Before we get into the drive, I’ll talk numbers first. The Civic RS e:HEV has a curb weight of 1,432 kilograms—a sizeable 348 kilograms less than the CR-V RS e:HEV. In practical terms, that’s about the weight of a full load of passengers; in terms of power-to-weight, that’s 0.128 horsepower per ton versus the compact SUV’s 0.103 horsepower per ton.

Now, that I got this out of the way, let’s just stay I was lucky to get assigned to drive the electrified Civic from BGC to Baguio and back. Let’s see if our assumption during the launch and the numbers was correct. Will the Honda Civic RS e:HEV carve smiles in our faces?

Know that aside from a new powertrain, Honda also implemented a facelift for the Civic this 2025. The front face has a visually bigger grille because of the removal of the body panel on top of it. The overall angle is also more downward while the bumper has a sharper design as seen from the side. There’s also new 18-inch wheels and black-lens taillights.

Inside, there’s now more prominent red accents in the cabin and it’s an all-USB-C affair for the ports. At the center of the dash is the bigger 10.2-inch touchscreen that now has Google built in. It will allow you to install third party apps, voice operation, and hands-free navigation. However, since there’s no built-in data connection (it uses a separate SIM for the complimentary Honda Connect telematics), it requires you to tether your smartphone or have a Wi-Fi hotspot ready.

The first part of my drive was a significant time with the Honda Civic Turbo. It has the same 1.5-liter DOHC VTEC Turbo. It’s still paired to a CVT with paddle shifters. This one’s no slouch. For this update, Honda has tuned the CVT to match the engine’s aggression that overtaking at 80 or 90 km/h is relatively quick even with 4 people in the car. In Eco Mode, the engine still reacts at your faint blips on the throttle, though with a noticeable delay, but hey, the intention was there.

It’s hard to find fault in the Civic even in this Turbo guise. The shifts are still smooth and snappy with the paddle shifter, the engine braking is strong, cornering is damn good, cabin is quiet, and the ride comfort is very supple. In fact, one of the other cars had their Civic pretty much lowered to the ground because of the weight of the passengers and still, the suspension didn’t bottom out despite the potholes we went through going up to Baguio.

Moving to the hybrid Civic isn’t a night and day difference, but you’ll be smiling within the first minute. The electrified powertrain consists of two electric motors, a 1-kWh battery (smaller than the CR-V’s), and a 2.0-liter Atkinson Cycle engine that together makes 184 horses and 315 Nm of torque. All that makes this iteration of the Civic the most powerful standard Civic to date.

See with the Turbo, you have the pedals, the paddle shifters, and steering wheel to keep you happy. With the Civic hybrid, you’re only left with two—pedals and steering wheel. The paddle shifters have been relegated to activating the different levels of regenerative braking, making it useless in a spirited drive. But if you’re the kind who’s not nit-picky, the Civic will definitely give you lots of driving pleasure.

While the powertrain was carried over completely from the CR-V to the Civic, the regenerative braking was a different story. For one, there’s no Braking mode in the shifter. The only way to tap into the car’s levels for regenerative braking is to use the paddle shifters in drive mode. Cool, not that big of an adjustment.

The other thing is the braking itself. With the CR-V, you can basically complete a city drive with just the throttle pedal. Its braking force during Brake Mode is strong enough that sometimes you can just modulate the throttle. Step on it to go and when you lift, the car brakes. The Civic still does that, but at a significantly less force. Honda explained that it’s because of the limitation of the car’s size so the full braking system of the CR-V can’t be carried over. However, it’s still enough to assist the disc brakes during steep downhill runs.

Still, if I have to choose between the turbo and hybrid models, I’d pick the hybrid in a heartbeat. Sure, the turbo gives me more fun with the paddle shifters, but nothing beats that instant delivery of power from the throttle to the engine to your head pushed back against the headrest. Add to that the precise steering input, the appropriate level of feedback and lightness, and the supple riding comfort—the hybrid is instantly an unforgettable driver’s car.

At P 1,990,000, the Honda Civic RS e:HEV is admittedly expensive, but there’s no way to circumvent that in today’s economy. Besides, Honda didn’t skimp anything in fitting this hybrid. It has all the latest tech and safety features, as well as cabin comforts to keep you satisfied even on long drives. What it lacks in engagement it more than makes up for in driving fun. It will not please everybody but that’s true to all cars. Once driven though, this Honda Civic hybrid will certainly keep you up at night until it’s in your garage.