- Drivers of every size vehicle are concerned about car safety
- The 2022 Honda Civic scored well on Consumer Reports’ rear-seat safety tests
- Fast facts about the 2022 Honda Civic
When an SUV, truck, or large sedan collides with a compact car, the results can be disastrous for the smaller vehicle and its occupants. To help protect passengers, Consumer Reports recently evaluated dozens of models for rear-seat safety, including the compact 2022 Honda Civic. And the results are eye-opening.
Drivers of every size vehicle are concerned about car safety
2022 Honda Civic Touring sedan back seat | American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Consumer Reports provides reliable and unbiased information based on rigorous testing. The trusted source recently added a new scoring system for rear-seat safety. CR auto safety engineer Emily A. Thomas explains that many automakers spend time and money improving front-seat safety features while neglecting to provide the same for rear seats:
“The rear seat has to take into account all kinds of passengers who sit there, from infants and teens to adults and ride-sharing passengers of all ages, but our analysis shows that many automakers don’t put the same safety features in the rear that they do in the front.”
For instance, manufacturers provide injury-reducing mechanisms such as seatbelt pretensioners and load limiters in the front seats of almost every 2022 model. Still, scarcely more than half of those vehicles’ rear seats boast the same safety features. The same disparity exists in side-impact torso-protecting airbags and seatbelt reminders for back-seat riders.
The 2022 Honda Civic scored well on Consumer Reports’ rear-seat safety tests
“The message from our new rear-seat safety testing is not that vehicles with lower scores are unsafe, but that they do not offer the same comparative margin of protection as those vehicles that earn higher marks,” says @emathmsphd, automotive safety engineer at CR.
— Consumer Reports (@ConsumerReports) September 28, 2021
As odd as it might seem, the compact 2022 Honda Civic came in at an impressive fourth overall for rear-seat safety among dozens of models Consumer Reports has tested since 2021. The popular car scored good, very good, or excellent for all rated and tested back-seat safety features, including the following:
- Advanced rear occupant restraints
- Booster use
- Child seat fit
- Head restraints
- Rear occupant alert
- Seatbelt reminder
Of all the 2022 vehicles CR evaluated, only the Toyota Sienna, Nissan Rogue, and Nissan Pathfinder rank higher for these rear-seat safety characteristics.
Interestingly, the five models that fared the worst are the 2022 Mercedes Benz C-Class, Volkswagen Taos, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volkswagen Golf GTI, and Hyundai Elantra.
However, Consumer Reports stresses that just because a model scored poorly on these tests doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. “The message from our new rear-seat safety testing is not that vehicles with lower scores are unsafe, but that they do not offer the same comparative margin of protection as those vehicles that earn higher marks,” Thomas says.
Fast facts about the 2022 Honda Civic
Boasting athletic good looks and a spacious, inviting interior, the 2022 Honda Civic has plenty going for it. That includes impressive gas mileage of 35 mpg on the highway. According to Edmunds, the 16-valve, 2.0-liter inline-four engine, paired with a continuously variable transmission, makes 158 hp at 6,500 rpm.
Other fast facts by the numbers:
- Cargo capacity: 14.8 cubic feet
- Height: 55.7 inches
- Length: 184 inches
- Overall width minus mirrors: 70.9 inches
- Weight: 2,877 pounds
- Wheelbase: 107.7 inches
- Aegean Blue Metallic
- Crystal Black Pearl
- Lunar Silver Metallic
- Meteorite Gray Metallic
- Morning Mist Metallic
- Platinum White Pearl
- Rallye Red
- Sonic Gray Pearl
Honda advises that some trim and color combinations might not be available in all markets due to global supply challenges.
The leather-trimmed, ergonomic cockpit of the 2022 Honda Civic offers wide-open sightlines so drivers can always see their surroundings. An eight-way adjustable driver’s seat helps provide the optimal position. Also, both front seats have heat controls, and the moonroof has a one-touch opening and closing.
The Civic isn’t about to lose its driver-pleasing prestige anytime soon. In fact, U.S. News already awarded its Best Compact Car honor to the 2023 Honda Civic.
Keyword: The 2022 Honda Civic’s Rear Seat Is Surprisingly Safe, Consumer Reports Tests Show