2022 Honda Civic | Review & Road Test

For the latest Honda Civic pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/honda/civic/

We may as well start with the exterior. Where generation 10 favored racy fun, the latest Civic aims for a more mature, perhaps more premium look. As an immature idiot, I’d like a bit more zazz in the design. But the forthcoming Si and Type R should help in the zazz department.


Where things get interesting is inside. It’s a simple addition but this honeycomb element adds classic flair to the cabin. Though I will probably leave cleaning that to my detail guy. (you got me. I don’t have a detail guy.)

On infotainment duty, we have a standard 7-inch or optional 9-inch Infotainment screen found on the highest Touring trim.

This is the 9-inch unit. (#BlueBookLyfe) There’s a volume knob, smart use of physical buttons, and the screen itself is organized simple enough even I can use it. Oh, and I also like this finger platform for stable screen inputs and the clicky feel when you adjust the knobs and vent controls.


On a complainy note, the backup camera offers 3 angles, but I wish it was higher resolution. And it sure would be nice if Honda offered adjustable lumbar support for the front seats. But overall Honda has created a tasteful and functional interior.


The LX and Sport trims feature a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine (158 hp 138 lb.-ft) while the EX and Touring trims utilize a more powerful 180-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. (180 hp 177 lb.-ft) Interestingly, while the base 2.0L returns up to 40MPG on the highway (31city/40hwy 2.0L LX Trim), the more powerful turbo engine is also more efficient (33city/42hwy 1.5L Turbo EX Trim). What a time to be alive.


With either engine, ratio management is handled by a continuously variable transmission…the transmission car reviewers love to hate.

I’m going to accelerate and see if the Civic’s CVT robs all joy from my life.

Apparently, when driven like most people drive, the Civic accelerates just fine. Neat. Ultimate acceleration is perfectly adequate with the 1.5L, less so with the base engine. Again, if you want more zazz from under the hood, wait for the Si and Type R.

Acceleration aside, the Civic drives really well.

The Civic is an agreeable commuter. What I want to know though, is whether it has any fun potential.
Hard cornering. Steering. Yeah, there’s fun potential here.

Good news, everybody.

If the fun gets out of hand, the Civic includes 10 airbags standard including rear side seat airbags. Unsurprisingly the Honda Sensing suite of active safety assists also comes standard bundling lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic cruise control.
The system has been updated from Civic generation 10. Let’s see how it handles my extreme ineptitude.


I’ll add that Honda Sensing takes a smart note from Tesla’s autopilot by displaying real-time road curves and adjacent vehicles in the gauge cluster display. I personally find it reassuring to know the car sees what I do.


And now, price. The cheapest LX trims starts just under $22,000, not including destination charges. For that sum you get a car with single-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and sliding sun visors…shoutout to my friends the Straight Pipes.

Yes, car reviewers can be friends with each other.

If you want smart key access, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot monitoring, a sport driving mode, or a 60/40 split rear seatback with a center armrest you’ll need to venture up the trim ladder.

If you’re willing to drop a bit more than $28,000 on the poshest Touring trim you’ll be rewarded with leather-trimmed power front seats, embedded navigation, an automatic low-speed braking function that might just save your bumper…please pay attention in parking lots and a fully digital 10.2-inch gauge cluster that replaces the smaller 7-inch gauge cluster screen /physical speedometer combo found in simpler trims.


Overall, generation 11 is objectively the finest Civic yet. It’s roomy, value-packed, comfortable, and filled with safety.

All I want is a little more emotion.

Yeah, the Type R and Si are coming but I’m impatient. Scuze me while I take this thing to Dom Torretto’s Precision Auto Shop.

00:00 2022 Honda Civic
0:30 Exterior
0:40 Interior
3:29 Engine
4:02 Driving Impressions
7:30 Price and Trim Levels