2019 Honda Civic Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　

What's new

Sport trim now available as sedan and coupeSport now gets base 2.0-liter engine instead of turbo 1.5LRestyled front bumperOptional infotainment interface now has a volume knob and hard buttons for high-level functionsPart of the 10th Civic generation introduced for 2016

　　Honestly, Honda could have sent its engineers on a yearlong vacation to Tahiti rather than task them with updating the 2019 Civic. We've been giving this generation Civic top marks since its debut three years ago, and there's nothing else out this year that's going to steal the car's title belt. But here we are anyway with an even better Civic.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Honda Civic LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$127/mo  for Civic LX

　　Civic LX

　　LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) - $19,550 MSRPLX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $20,350 MSRPLX 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $20,750 MSRPLX 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $21,450 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) - $21,250 MSRPSport 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl 6M) - $21,550 MSRPSport 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $22,050 MSRPSport 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $22,250 MSRPSport 2dr Coupe (2.0L 4cyl CVT) - $22,350 MSRPSport 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $23,050 MSRPEX 2dr Coupe (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $23,300 MSRPEX 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $23,500 MSRPEX 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $23,750 MSRPSi 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $24,300 MSRPSi 2dr Coupe (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $24,300 MSRPEX-L 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $24,700 MSRPEX-L 4dr Hatchback w/Navigation (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $26,250 MSRPTouring 2dr Coupe (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $26,950 MSRPTouring 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $27,400 MSRPSport Touring 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl Turbo CVT) - $28,750 MSRPType R 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M) - $36,300 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　For starters, the 2019 Honda Civic gets a restyled front end. The new look is subtle and helps the car look a little sleeker and less imposing. Inside, you get an updated infotainment interface that brings with it the return of a volume knob for the Civic. This small addition addresses one of the biggest complaints we had with the Civic last year.

　　What's more, all Civic trims also get additional features from the Honda Sensing bundle, which is now standard. It includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and lane departure warning with lane keeping assist. The Civic already had several advantages over competitors, and this addition of safety equipment is yet another.

　　As always, there are a few notable competitors that you might want to also look at. These include the sporty Mazda 3, the weather-beating Subaru Impreza and the value-packed Kia Forte. But really, the 2019 Honda Civic is the one to beat. It has the most comprehensive combination of feature content, comfort and driving entertainment you'll find in a small sedan today.

　　

What's it like to live with?

The Honda Civic has long been one of the better compact cars, but its 2016 redesign was nothing short of game-changing. Not only did it help revitalize the Civic nameplate, it shifted our expectations of what a compact car could be. This generation Civic is well-regarded for its spacious cabin, excellent ride quality, upscale interior materials and superb handling. We're also smitten with its powerful and efficient turbocharged engine. We liked it so much, in fact, that we plunked down our own money to buy one. To read about our experiences with a top-of-the-line Touring sedan, read our long-term Civic test. Note that while we tested a 2016 Civic, all of our observations still apply to the 2019 model.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

8.4 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Honda Civic Touring Sedan (turbo 1.5L inline-4 | CVT automatic | FWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	8.4 / 10
Driving	8.5
Comfort	8.5
Interior	8.0
Utility	8.5

　　

Driving

8.5

　　The optional 1.5-liter turbo-four is unusual in its sound and power delivery for a Honda engine, but it offers excellent power and fuel economy. It's worth the extra money. All around, the Civic's driving performance is top-notch, with strong brakes and accurate steering.

　　

Acceleration

9.5

　　The Civic feels strong when you roll onto the gas to execute a pass, and it's quick at city speeds thanks to ample low-end power. The strong 1.5-liter turbocharged engine accelerates like few others in the class. It pulls seamlessly to cruising speed, with an outstanding 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds.

　　

Braking

9.0

　　Whether it's a casual suburban stop or heavy braking at a surprise red light, stops are sure and straight with a firm pedal that's easy to modulate. In our emergency braking test, the Civic posted slightly better-than-average stopping distances.

　　

Steering

8.0

　　Steering is precise, with consistent and natural-feeling weight. The variable-ratio system combines excellent steadiness when cruising straight. Its reflexes are quick in corners and tight turning in parking lots. Feedback through the thick-rimmed wheel is good for the class.

　　

Handling

8.0

　　Body roll is controlled, and transitions are handled nicely. It feels playful, and there's a lot of freedom and control for the driver — the well-tuned stability system doesn't quash the fun either.

　　

Drivability

7.5

　　The Civic's CVT automatic doesn't respond or sound the same as a traditional automatic. The end result is better efficiency, a smoother driving experience, and zero indecisiveness on grades. But the "downshift" response when you floor it can seem less immediate.

　　

Comfort

8.5

　　The Civic has a lot of the midsize Accord's strengths but in a smaller package. The seats are comfortable and supportive, and the ride is steady and well-controlled without being too soft. Road and engine noise is never far away, but the noise is never enough to be distracting.

　　

Seat comfort

8.5

　　An available power driver's seat offers a huge range of motion, making it suitable for drivers of varying heights. There's a good balance of compliance and support, and the seats remain comfortable on longer drives. The back seat is comfy as well.

　　

Ride comfort

9.0

　　The Civic rides like a bigger, more refined car. You can still feel road textures beneath, but impacts are very well-damped. Big undulations, especially midcorner, are handled with impeccable control.

　　

Noise & vibration

7.5

　　The turbocharged engine has a very un-Honda-like growl to it, and the CVT automatic causes a light drone when accelerating. Otherwise, wind and road noise is kept in check, becoming more noticeable over coarse surfaces. There are quieter choices, but the Civic does OK in this category.

　　

Climate control

8.0

　　The dual-zone automatic climate control does a great job of regulating the temperature and provides even coverage from the air vents. The most oft-used controls are easy buttons or knobs, but you must use the touchscreen to make manual air-distribution or fan-speed selections. The seat heaters are excellent.

　　

Interior

8.0

　　The Civic delivers a spacious and versatile cabin for both people and their things, with good rear legroom and clever storage solutions. The interior control layout is easy to use, especially with the new revisions to the infotainment interface. Additional hard buttons for the climate and audio controls solve some of our issues with the previous system. However, the touchscreen interface is still slow and a little confusing.

　　

Ease of use

7.5

　　The primary controls are well placed. There are a lot of functions at your command, but Honda's simple design makes them approachable. The 2019 Civic also gets a volume knob, which is a lot easier to use than the prior touch-sensitive slider. The touchscreen, however, still isn't the easiest to use.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　Up front, the Civic offers easy access through light doors with large openings. The rear doors open wide, making entry easy, but the sloped roof might require tall people to duck in. The low ride height makes it tough for long-legged passengers to enter gracefully, but most people won't have a problem.

　　

Driving position

8.0

　　The well-shaped driver's seat can be moved through a width range of adjustment, and there's enough telescopic range in the tilt-and-telescoping wheel to suit short and tall drivers alike. The pedals are nicely placed, too. It's pretty easy to settle in for the long haul.

　　

Roominess

9.0

　　The Civic is one of the most spacious sedans in its class, offering plenty of headroom up front even with the sunroof. In the back, a 6-foot-tall rear passenger will have enough legroom when seated behind a driver of the same height. All but the very tallest rear passengers will have enough rear headroom.

　　

Visibility

8.0

　　There's good visibility out the front and side windows, thanks in part to front pillars that aren't too thick. The sloping roof impinges on the rear three-quarter view, but the large side mirrors, a rearview camera and Honda's LaneWatch camera take the guesswork out of almost all maneuvers.

　　

Quality

9.0

　　Construction is tight and solid inside and out. Even though there's quite a bit of plastic around the cabin, everything feels well-built. On higher trims, a number of surfaces, especially major touch points, are covered in higher-quality materials, which elevate the interior feel.

　　

Utility

8.5

　　The Civic features a spacious trunk and clever interior storage solutions. You'll have no problem fitting large bags in back or finding a spot for your personal effects in the cabin. The roomy back seat also makes it easy to load a car seat.

　　

Small-item storage

8.5

　　The small, narrow front door pockets will hold a water bottle and a few other goodies. A two-tiered cubby in the center console features a cord pass-through for tidy smartphone stowage and charging. There's a lot of storage under the front armrest, too. The rear cupholders are also sizable.

　　

Cargo space

8.5

　　At 15.1 cubic feet, the Civic's trunk is one of the best in the class. There's plenty of vertical room, so large suitcases should fit without a problem. There are pulls in the trunk to lower the rear seats, but you will have to push the seats down to fold them. The seats don't fold flat, but the opening between the trunk and the cabin is very large.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

8.0

　　Four LATCH anchors are hidden behind the seats, with medium-firm leather that requires a little wiggling to push aside. Luckily, the anchors are close to the front of the seatback. The large door openings and the spacious back seat should make it easier to fit a car seat in the Civic than in other compacts.

　　

Technology

　　Tech was one of the Civic's weaknesses, but the 2019 model has received an updated infotainment system that should help solve most issues. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are many of Honda's safety systems.

　　

Audio & navigation

　　A lot of functions are built into the infotainment system, but previous iterations weren't the easiest to use. The 2019 Civic has an updated system, which should improve functionality quite a bit.

　　

Smartphone integration

8.0

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard and provide familiar interfaces that are better than Honda's. The texting function is particularly helpful and greatly reduces the distraction factor.

　　

Driver aids

　　False alarms from the overly sensitive forward collision system are common and become tiresome quickly. You can adjust the sensitivity, but even in its least intrusive mode it's still a problem. The LaneWatch blind-spot camera is sometimes more of a distraction than a help.

　　

Voice control

　　Honda's system requires more steps and a less natural speech pattern to operate than some competing systems, though it does provide an onscreen guide. You'll likely want to rely on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto voice commands as much as possible.

　　

Which Civic does zzdcar recommend?

　　The Civic is at its best with the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine. We like it because, in addition to being more powerful than the base 2.0-liter engine, it provides a significant boost in fuel economy and generally improves the driving experience. You can get it starting with the EX trim level.

　　

2019 Honda Civic models

　　The 2019 Honda Civic is offered as a sedan, coupe or hatchback. Depending on which body style you choose, there are different trim levels: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, EX-L with Navigation, Touring, Sport Touring, and the high-performance trims, Si and Type R.

　　

Honda Civic LX

Though it may be the base trim, the standard Civic LX sedan comes with a lot of equipment for the money. In the sedan and the coupe, the LX gets the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (158 horsepower, 138 pound-feet of torque) and a six-speed manual transmission. (A continuously variable automatic transmission is optional.) In the hatchback, the LX gets the upgraded turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (174 hp, 162 lb-ft) as standard.

　　Other standard LX equipment includes 16-inch wheels (steel wheels for the sedan, alloys for the coupe and hatchback), LED running lights, automatic climate control, and a height-adjustable driver's seat. Electronics features include a 5-inch central display screen, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and a four-speaker sound system with a USB port. Also standard is the Honda Sensing safety package. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and keeping assist, road departure mitigation, automatic high beams, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

　　

Honda Civic Sport

The Sport builds on the base LX equipment. In the sedan and the coupe, that means the same 2.0-liter standard engine, but in the hatchback you get a bit more horsepower from the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder — 180 hp and 177 lb-ft with the manual, 180 hp and 162 lb-ft with the CVT automatic.

　　Otherwise, the Sport adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a center-outlet dual exhaust, aerodynamic bodywork, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a rear center armrest with cupholders, sport pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera, keyless ignition and entry with remote start, a 7-inch touchscreen interface with long-term Civic test, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and an eight-speaker audio system with dual USB ports.

　　

Honda Civic EX

Stepping up to the EX gets the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine in the coupe and sedan (it's already standard in the hatchback). You also get most of the Sport's tech equipment, including the 7-inch touchscreen. It adds the CVT automatic as standard along with a sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, Honda's LaneWatch blind-spot camera, heated side mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat and satellite radio.

　　

Honda Civic EX-L, Touring, Sport Touring

If you want a few more creature comforts, there's the EX-L, which gets leather upholstery, a power-adjustable passenger seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Instead of EX-L, the hatchback offers a trim called EX-L with Navigation that adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob as well as navigation. The Touring and Sport Touring trim levels essentially build off the EX-L and add 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, paddle shifters, heated rear seats, and a 10-speaker audio system (12 speakers in the Sport Touring hatchback). Also standard is an integrated navigation system.

　　

Honda Civic SI

The Si is only available in coupe and sedan body styles. It comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 205 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. It's similar in standard equipment to the EX-T trim, but you also get a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers, bigger front brakes, a unique rear spoiler, Si-branded sport seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, the 10-speaker stereo and a unique instrument panel.

　　

Honda Civic Type R

At the top of the Civic performance heap is the Type R. It is equipped much like the Sport Touring trim level, but it gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (306 hp, 285 lb-ft). Like the Si, it is only available with a six-speed manual transmission, but this one includes adjustable automatic rev-matching and a lightweight flywheel. Other additions include 20-inch wheels with high-performance tires, bigger front and rear brakes, a massive rear wing, a Type R-specific suspension with adaptive dampers, and special interior and exterior styling enhancements.

　　

2019 Civic Highlights

Type: HatchbackSedanCoupeSiType RSedan

　　Trim: LXSportEXSiEX-LTouringLX

　　

Base MSRP	$19,550
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$127/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles