{"id":33404,"date":"2024-09-28T10:55:49","date_gmt":"2024-09-28T14:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=33404"},"modified":"2024-09-28T10:55:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-28T14:55:49","slug":"payne-a-honda-civic-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/payne-a-honda-civic-for-everyone","title":{"rendered":"Payne: A Honda Civic for everyone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Nashville, Tennessee<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 If I lived here in America\u2019s Music City, I would buy a manual 2025 Honda Civic Si, move south of the city and take the twisted, vacant Natchez Trace Highway into work every day. SPORT mode.\u00a0<em>BWAAAUUWWWWW!<\/em>\u00a0Shift to 4<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0<em>BWAAAUUWWWWW!<\/em>\u00a0Downshift to 3<sup>rd<\/sup>\u00a0with rev match.\u00a0<em>BWAP!<\/em>\u00a0Back on the throttle.\u00a0<em>BWAAAUUWWWWW!<\/em>\u00a0Glorious.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If I lived in Los Angeles? I would buy a sippy 2025 Honda Civic Sport Touring Hatchback hybrid. ECON mode. In bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-5, the hybrid would creep silently on electric power under 15 mph. When the traffic freed up, I\u2019d activate adaptive cruise control and slipstream behind traffic getting 47 mpg. Take that, $5-a-gallon gas.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380466007-honda-civic-hybrid-fr-34.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"561\" height=\"316\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback is expected to make up 40% of Civic sales.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If I had a 16-year-old in Oakland County? I\u2019d buy them a $25K Civic LX. Honda Sensing suite of safety systems standard: collision mitigation braking, lane-departure warning, driver-attention monitor, auto high-beam headlights, adaptive-cruise control. Fun, safe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">King Civic has long been at the top of the compact retail sales game because it appeals to a wide swath of drivers from youthful to frugal to those with a need for speed (me).<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">For the 2025 model year, the 11<sup>th<\/sup>-generation Civic is a microcosm of where the U.S. auto market is headed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The manual gearbox was once the standard transmission for compact automobiles due to its affordability and superior fuel mileage. No more. Multi-speed and continuously-variable automatic trannies are not only easier to use, they&#8217;re more efficient \u2014 saving dollars over the lifetime of a car.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Sticks have become an enthusiast niche. #SaveTheManual, we cry. Performance markers have listened. Porsche\u2019s GT3 sportscar offers a manual. So does Mazda\u2019s Miata and Mazda3 cars. Civic saves the manuals for its enthusiast-focused Si and Type R pocket rockets.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380494007-honda-civic-si-cop.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"523\" height=\"295\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2025 Honda Civic Si is a hoot on windy country roads. Just watch the speed limit.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The 2025 Honda Civic Si is a hoot on windy country roads. Just watch the speed limit.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Old Hillsboro Road near Natchez Trace looks like a twisted USB cable, its asphalt ribbon gnarled with dips and turns. Happily, the Civic Si\u2019s manual is one of the industry\u2019s best, matching Porsche and Mazda with crisp, short throws. Adding to the joy for 2025 are shift lights and rev-matching.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Washington and Lansing, red and blue, we&#8217;ve got your government covered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Like a modern race car, the digital tachometer\u2019s horizontal display lit up yellow as I approached the 6,200-RPM redline, blinking red at the shift point. I rowed the box hard through the curves, never missing a shift \u2014 maximizing the car\u2019s 192 pound-feet of torque.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Which ahem, is 66\u00a0<em>less<\/em>\u00a0than the 2025 VW Jetta GLI that I recently tested. And 117 less than the Mazda3 Turbo. Hmmm.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380507007-honda-civic-si-rr-34.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2025 Honda Civic Si comes in stick shift, sedan, and FWD only.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The 2025 Honda Civic Si comes in stick shift, sedan, and FWD only.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Honda has been stubborn about upping Si power output with the horsepower number stuck at 200 since, well, the ol\u2019 2006 Civic Si in my driveway. No wonder the \u201925 model has shift lights to keep it in the meat of the torque band.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Si continues to develop in other areas like the chassis, which has been stiffened \u2014 and in smooth, satisfying, rev-matching downshifts. Flying low across the Tennessee landscape, it was hard to notice that the Si was a FWD car, so natural is its rotation through corners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If it\u2019s more torque you want, check out the Civic Hybrid hatchback. It\u2019s Honda\u2019s answer to the Toyota Prius hatchback.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The 232-torque battery-electric compact is a pivotal development in Honda\u2019s history. The Japanese brand has dabbled in hybrids before, debuting the nerdy Insight alongside Toyota\u2019s (more successful) Pious \u2014 er, Prius \u2014 from 2000-06 and maintained a steady, niche diet of green-focused hybrids since.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380474007-honda-civic-hybrid-roof.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback features a sunroof and roomy cabin.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Insight made a repeat performance from 2010\u201314 and again in 2019\u201322. Civic even adopted a hybrid from 2003-15. Now hybrids are fringe nerd-mobiles no more. They\u2019ve become lineup essentials to meet tightening government emissions regs \u2014 even as governments punish other alternative-powertrains like diesel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Hybrids are as mainstream as bread and butter, and Honda targets 40% sales of its core Civic, Accord, CR-V models to be gas-electric.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Gone is the upmarket 180-horse, turbo-4 engine that Civic previously offered alongside the base, 150-horsepower\/133 torque, 2.0-liter gas-burner. Instead, Honda paired the 36-mpg base mill with a battery and electric motor, and \u2014\u00a0<em>voila!<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 a 47-mpg highway hybrid available for Sport hatchback and Sport Touring hatchback\/sedan trims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I silently crept out onto Nashville\u2019s city streets before the gas engine kicked in. Merging onto I-40, I nailed the throttle and the electric motor\u2019s torque pushed my blue Sport Touring Hybrid hatch effortlessly into morning traffic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Batteries and electric motors don\u2019t come cheap, and the Hybrid upgrade will set you back an additional $2,000 over its gas counterpart. That cost is in line with the upscale Prius, not the cheaper $29K Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Honda sweetens the deal with goodies like a 9-inch infotainment screen, leather seats, moonroof and wireless Apple CarPlay\/Android Auto complemented by wireless charging so my Android\u2019s battery didn\u2019t expire while it navigated me south.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380473007-honda-civic-hybrid-siriusxm.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback does not offer Sirius XM, with Honda assuming you'll bring it into the car via phone app.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback does not offer Sirius XM, with Honda assuming you&#8217;ll bring it into the car via phone app. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">If hybrids are now mainstream, then Honda wants you to know that, over the next decade, it\u2019s going all-electric. Dubbed the \u201cSecond Founding,\u201d the brand\u2019s methodical battery-powered makeover is foreshadowed by the Civic Hybrid\u2019s twin regen paddles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Rolling up to stoplight, I used the left paddle for maximum, four-level regen \u2014 slowing the car with the electric motor without touching the brake. Fun toy. Other neat features include a pull-over shade to hide valuables under the hatchback, Google Built-in software and rad 18-inch wheels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">One feature the Hybrid model doesn\u2019t have is a spare tire. Blame the heavy battery\u2019s need for space.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">But the base LX model has a spare. Just the sort of thing you want for your teen\u2019s (or any owner\u2019s) first car. I\u2019ve had two flats in the last two years \u2014 one of them on a remote drive \u2014 and it\u2019s nice to have a spare on hand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Indeed, there are few compromises to buying the standard, most-affordable $25K Civic. 36 mpg? Check. A suite of safety features? Check. Good rear seat room for your tall basketball pals? Check. Good looks? Yup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With its clean lines (and a little plastic surgery to the \u201822 Civic\u2019s hood overbite), Civic models a timeless, athletic look. Inside, steering wheel ergonomics are first class, as is the premium-looking horizontal dash that\u2019s a step from class competitors. Dude, check out the honeycomb dash detail.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2024\/09\/25\/PDTN\/75380472007-honda-civic-si-console.jpg?width=990&amp;height=558&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" width=\"506\" height=\"285\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"#SaveTheManual. Row the 2025 Honda Civic Si with its 6-speed manual transmission.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_cap gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>#SaveTheManual. Row the 2025 Honda Civic Si with its 6-speed manual transmission.<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_mo_crd gnt_em_mo_cc__swd\"><em>Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">All those standard items and premium touches have inflated the Civic\u2019s bottom line. This is no entry-level bargain like, say, Chevy\u2019s terrific $21,495 Trax SUV. Then again, Trax can\u2019t offer you a bargain, corner-carving, manual like $31K pocket rocket Si.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The electrified era looms, but there\u2019s nothing that satisfies like a good ol\u2019 fashioned stick on a country road.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Next week: Lincoln Nautilus road trip<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">2025 Honda Civic\/Civic Si<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger sedan<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Price: $25,345, including $1,095 destination fee ($34,045 Hybrid Sport Touring Hatchback and $31,045 Si as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Powerplant: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder; hybrid, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder mated to twin electric motors and lithium-ion battery; 1.5-liter turbo-4 (Si)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Power:\u202f150 horsepower, 133 pound-feet of torque (2.0L);\u202f200 horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque (Hybrid);\u202f200 horsepower, 192 pound-feet of torque (Si)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Transmission: Automatic, continuously-variable transmission (2.0L); electronic continuously-variable transmission (Hybrid); six-speed manual (Si)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Performance: 0-60 mph (Hybrid 6.2 sec., Car and Driver); top speed, 114 mph; 0-60 mph (Si 6.6 sec., Car and Driver); top speed, 135 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Weight: 3,225\u202fpounds\u202f(Hybrid); 3,000\u202fpounds\u202f(Si, est.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Fuel economy: EPA, 32 mpg city\/41 highway\/36 combined (2.0L); 50 mpg city\/47 highway\/49 combined (Hybrid); 27 mpg city\/37 highway\/31 combined (Si)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Highs: Sippy now Hybrid drivetrain; terrific Si saves the manual<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Lows: Hybrid comes with price bump; no AWD option<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Overall: 4\u202fstars<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nashville, Tennessee\u00a0\u2014 If I lived here in America\u2019s Music City, I would buy a manual 2025 Honda Civic Si, move south of the city and take the twisted, vacant Natchez Trace Highway into work every day. SPORT mode.\u00a0BWAAAUUWWWWW!\u00a0Shift to 4th.\u00a0BWAAAUUWWWWW!\u00a0Downshift to 3rd\u00a0with rev match.\u00a0BWAP!\u00a0Back on the throttle.\u00a0BWAAAUUWWWWW!\u00a0Glorious. If I lived in Los Angeles? I would [&hellip;]<\/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\/33404"}],"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=33404"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33405,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33404\/revisions\/33405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}