2022 Honda Civic

The redesigned 2022 Honda Civic sedan and hatchback receive the following updates:

Arguably one of the most important cars in the industry, the Civic is a car that Honda absolutely has to get right. Did it with the redesigned 11th generation model?

In our First Drives of the 2022 Honda Civic sedan and hatchback, the car's new exterior styling struck us as more mature and upscale than the outgoing model's um, busy bodywork. It's perhaps not as eye-catching, but more conventionally attractive. The Civic's interior is more impressive. Materials remain entry-level yet high-quality, but how they're arranged is clean and modern—we love that wide honeycomb air vent. This new Civic's interior is one of the many reasons it way outclassed the Toyota Corolla in a recent comparison. Technology improves too, appreciably balancing snazzy displays with physical controls.

Out on the road, the essentially carryover powertrains suffice. The standard 2.0-liter I-4 is a bit thrashy; the upgraded turbocharged 1.5-liter four-pot is comparatively zippy but not particularly exciting. That's all in a straight line, though—turn the steering wheel, and this new Civic comes alive. Handling is tight and accurate, all supported by a chassis that feels stiff and solid. Ride quality is tight yet smooth, reminding us of entry-level sport luxury cars. For as great as the standard Civic handles, the Si is even better, and we're all the more eager for the Type R.

Our seat-of-the-pants assessments bore out on track, at least with the turbo-four-powered Civic Touring sedan. Its 0-60-mph time of 7.4 seconds is 0.2 second slower than what we recorded for the 10th-gen Touring sedan in 2015. Same goes for the quarter-mile time of 15.7 seconds at 91.4 mph, which was 0.2 second and 1 mph slower than the 2016 Civic Touring. In our handling tests, the 2022 Civic gains the upper hand, posting better numbers on the skidpad (0.88 g vs. 0.83 g) and in the figure-eight (26.7 seconds at 0.64 g vs. 27.5 seconds at 0.62 g). In fact, agile handling is one of many reasons the new Civic won our six-way compact sedan comparison test. The cabin is a bit noisy with the car traveling over broken pavement or if the engine is working hard, but that's pretty standard for the segment.

So, did Honda get the new Civic right? Absolutely. It remains the benchmark compact car. We're eager for more time behind the wheel as the lineup develops and expands.

Once again, the Honda Civic sedan will offer a choice of two four-cylinder engines: a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and a 1.5-liter turbocharged unit. The standard 2.0-liter engine continues to deliver 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. In our first test of the Civic Sport, this power plant was good for a 0-60-mph run of 9.2 seconds. That's slower than the previous-generation Sport and most most of the current-generation Civic's competition. For the 2022 model year, output on the optional 1.5-liter engine increases by 6 hp and 15 lb-ft of torque. Now, it pumps out 180 hp and 177 lb-ft on 87-octane gasoline. The Civic Si's 1.5-liter turbo is the exception. It makes less horsepower than the previous Si's engine—200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque—but peak torque arrives earlier at 1,800 rpm and more output is maintained to the Si's 6,500 redline.

Fuel economy improves across the engine range. Base sedans receive the biggest gains, up 1 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway for an EPA rating of 31/40 mpg city/highway. Also using the base 2.0-liter engine, the Civic Sport sedan adds 1 mpg in the city for a rating of 30/37 mpg. Paired with the 1.5-liter, EX and Touring sedans also go up 1 mpg in the city for ratings of 33/42 mpg and 31/38 mpg, respectively. The Civic Si's fuel economy also improves, boasting 27/37 mpg city/highway.

Numbers don't really favor the new Civic Si. Although on our scales it weighs a bit less than before, Honda also admits it's less powerful. That was clear at the drag strip, where the 2022 Civic Si posted a 0-60 mph time of 7.1 seconds—not just slow for the segment, but slower than the last-gen Si sedan. But judging the Si by this measure alone is a mistake. Overall, the car is resoundingly improved, offering a more fun, capable, driving experience overall. The six-speed manual shifter is one of the best out there. However, the brakes still are still prone to fade. Even though the Si now offers less for more money, it still seems well worth the price—it's a sweet driving little sports sedan.

The Civic's more rigid body structure offers excellent crash performance, Honda says. A new upper A-pillar structure and stiffer structures in the roof are just some of the improvements to better divert crash energy around the vehicle. New front airbags are designed to better control head movements in angled front crashes, with the goal of reducing traumatic brain and neck injuries. Additionally, a new front bumper beam safety plate should reduce leg injuries among pedestrians. The 2022 Civic's safety ratings reflect these measures; it earns a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS.

Look for Honda Sensing improvements, too. Using a new single-camera system with a wider field of view as well as a more powerful processor, the Civic can better identify road markings as well as pedestrians and bicyclists. Traffic Jam Assist has been added to Honda's safety suite, in addition to low-speed braking control, which aims to prevent collisions with walls and other obstacles.

The 2022 Honda Civic sedan boasts 14.8 cubic feet of cargo space, or 14.4 cubic feet on EX and Touring models. Although that's down from 15.1 cubic feet in the previous-gen Civic, it's more than provided by its arch-rival, the 2021 Toyota Corolla sedan, which has only 13.1 cubic feet of space in the trunk. Rear legroom remains 37.4 inches, ahead of the Corolla's 34.8 inches.

For those who need a little extra space, the Civic hatchback is the way to go. We don't yet have full details on how much room will be available, but we do know it will be easier to get stuff in and out of the back. The lower part of the rear opening for the five-door compact is 1.6 inches wider than the 2021 Civic hatchback.

Rear legroom has improved nearly 1.4 inches to 37.3 inches, and rear headroom is the same thanks to a new hinge design for the hatch. By installing a new lightweight composite hatch and moving the hinge mechanism outward, Honda reduced the roof height in the hinge area by 50 mm, contributing to a cleaner roof line.

What's more, enthusiasts will appreciate the 2022 Civic hatchback's available short-throw six-speed manual transmission. This transmission is optional on the Sport trim, which pairs with the naturally aspirated I-4 engine, and the Sport Touring, which gets the turbo-four.

Honda is finally ditching the previously standard 5.0-inch infotainment system for a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. By selecting the Touring trim, buyers upgrade to a 9.0-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity. These models also get a fully digital instrument cluster display and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.

The entry-level Civic LX starts at under $23,000. It's powered by the 158-hp 2.0-liter I-4 engine. The LX's exterior includes 16-inch wheels and LED headlights. Inside, seats are upholstered with cloth, and there's a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen playing through a four-speaker audio system. Unlike some base-trim compact cars, the Civic LX's rear seats fold down. Like all Civic trims, the LX is equipped with Honda Sensing safety features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, front automatic braking, and road sign recognition.

Next up, Sport trim delivers on its name for just over $24,000 with chrome exhaust tips, blacked-out exterior details, and 18-inch black alloy wheels. Inside, the leather-wrapped steering wheel gains paddle shifters, but the engine remains the base 2.0-liter unit. Amenities improve with automatic climate control, remote engine start, and interior push-button start. The audio system doubles its speaker count to eight.

At about $26,000, EX trim is the first that features the 180-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter engine. Its cloth seats are heated up front, and there's dual-zone climate control. A sunroof lends an upscale air. Blind-spot monitoring is added to the Honda Sensing suite.

Range-topping Touring trim starts at a bit over $29,000. The turbocharged engine gains sport and eco driving modes. LED fog lights supplement the standard lenses. Inside, the Touring trim shows where the money went with its leather-upholstered seats, which are power-adjustable up front. The touchscreen grows to 9.0 inches, gains wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in navigation, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. Convenience increases with hands-free keyless entry, a wireless charging pad, and rear USB ports.

Complete trim level features and pricing for the Civic hatchback have yet to be released, but trim designations share some similarities with the sedan. Both the sedan and hatchback have LX and Sport trim levels at the lower end. The hatchback deviates with its EX-L and Sport Touring grades, whereas the sedan comes in EX and Touring.

Don't count on a new 2022 Civic Hybrid; that's the Civic-based Insight's turf now. And considering the Insight is our top-rated compact sedan (as this is written), we're eager to try the 2022 Insight once it arrives. An updated Insight will compete with the Toyota Corolla hybrid and new Hyundai Elantra hybrid as well as with higher trims of non-hybrid compact sedans.

The Civic will continue to be offered in sedan and four-door hatchback body styles. However, declining sales of the Civic Coupe drove Honda to cancel that version; the 2020 model year will be its last. Honda is not expected to revive the Civic Coupe for the 11th-generation car. Blame crossovers.

Read about five obscure, out-of-production Honda Civic variants here.

Good news, enthusiasts: You can count on the 11th-generation Civic to have sporty Si and stupefying Type R variants. The 2022 Civic Si is offered as a sedan only and equipped with the same 200 hp 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain as the outgoing model, albeit tuned for a meatier power band. Honda also gave the new Si a lightened flywheel for snappier throttle response and standard rev-matching six-speed manual transmission like what's used in the Civic Type R. Additional features include a stiffer chassis, new dual-coil silencer exhaust system, and bolstered sport seats.

Front-wheel-drive performance was redefined by the comparison-winning Civic Type R. However, wild rumors hint that the next CTR could go hybrid, relying on rear-axle electric motors to provide all-wheel drive—and a huge increase in power. Expect the Civic Type R to continue to offer a manual transmission.

Like the Civic's looks and features, but think it might be a little too small? The Honda Accord could be a better solution. This iconic midsize sedan has many features and technologies shared with the Civic, but with a more spacious cabin. Still, the Civic has certain appeals that the Accord can't match—how to decide? Check out our feature and spec comparison between the Civic and Accord.