The Civic is one vehicle Honda can’t get wrong. While some generations are better than others, they’ve always managed to push the compact car envelope in one way or another. That trend continues in the 2022 model. Throughout its history, it has generally followed a pattern of revolutionary redesign followed by more cautious evolution. As the all-new, eleventh-generation model, the 2022 Civic falls into the evolution category. But while the basic ingredients are familiar, the right amount of Honda’s secret sauce has been poured in to make it not just the best compact car on offer today, but one of the best new cars you can buy full stop.
Criticisms were leveled against the all-new Civic’s more conservative styling, but that’s a bit overblown. The exaggerated lines, bulbous venders, and extraneous vents have all made their exit and in their place is honest-to-goodness use of proportion (the fastback roofline’s been retained) and surfacing detail. It’s hard to imagine, but the Civic has all grown up with a cleaner and more upscale look. The new look won’t satisfy those with the urge to go all Type Ricer on their cars, but for people who like to keep things stock, there’s not a line wrong.
The same direction of going all clean and mature continues inside. In a segment filled with surprisingly impressive interiors, the Civic delivers. The dashboard is tastefully modern. Plus, it looks and feels like it belongs in a much pricier car. High praise is extended to the tactile switchgear that all click satisfyingly. The dash-width air vents with their honeycomb openings and metal-like finish are also visually interesting, and has become the defining design trait of this Civic generation. An added bonus is that the air vents are manipulated with tactile knobs that fall into place with a nice detent when pointed in the dead forward position.
That said, despite the Civic’s impressive cabin execution, it can’t seem to escape its economy car origins. The V Turbo, like the S Turbo suffers from the prevalence of hard plastics, especially on the doors. Moreover, Honda misses the mark by not applying even an ounce of leather even for this mid-grade model. The steering wheel is covered in plastic, while the fabric used on the seats and door trim feel thin and easily wearing. Even the City RS feels better in those respects.
As with other Hondas, the Civic scores high in terms of ergonomics. All the controls—from the basic driver controls to the most obscure of buttons are positioned excellently, and in places where you expect to find them. With Honda SENSING standard, the steering wheel contains no less than 13 buttons, and a scroll wheel on the left-side. It looks overwhelming at first, but Honda’s done their homework. The left bank of buttons controls the infotainment—volume, hands-free commands, next/previous track and the multi-information display, while the right bank is exclusively for controlling the advanced driver assist functions. Meanwhile, in front of the driver is a partial digital instrumentation with the speedometer being analog.
At the center is a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The layout is simple and straight to the point (it doesn’t even have a home screen) making it easy to learn and master. The graphics, and more importantly, the response times is a clear upgrade from the slow and laggy system from before. The screen itself is coated to better resist fingerprints and reflections, but kudos to Honda for programming the right knob to double as a scroll wheel too. Additional points for keeping the climate control functions as large, easy to decipher knobs.
In terms of dimensions, the 2022 Civic sticks close to its predecessor. With that, it continues to be the roomiest compact car in the market. In fact, it doesn’t feel like a C-segment sedan anymore with the sheer amount of shoulder and legroom at play. If there’s one issue, it’s that the rear headroom could use some improvement. There are lots of usable cubby holes too, and while the old multi-level bin with its sliding cupholders and tray is gone, it’s missed. Dimensionally, the trunk is smaller as well, but there’s enough space back there to fit the entire family’s luggage for an out-of-town weekend trip.
Speaking about long trips, the Civic promotes a low-set driving position. The seats feel like they lack lumbar support, but they remain comfortable enough even for a three-hour stint behind the wheel. The visibility works out great with the hood in full view, while the thinner A-pillars and re-positioned side mirrors cuts down blind spots tremendously. The tall rear parcel shelf partially obscures the backend, so thankfully, a rear-view camera, but no sensors, is standard.
Tractive effort now comes courtesy of just one engine variant, and it’s a mighty one at that. The turbocharged 1.5-liter features a small bump in horsepower this 2022, but more than that, Honda has worked to reduce the turbo lag and improve mid-range punch. It worked. The engine never feels stressed, and it always feels like it’s got power in reserve. It won’t shove or dig you into your seat; it’s not that sort of sports sedan. Instead, it’s all about having power and torque whenever you need or demand it.
Punchy as the engine is, the sound it makes isn’t something that’ll quicken the pulse. Thankfully, it isn’t too droney thanks to, surprise, the gearbox. Previously, the gearbox was the Achilles’ Heel, but not anymore. It’s smooth in the urban confines, but thanks to a built-in shift logic, surprisingly responsive when flogged. Believe it or not, you’re not missing the paddle shifters or the Sport mode. And after a week’s worth of driving, it returns an impressive 10.63 km/L (average speed of 22 km/h) on 91 RON unleaded.
With structural enhancements, the Civic also exhibits impeccable road manners. Despite running on comfort-oriented 17-inch tires, the steering has this feeling of immediacy that the chassis can cash in. Steering is precise and low effort, but not overly light. It makes for smooth transitioning between corners on a curvy road, and the body feels planted as the load shifts from one side to the other. Flog it hard, and it’ll remain stable and neutral. On straighter pieces of road, the NVH has been improved as well, though some road noises do manage to penetrate into the cabin. In terms of ride, it’s also mighty capable of absorbing all sorts of cracks and potholes. The low 134 mm ground clearance is almost never an issue, except when parking nose in spaces with high bump stops.
Another welcome upgrade is the Honda SENSING suite. While functionalities such as collision mitigation braking weren’t tested for obvious reasons, the adaptive cruise control with lane tracing is quite helpful for long drives. Compared to other systems, this one is smoother and quicker to react. Moreover, it follows cars even at low speeds and even brings you to a complete stop. It also feels adept to local road conditions as it didn’t eek out a single false warning. Shame Honda deleted two airbags, for a total of four, to cut the price down.
Without a doubt, the Honda Civic remains the gold standard in its class. Thanks to a big glow-up this year, it has managed to successfully stave off the competition. Not only does it debut a more grown-up appearance, a refined cabin design (except for the lack of leather), and a longer list of new features, but most important of all, the mechanical foundations are solid. Honda’s tradition of making mechanically impressive vehicles continues here, and that makes the Civic pretty hard to beat no matter how you put it.
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2022 Honda Civic V Turbo Honda SENSING CVT |
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| Ownership | 2022 Honda Civic V Turbo Honda SENSING CVT |
| Year Introduced | 2022 |
| Vehicle Classification | Compact Car |
| Warranty | 3 years / 100,000 kilometers |
| The Basics | |
| Body Type | 4-door sedan |
| Seating | 5 |
| Engine / Drive | F/F |
| Under the Hood | |
| Displacement (liters) | 1.5 |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged |
| Fuel Delivery | EFI |
| Layout / # of Cylinders | I4 |
| BHP @ rpm | 178 @ 6,000 |
| Nm @ rpm | 240 @ 1,700-4,500 |
| Fuel / Min. Octane | Gasoline / 91~ |
| Transmission | CVT |
| Cruise Control | Yes, Adaptive |
| Fuel Economy @ Ave. Speed | 10.63 km/L @ 22 km/h |
| Dimensions and Weights | |
| Length (mm) | 4,678 |
| Width (mm) | 1,802 |
| Height (mm) | 1,415 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,735 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 1,314 |
| Suspension and Tires | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Independent, Multi-link |
| Front Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Disc |
| Parking Brake | Electric, w/ Auto Hold |
| Tires | Yokohama Advan Decibel 215/50 R 17 V (f & r) |
| Wheels | Alloy |
| Safety Features | |
| Airbags | 4 |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | Yes, with EBD |
| Traction / Stability Control | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | No |
| Parking Camera | Yes, Rear |
| Front Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR with pre-tensioner x 2 |
| Rear Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR x 3 |
| ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor | Yes |
| Other Safety Features |
Collision Mitigation Braking Lane Keep Assist Lane Departure Warning Road Departure Mitigation Lead Car Departure Notification |
| Exterior Features | |
| Headlights | LED |
| Fog Lamps | Yes, Front (LED) |
| Auto Lights | Yes |
| Rain-sensing Wipers | No |
| Tailgate | Manual |
| Interior Features | |
| Steering Wheel Adjust | Tilt/Telescopic |
| Steering Wheel Material | Urethane |
| Seating Adjustment (driver) | 6-way, Manual |
| Seating Adjustment (front passenger) | 4-way, Manual |
| Seating Surface | Fabric |
| Folding Rear Seat | 60/40 |
| Sunroof | No |
| Trip Computer | Yes |
| Convenience Features | |
| Power Steering | Yes |
| Power Door Locks | Yes |
| Power Windows | Yes |
| Power Mirrors | Yes, with Fold |
| Rear View Mirror | Day/Night |
| Proximity Key | Yes |
| Climate Control | Yes, w/ Rear Vents |
| Audio System |
Stereo USB Bluetooth |
| Smartphone Connectivity |
Apple CarPlay Android Auto |
| # of Speakers | 8 |
| Steering Controls | Yes |
Corolla 1.6V or this?
ReplyDeleteThe civic definitely.
DeleteAgreed. Only reason you'll go Corolla would be the leather steering wheel/seats.
DeleteI would personally go for Altis GR-S - 200K cheaper, looks better (IMHO) which also comes with Toyota Safety Sense. Oh yeah the leather trims too ,😊
Deleteyou want a lame car that's all show and no go? yuck
DeleteIMHO the kit was tastefully done😊
Deletewhat use is that kit if it runs like a turtle
DeleteIt runs fine ☺️
DeleteRG has the typical pinoy mentality. Appearance, appearance, appearance. What's important to him is how he looks riding the car instead of driving dynamics and performance. Mag sama kayo ni boy interior.
DeleteKeep it chill. Kotse lang sila ☺️
DeleteTBH toyota is sus in matching their power trains with their competitors. If they only offered the hybrid powertrain in lower variants then surely people would buy more of them. turbo and hybrids aren't that different in rate of adoption a couple of years ago. It's just honda had the balls to go full blast on their vtec turbo's on their last gen civic while the last gen corolla didn't have the hybrid system and now they're playing catch up vs turbo rivals, but their strategy today is so weak by placing that hybrid powertrain only at top level variants. If toyota had E and G variants of the hybrid that would be a better buy than the turbo civics considering they required 95 octane fuel and special engine oil compared to the hybrid powertrains minimum requirement of 91 plus the tried and tested hybrid system, that would be a no brainer for both toyota and customers. But they didn't and i'm so disappointed at toyota for missing that mark.
DeleteHonda could've just put leather seats on that V variant and thered be no discussion. I dunno whats up with honda on skimping on it. They might even steal some "low-end PPV" buyers if they just had it.
DeleteAgreed. Seats and steering wheel are the two things drivers get in touch with when they use their cars...they shouldn't have skimped on that.
DeleteLeather steering wheel is essential... Fabric seats however are actually more comfortable and wears out slower than leather seats. Look at 8 to 10 year old cars, you can already see the leather cracking while fabric seats will still look almost new provided there are no spills.
DeleteIll go for non turbo 1.3M all new hrv also wd honda sensing
ReplyDeleteUly, if you can choose one, wc will it be: Civic, or Mazda 3?
ReplyDeleteIf money is no object, get the Mazda 3 dude. It's just so good to drive, even when pitted against this new Civic.
DeleteIf TOTL to TOTL, I'd pick the Civic over the Mazda3. But between mid-grade to mid-grade, it's a tie. Personally, I'd pick the Civic as a daily driver (only thing lacking is leather seats), but if I already have another car in the garage (which I do), I'd pick the Mazda3 as a "coding car."
DeleteCivic is hard to beat in terms of packaging, practicality, and even performance/fuel economy. Mazda3 is only better when it comes to fit/finish and a Made in Japan badge which is, frankly, not that big of a difference to me.
Civic is much more relatable in terms of driving. Sure, the Mazda3 is more "emotional," but no doubting that the Honda is pliant, quick, comfy, and also sharp when pushed.
DeleteAnonymous April 4, 2022 at 8:33 AM, you're one of the few remaining mazda fanboys here eh? this site has been recently infected with chinese car fanboys.
DeleteMazda fan and owner here. Regarding chinese cars, try to look at the product's merit relative to price and not the brand. I must admit, Geely and the other chinese brands beat Mazda and other Jap brands value wise by a long shot.
Deletetotl vs totl i would get the mazda 3, but if someones asking me for a recommendation i would tell them to get the civic, its just more practical and better overall
Delete^ typical reactions from mazda fanboys who haven't got the opportunity to drive or let alone ride inside a civic.
Delete^ Typical reaction from Honda fanboys who haven't got the opportunity to drive or let alone ride inside a Mazda 3.
Deleteoh I've driven a mazda 3. its slow, has very tight rear seats and its not as fun to drive as the fanboys claim. I would say even the discontinued ford focus was waaaaaaay better to drive.
Deleteon behalf of the chinese car fanboys here, I would like to ask the million dollar question... is this better than their geely coolray?
ReplyDeleteIf the seat material compares less favorably with a lower category car in their lineup, then that is a red flag. Anyways, the new Civics are hard to justify from a value perspective. There are just so many choices in the 1.5M price point that offer more capability and space.
Deletethat thinking is just as bad as boy interior. by the way the civic starts just below 1.3M
DeleteIf I need more space, I'll go for the Geely Okavango and not the Civic. If I need something nice that won't break the bank and don't need space, I'll go for the Mazda 3 or even the MX-5 if you want to push it further.
DeleteSTFU mazda fanboy. your opinion doesn't mean s*** because you're blinded by being a massive mazda fanboy.
DeleteEveryone's opinion do count, even yours. Not blinded here, I actually appreciate the value offerings of Chinese brands recently. Just cannot see the value in Honda's pricing here if you compare them to Mazda, more so with Geely. Actually, it seems that you're the one blinded by your fanboyism with Honda.
Deleteyou're one to talk about value, buying a car priced at 1.5M that only has a 2.0L engine
DeleteI own a mazda3. Great car horrible aftersales. I'd get a civic over the mazda anytime. The mazda is pricing itself luxury but its still a shitty mazda
DeleteThere is nothing to like in this car except engine. This Civic was a shrunk bad looking Accord. Definitely the Previous model is way better than the new one aside from expensive price.
ReplyDeleteadd the corolla hybrid into the mix. in my opinion, it is still competitive if you put the volatile and high fuel price into consideration.
ReplyDeleteSir Uly, any idea what’s the acceleration for 0-100kph in seconds of the Civic?
ReplyDeleteAlmost 8 seconds.
DeleteThank you sir
Delete