The Honda Civic has evolved from a simple mode of transportation to a desirable and fun-to-drive compact vehicle. The Civic is available as a sedan or a practical hatchback, with either a 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a turbocharged 1.5-liter that produces up to 180 horsepower.
Honda has a slew of regular driver-assistance technology in its smallest vehicle, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Modern infotainment features aren’t normal, oddly enough; the base LX model comes with a small touchscreen that only allows you to tune in to the radio.
What’s New in the Year 2021?
There’s no getting around it: the Civic coupe will be discontinued after the 2020 model year. The sedan and hatchback versions are still available, but Honda is planning an entirely new Civic for 2022. In the spring of 2021, we should hope to see the debut.
The Sport hatchback is our favorite Honda Civic model. It not only has a manual transmission as usual, but it’s also roomier than the sedan and has a much more powerful 180-hp version of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s available on certain models.
Choosing the Sport over the LX unlocks a slew of features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a 7.0-inch infotainment screen, and more.
A 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display, an eight-speaker stereo system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, push-button ignition, fog lamps, and a fold-down rear-seat armrest
Performance, Engine, and Transmission
The Civic’s four-cylinder engines are fast, and we prefer the more expensive—but more powerful—turbocharged version. It’s an excellent engine. It enthusiastically dragged our Civic Touring test car away from stoplights during our testing. Though we enjoy the light and crisp operation of the six-speed manual over the CVT, it’s far from a bad partner—in reality, it’s one of the best on the market. The Civic is a genuine jack-of-all-trades.
The Civic strikes a fine balance between convenience and driver interaction, making it a real jack-of-all-trades. It’s a joy to drive thanks to its smooth ride, responsive steering, and agile driving characteristics. The Civic’s ride consistency is about perfect, not too soft nor too rough. The Civic is also more enjoyable to drive thanks to its fast, well-weighted, and surprisingly feel some steering. Those after still more sporty vibes should go for the Sport models, which have faster steering. Despite using a solid brake pedal with decent feel, the brakes fall short of competitors’ stopping power.
Real-World MPG and Fuel Economy
Honda demonstrates that control and productivity do not have to be mutually exclusive. Both Civic four-cylinder engines use petrol as if it were fifty-dollar snifter brandy, but the turbocharged engine tends to achieve marginally improved fuel economy than the base 2.0-liter used in lower-level Civic sedans. Unfortunately, in our real-world highway fuel-economy evaluation, the Civic’s fuel economy failed to meet our expectations. Our Civic Touring turbo sedan came up just short of the EPA’s rating. We also got 37 mpg out of a six-speed manual Civic Sport hatchback, which is 2 mpg less than the EPA rating.
Cargo, Interior, and Comfort
The Civic’s interior is roomy and provides ample storage space, and it is practical and sleek in appearance. Even the most basic model isn’t a penalty box. Although it doesn’t have the most optional comfort and convenience features in the compact segment, it has more than enough for any small-car buyer. The sedan’s and hatchback’s interiors are on the roomier side of the class. The Civic sedan’s trunk is one of the largest in the class, and it has a range of cleverly built storage cubbies in the interior. Do you want any more freight carrying capacity? And take a look at the hatchback version.
Connectivity and Infotainment
With the inclusion of a long-awaited volume knob for the audio system and hard buttons for some features, the Honda’s touchscreen interface has been greatly enhanced. The 7.0-inch touchscreen in the top-tier Touring sedan we tested included navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, among other features. Two USB ports and a single 12-volt socket are located in the front compartment. Unfortunately, no USB port or 12-volt outlet makes it past the Civic’s front seats, leaving rear-seat passengers unconnected.
Features for Driver Assistance and Safety
The Civic is a good choice for those who value stability. It has good crash-test ratings. Any Civic also comes equipped with a number of driver-assistance features, such as automatic high beams and forward collision warning. Honda Sensing is the umbrella in which these functions are grouped. The following are important safety features:
Automatic emergency braking is standard.
Adaptive cruise control is a standard feature.
Typical lane-keeping assistance
