civic EX-L hatchback.

Previous: Interior

Continue reading: Specs & Prices

Keyword: Honda Civic (USA) review