2022 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic has a reputation built on 50 years of affordability, efficiency and durability, and the 2022 redesign looks to keep that tradition going strong. This 11th-generation Civic gets a thorough makeover inside and out. Some may say the new Civic's more conventional design is boring compared to the previous model's flamboyance, but we contend it's cleaner and more refined.

There's little new under the hood, where you'll still find a base four-cylinder engine or a turbocharged four-cylinder that provides quicker acceleration. As for technology features, Honda is often slower than other automakers to incorporate exotic features into its more budget-friendly cars. However, this Civic does have a few new additions. On the top-level Touring and Si trims, for instance, there's a wireless charging pad, a digital instrument panel, and a 9-inch touchscreen with additional wireless functionality for CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

We're impressed with the 2022 Honda Civic. While you might want to take a look at the refined Mazda 3, feature-packed Kia Forte or stylish new Hyundai Elantra, the Civic tops the class thanks to its fun-to-drive nature, roominess and high fuel efficiency. Check out our Expert Rating to get our full evaluation of the Civic's performance, roominess and more.

The Honda Civic boasts praiseworthy performance, high fuel economy, excellent passenger space and a refined design. There are a few minor drawbacks, such as elevated road noise on the highway, but overall the Civic is a great pick for a small sedan.

How does the Civic drive? We tested a Civic Touring sedan, which has the turbocharged engine. At our test track it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds. This is a little quicker than average for the small sedan class. It feels a little lazy off the line, but power grows steadily and quickly so you never feel the need to floor it like you would with the base 2.0-liter engine. The Civic's continuously variable automatic transmission is tuned well to deliver smooth power and quick responsiveness when you need a burst of speed.

Around turns, the Civic is stable and sporty, instilling confidence and providing some entertainment behind the wheel. The tires make a lot of noise, but they maintain a surprising amount of grip on the road, which also aids in above-average braking performance. Ultimately this Civic is easy and effortless to drive, which is precisely what we'd want from an affordable sedan.

How comfortable is the Civic? The Civic's suspension does a pretty good job of smoothing out bumps in the road. It doesn't ride as comfortably as some other small cars, but given the car's sporty handling we think it's an acceptable trade-off. The front seats are supportive, and the leather upholstery breathes well to help keep you cool on hot days. But note that the seats lack adjustable lumbar support, which could be an issue for people with sensitive lower backs.

The climate control layout is a clear improvement over the previous generation's setup, with great vent coverage for the cabin. Road noise is noticeable at any speed and can be rather intrusive on coarse surfaces. Wind noise is thankfully more subdued, and the rest of the interior feels solidly constructed and free of vibration.

How’s the interior? The cabin has an attractive design. All controls are within easy reach and intuitive to use. It's also roomy — the front can comfortably seat taller and shorter passengers equally well, and the rear seats will accommodate average-size adults with no problem. Rear legroom is abundant and headroom is adequate.

Outward visibility is aided by narrow front roof pillars and sideview mirrors that are mounted on the doors, freeing up your view out front. The back window is a bit short, but the multi-angle rearview camera helps you spot anything that might be behind you when backing out of a parking spot.

How’s the tech? The Civic's touchscreen infotainment system is located high on the dash to help you keep your eyes on the road. It has intuitive on-screen menus and responds quickly to your inputs.

The graphics for the optional integrated navigation system look a little dated, but the map functions just fine. Our Touring trim had the larger 9-inch screen, while lower trims get a smaller 7-inch version. Most users will probably opt to use the standard Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone projection anyway. In the Touring trim, these systems can connect to your phone wirelessly. You can use a USB cable if you'd prefer, and we found it provided quicker connection speeds.

Honda's new camera-based advanced driving aids work well for the most part. We did experience some false alarms for frontal collision and the lane keeping assist got confused by faded lane markings, but these occurrences were infrequent. The adaptive cruise control sometimes brakes a little late, but it otherwise does an admirable job of reducing the burden of driving in stop-and-go traffic.

How’s the storage? The Civic sedan's trunk can hold up to 14.8 cubic feet of cargo, which is on the larger side for the class. The space is usable thanks to minimal intrusion from the Civic's wheelwells and trunk hinges. You can fold down the rear seats to provide more cargo space, though the pass-through opening between the trunk and rear seat isn't very big.

One thing we really liked about the previous Civic was that it had lots of clever interior storage. Honda implemented more traditional storage spots for this new Civic, which is a small step back in our opinion. Still, the center armrest bin can hold a good amount, the cupholders are large, and a rubberized charging pad in front can help keep your phone from sliding around as it's charging.

If you've got little kids, the Civic offers three top anchor spots for front-facing child safety seats, and the main lower anchor points are easy to access. Larger rear-facing infant carriers will likely compromise front passenger space a little, but this is true for most cars in this segment.

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the Civic Touring (which has the turbocharged engine) will get 34 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The EX is even better at 36 mpg combined. Either way, the Civic bests its most direct competitors by about 3 to 4 mpg. We managed to achieve 33.4 mpg from our Civic Touring test car on our mixed-driving evaluation route. This isn't quite as high as we might have hoped given the EPA's numbers, but it's still an impressive showing.

Is the Civic a good value? The Honda Civic may cost a bit more than the Kia Forte and Toyota Corolla, but it justifies the added cost with better performance, laudable fuel economy, a few more features and a significantly nicer interior. It has the kind of refinement that we would have expected from the more expensive Honda Accord. We recommend stepping up to at least the EX trim since it comes with the more powerful and efficient turbocharged engine.

Honda's warranty remains fairly unremarkable compared to what other manufacturers offer. But the company builds a good product that generally holds its value well.