Cargazing
By Derek Price
The Honda Civic has always been known, first and foremost, as an economy car that’s reliable and cheap to operate.
It’s interesting, then, that Honda didn’t just look at similar low-priced cars when benchmarking the all-new Civic that just arrived as a 2016 model. They also compared it against compact luxury cars that are considerably more expensive — think Mercedes-Benz C-Class or BMW 1-Series, presumably — and you can feel it in the end result.
From a driving perspective, it’s hard to tell much difference between the new Civic and those pricier cars, at least with their base engines. It’s so much quieter, solid feeling and refined with its road manners that I’d never guess it was a Civic if I was blindfolded.
With eyes open, you can see the difference. There’s more plastic than in a good luxury car, but I’m not sure it’s enough of a downgrade to justify the money you save with a Honda compared to, say, a small Lexus. The Civic Sedan starts at just $18,640 and feels like a steal at that price.
While I’ve driven both the two-door and four-door versions of this car in recent weeks — both of which are giant leaps over their predecessors, particularly in the sleek way they look — it’s the coupe I spent more time testing.
The Honda Civic has an all-new design for 2016 that makes it quieter and more refined without losing its sporty edges. Its new look will turn heads, particularly in the two-door coupe version shown here.
As usual with Honda products, it’s tough to find anything to complain about. The new Civic feels solidly built, comes with a lot of equipment for the money and drives with a shimmering vibrancy that has been missing from Honda products of recent vintage. A new, 1.5-liter turbocharged engine — the first factory turbo ever fitted to a Civic — is a big reason for the appeal, even if it’s mated to a less-than-sporty continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The steering, brakes and suspension all combine to give it the characteristic Civic-like snap when changing directions, which is a good thing, yet it somehow manages to calm down and float nicely — and almost silently — on the highway. That’s even better.
My usual wish for Hondas still rings true with this one. If I could wave my magic wand, I’d give it bigger, beefier buttons on the entertainment system to make it easier to operate. As it is, with small buttons next to the digital screen, I vastly prefer using the steering wheel controls to change settings.
A nifty switch on the steering wheel lets you adjust the radio volume by gently sliding your finger along it, which is nicer than on most cars. And all the switches have a tight, snickety feeling to them, one of those picky things that I usually look for in more expensive cars.
The digital gauges have a modern, almost futuristic design that remind me of my favorite Hondas from the 1980s. There’s a NASA vibe in the cabin that makes it fun to look at and enjoyable to drive.
And it’s available with my favorite must-have features on today’s cars: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Being an iPhone fanboy, I can’t vouch for the Android version, but Apple CarPlay in the Civic works flawlessly, just like my Mac computers. You use a USB cord to plug in your phone and it works without delay, like magic. You can play music, listen to your text messages, see navigation from Apple Maps and more, all without having to take the time to pair your phone like you do with a Bluetooth connection.
The Civic’s interior has a space-age look to go with its nice quality and practical layout. It’s reminiscent of the futuristic cabins Honda used in the 1980s.
Finally, there’s my favorite thing of all about the new Civic: the styling.
Compact cars are tough to get right. Make them too bland, and you end up yawning. Make them too wild, and you look like you belong in a “Fast and Furious” movie. But Honda nailed the styling on both the sporty coupe and the slightly more sedate sedan, adding lots of visual interest that too many compact cars lack.
If you want the “Fast and Furious” look, just order the Energy Green paint that coated my test car. It looks radioactive and makes it clear that you’re an extrovert.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2016 Honda Civic 1.5T 2D Touring ($26,125). Options: None. Price as tested (including $835 destination charge): $26,960
Wheelbase: 106.3 in.
Length: 176.9 in.
Width: 70.8 in.
Height: 54.9 in.
Drivetrain: 1.5-liter turbo I4 (174 hp, 162 ft. lbs.)
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Estimated Mileage: 31 city, 41 highway
RATINGS
Style: 10
Performance: 9
Price: 8
Handling: 7
Ride: 8
Comfort: 8
Quality: 8
Overall: 9
Video Review:
2016 Honda Civic
http://bit.ly/16civic
Why buy it?
It’s a nice upgrade over the last generation Civic. It’s quieter now, and the new styling looks fantastic — handsome on the sedan and sporty on the coupe.