{"id":27488,"date":"2021-06-17T19:58:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T23:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=27488"},"modified":"2021-06-17T19:58:45","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T23:58:45","slug":"payne-honda-civic-dons-a-grown-up-wardrobe-but-still-likes-to-boogie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2021\/06\/payne-honda-civic-dons-a-grown-up-wardrobe-but-still-likes-to-boogie","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Honda Civic dons a grown-up wardrobe, but still likes to boogie"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do you improve on a home run? Hit the next one into the upper deck.<\/p>\n

The 2016 Honda Civic became the instant benchmark for the compact sedan segment. A clean sheet design from the ground up, its taut chassis was N\u00fcrburgring tested. It boasted best-in-class horsepower, fuel economy\u00a0and rear seat room. And to make sure the world noticed, it drew\u00a0styling cues right out of a DC Comic book with boomerang rear headlights, narrow greenhouse\u00a0and more tattoos than Allen Iverson.<\/p>\n

The new 2022 Civic (coming to a dealer near you this June) dials the wardrobe back to conservative Bruce Wayne from rad Batman suit. But on everything else it turns the dial up from 10 to 11.<\/p>\n

After a 10th generation that shattered sales records, King Civic is poised to continue its reign at the top of the compact segment. Compacts are personal favorites because they are the LeBron James of automobiles \u2014\u00a0the best all-around players in the game. I\u2019ve owned a VW Golf GTI, Dodge Neon, two Ford Focuses\u00a0and a pair of Civics because they can do it all: dance through the twisties while sipping gas, seating four, looking sharp, and all while not breaking the bank.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Let\u2019s take the Civic\u2019s talents one at a time.<\/p>\n

Dancing moves.<\/strong>\u00a0I flogged the 2022 Civic through HUG \u2014\u00a0Hell, Unadilla\u00a0and Gregory \u2014 the three burgs that border Michigan\u2019s most insane network of country roads. The Civic left begging me for more.<\/p>\n

Throwing the Civic across a 90-degree right-hander onto Doyle Road at\u00a0Unadilla, the front-wheel driver is remarkably neutral \u2014\u00a0rotating easily like the rear-wheel-drive BMW 3-series I was chasing. That\u2019s right, a BMW 3.<\/p>\n

While underpowered at 180 horsepower compared to the Bimmer\u2019s 248, they are both turbo-4s and the Honda is one sweet little drivetrain \u2014\u00a0its fuel-sipping, 36 mpg continuously variable transmission a universe away from the droning CVTs of yesteryear (the standard, 158 horse four-banger ain\u2019t bad either, but lacks the upper-trim turbo\u2019s low-end kick).<\/p>\n

\"Long,<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

While I lost ground in the straightaways, the Honda could hold its own in the twisties, so intuitive is this chassis.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good thing, too, because the Honda has some serious competition nipping at its heels. I\u2019m thinking the dazzling-looking, ninja-quick Mazda 3 and Hyundai Elantra that offer luxury amenities at a mainstream price. Set a high bar and others will follow.<\/p>\n

Speaking of luxe, my $41,000\u00a0BMW sparring partner shot me a thumbs up as we exited Unadilla Raod \u2014\u00a0like two boxers after a good workout at the local gym. I didn\u2019t have the heart to tell him he was being chased by a $25,000\u00a0Honda with more cargo space and 2.5 more inches of rear legroom.<\/p>\n

Acres of room.<\/strong> Well, acres is an exaggeration, but the Civic\u2019s best-in-class legroom is more than a 2011 mid-size Accord sedan, for goodness sake. At 6\u20195\u201d I was comfortably able to sit behind myself. Indeed, the Civic will surely be mistaken by some for an Accord. And not just its mature\u00a0understated exterior.<\/p>\n

The interior takes a page from the Accord\u2019s book with a simple\u00a0horizontal dash design \u2014 placing the touchscreen high in the driver\u2019s-eye view. Honda excels at interior ergonomics, and the Civic layout is master class.<\/p>\n

Looks sharp.<\/strong>\u00a0Like Accord, the interior has upscale aspirations\u00a0\u2014\u00a0think Lincoln Aviator\u00a0\u2014 with a honeycomb character line that is not just distinctive but hides the HVAC vents. Like the Lincoln, the touchscreen shelf helped steady my thumb as I paged through the infotainment display.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The higher dash also benefited your giraffe-legged reviewer. My knees chafed on the old Civic\u2019s vertical dash buttresses. No issues with the 2022 design. Has Civic moved on from the cheap plastic buttons on the previous gen\u2019s steering wheel? You bet. I lament only that the old car\u2019s clever\u00a0configurable console cupholders and storage has been sacrificed to the \u201822\u2019s more mature design themes. Storage still abounds (something luxe-class Mercs and Audis don\u2019t do well).<\/p>\n

Though interior dimensions haven\u2019t changed, the greenhouse has.<\/p>\n

Looking out over that the high touchscreen, I surveyed the landscape through a bigger windscreen thanks to Honda moving the A-pillar backward\u00a0to a more vertical position. Together with side mirrors mounted on the doors, visibility improves.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

That field of view now takes in a lower, longer\u00a0aluminum (a first for Civic) hood that tapers to a more modest fascia than the last model. I\u2019m a big fan of my eighth-gen Civic Si\u2019s timeless\u00a0thin grille and swept greenhouse. The new Civic should age well, too.<\/p>\n

As will its price.<\/p>\n

Won\u2019t break the bank.\u00a0<\/strong>Despite the Civic\u2019s massive upgrades in interior tech (better cameras, all-digital displays, more air bags), the compact sedan\u2019s price doesn\u2019t budge. Credit some of this to its Made in America origins \u2014 the 11th-gen Civic will be screwed together in nearby Canada (sedans) and Indiana (hatchbacks).<\/p>\n

My $24,000\u00a0Sport (Civic\u2019s most popular model, the kids love the blacked-out trim and big 18-inch wheels) and loaded, $28,000\u00a0Touring testers are priced right on top of the outgoing car. That\u2019s in keeping with Civic\u2019s status as brand beacon that brings new customers to its product family. In the Age of Ute, the sedan maintains its price value over pricier SUVs.<\/p>\n

Tight handling, bigger back seat, digital displays …\u00a0the gap between luxe and mainstream is narrowing. Is a compact Acura ILX a better car? Perhaps the biggest bonus is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available on the upper trim, EX and Touring models (EX and Sport, with a smaller 7-inch display, still require a cord to connect) just like the 90-grand BMW M4 I was tested recently.<\/p>\n

Jump in and the car immediately recognized the phone in my pocket, turning the touchscreen into a mirror image of my \u2018Droid. My texts, tunes \u2014 and destinations were all there.<\/p>\n

All-around athlete, indeed.<\/p>\n

\"Gone<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

My Hell trips are usually reserved for high-horsepower athletes. But like the Bimmer I was chasing, the standard Civic is in its element here. And it is just the appetizer.<\/p>\n

With its toned bod, light weight \u2014\u00a0and 1.5-inch longer wheelbase than last model \u2014 the 11th generation Civic promises even more performance from its forthcoming Si and Type-R hellions.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll be swinging for the top deck.<\/p>\n

2022 Honda Civic<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger\u00a0sedan<\/p>\n

Price: $22,695, including $995\u00a0destination fee\u00a0($24,095 Sport and\u00a0$29,295 Touring as tested)<\/p>\n

Powerplant: 2.0-liter\u00a04-cylinder; 1.5-liter turbo-4<\/p>\n

Power:\u202f158 horsepower, 138 pound-feet of torque (2.0L);\u202f180 horsepower, 177 pound-feet of torque (1.5L)<\/p>\n

Transmission:\u00a0Automatic, continuously variable\u00a0transmission (CVT)<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph\u00a0(7.5 sec., Car and Driver); top speed,\u00a0126\u00a0mph<\/p>\n

Weight:\u00a03,077\u202fpounds\u202f\u00a0(Touring as tested)<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA, 31 mpg city\/40\u00a0highway\/35\u00a0combined\u00a0\u00a0(2.0L); 31 mpg city\/38\u00a0highway\/34\u00a0combined\u00a0(1.5L)<\/p>\n

Report card<\/h3>\n

Highs:\u00a0Fun to drive hard;\u00a0engaging, upscale interior<\/p>\n

Lows:\u00a0Conservative exterior might be mistaken for an Accord<\/p>\n

Overall:\u00a04\u202fstars<\/p>\n

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How do you improve on a home run? Hit the next one into the upper deck. The 2016 Honda Civic became the instant benchmark for the compact sedan segment. A clean sheet design from the ground up, its taut chassis was N\u00fcrburgring tested. It boasted best-in-class horsepower, fuel economy\u00a0and rear seat room. And to make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27488"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27488"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27489,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27488\/revisions\/27489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}