Written by Marco Carvajal
The Honda “Civic” is a car model name known worldwide. Who doesn’t know this car model? The Civic is probably one of the most popular car names around the globe.
There are a few other car names that we all have known from generation after generation, but the Civic is definitely in the top list of popularity and longevity.
The Civic a very popular car no matter where you go, US, Latin America, Europe, Asia, even in the most remote places and islands you will definitely find a Civic somewhere down the road.
What is the key to the success of the Civic?
I think some of the answers for the success of the Civic are good value, a reasonable low price for a car that can be very appealing with a nice style, easy maintenance and repairs, and the great job Honda has done re-inventing the Civic generation after generation, being able to provide a car that looks different and modern, but keeping the key elements of the known success of the classic Civic.
Since its launch in 1973, the Honda Civic has been one of the most popular compact cars in the United States. Honda’s impressive reputation for long-lasting, dependable vehicles with low running costs are some of the elements of the success of the Civic.
Honda has had some problems with previous Civic editions but that is part of the past. Since a long time ago, for previous Honda buyers, the new Civic means good news, and for buyers new to this model, this is a great option among the many available choices for compact sedans in the market today.
The Honda Civic along with the Toyota Corolla, are some of the best-selling vehicles among the fast-growing market of Hispanics in the United States, and this is part of the key in the high volume of sales for the Civic in the U.S.
Some of the main competitors of the Honda Civic are the Toyota Corolla that is also very well known worldwide, the Ford Focus, Kia Forte, Hyundai Elantra, Subaru Impreza, Mazda 3, Volkswagen Golf and other compact sedans.
The great well-known brand model Civic is a great tool to keep selling cars, but for some, it might also sound like an old car model driven by your older relatives, and that can be a challenge for Honda, having to keep the classic name “Civic” fresh, modern and new.
If you want to buy a Civic today, something you will find out is that there are plenty of different good offers and options, either for buying or leasing, Honda wants you to buy this car and there is an attractive offer that might be the final push to get you to into a Civic.
Honda Civic Versions
For 2019 and 2020 the Civic is available in very similar trims and versions.
The Civic family for 2020 is composed of the following main models and versions. Each of these models is available in a few different trims:
- Civic Coupe
- Civic Si Coupe
- Civic Sedan
- Civic Si Sedan
- Civic Hatchback
- Civic Type R
With so many models and trims, the Civic could become its own car brand. I guess Honda likes to maximize the well-known name of the Civic brand to offer different cars with the same model name, but in reality, each civic model could have a different name, but as a marketing strategy better to keep all these cars under the best-seller Civic umbrella.
The new Honda Civic includes several standard active and passive safety features like Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control, driver and passenger front and side airbags, side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist and Honda’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. Also, all models feature a standard multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines. All of these standard safety features make the Civic a very safe car.
According to Honda, the Civic has been designed with the goal to achieve a high 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Honda Civic Sedan Trims
My focus on this article is on the Civic Sedan Model. The Civic Sedan is divided into the following four trims for 2020.
- Honda Civic LX
- Honda Civic Sport
- Honda Civic EX
- Honda Civic EX-L
The 2019 Civic Sedan is available in five trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, the lowest price you can find in a brand new civic is MSRP of $21,050 for the 2020 Civic Coupe, and the price can keep going up to a to the base price of $36,995 MSRP for the 2020 Civic Type R, a very appealing Sports Civic. Most civic models stay at a low price from $21K up to $25K so the low price continues being of great value.
The Honda Civic Sedan Sport 2020 has a base MSRP price of $21,550, the previous 2019 Civic Sedan Sport has a higher price starting at an MSRP of $22,180 for 2019.
The Civic Sedan Sport
I am test driving the Honda Civic Sedan Sport 2019, one of my favorite models in the Civic-Sedan lineup. I have tested several Civic models and there is always something new and different on each model, but all of them have something in common, a lot of value, a beautiful good look for the money, and a practical compact size ideal to make the Civic a city car.
The new Civic is part of the 10th-generation of Honda Civic model.
The refreshed 2019 and 2020 Civic includes new features with the goal of giving a more premium feel to the civic. The restyled lower bumper creates a wider look and it includes a new blacked-out headlight treatment.
The front “wing” design on the grille of the Civic also gets a new gloss black treatment on the Sedan version. New colors have been added to the sedan family to give buyers more choices.
The Sport Sedan trim is new since 2019 featuring its own sports styling, upsized 18-inch wheels, and tires. Enhanced handling, and more unique features giving this model a fresh and younger look and performance.
Standard Honda Sensing
Some of the new updates since 2019 are the Standard Honda Sensing in all Civic Sedan trims. The advanced Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies includes:
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow
- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
All the new Honda Civic models also received automatic high beams as part of this Honda Sensing package.
The new Civic Sedan features new design details inside and outside including a new Display Audio system with physical buttons and a volume knob that is very practical in this all-digital era. We love new tech but some of us still like real buttons and knobs that are easy to use while driving.
The Display Audio system, standard on Sport trims has been updated with a new interface that includes improved Bluetooth integration with easier set up for device pairing.
Also new since 2019, redesigned steering wheel controls for more intuitive operation, a new center console cupholder that better holds larger beverages, and updated dash trim with an embossed finish on the Sport trim I am driving.
For a more luxurious inside feel, all the new Civic Sedans include additional sound insulation in the floor, trunk, and front fenders, and new sound insulation in the rear fenders.
Continuing with the list of upgrades some of the visual enhancements consist of unique exterior styling cues such as fog lights with gloss black trim and upsized 18-inch wheels (+1 inch from the regular sedan) wrapped in the same all-season tires as the trim Civic Si.
On the rear of the Civic Sedan Sport, a black-painted decklid spoiler, Sport badging, and a sport muffler capped by a wide, center-mounted chrome exhaust finisher styled after Civic Si, to complete the Sport package.
In the interior, the Sedan sport trim gets very cool upgrades like red gauges, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, paddle shifters (CVT-equipped models), textured aluminum sport pedals, and unique seat materials with a combination of synthetic leather and cloth to give a beautiful sport and modern feel to the Sport trim.
Premium Audio on the Sports Trim
The Sport trim also gets upgraded tech with an 8-speaker audio system. Civic Sport models have a redesigned 7-inch Display Audio system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration to stay updated with new mobile technologies.
All of these elements, features, and upgrades make the Civic Sedan Sport a great trim to buy.
Engine
The 2019 Civic Sedan Sport trim is powered by a responsive 2.0-liter engine paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or optional Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT).
- 2.0-liter 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine DOHC multi-point
- 158 horsepower
- 138 lb.-ft. of torque
- 6-speed manual transmission or CVT Automatic Transmission
- No scheduled tune-ups are required for approximately 100,000 miles
The new Honda Civic has a sharpness on the road as no previous versions. Very good steering response and a noticeably less body roll than previous Civic, the Sports model is fun to drive with a good 158 horsepower for a compact sedan.
Additional standard features on all trims include upscale items such as an electronic parking brake with an automatic Brake Hold feature and a 7-inch digital TFT instrument cluster.
MPG
The Honda Civic Sedan Sport 2019 has the following MPG Miles Per Gallon Rating. The fuel economy is better for the automatic transmission Civic Sports Sedan compared to the same trim with manual transmission, with a combined 32 Miles Per Gallon average between city and highway.
6 Speed Manual Transmission
- 25 MPG City
- 36 MPG Highway
- 29 MPG Combined
CVT Automatic Transmission
- 29 MPG City
- 37 MPG Highway
- 32 MPG Combined
“The Honda Civic has been recognized by IHS Markit for having the highest Model Loyalty in the Car segment in calendar year 2019, with the greatest percentage of car owners who returned to market and purchased or leased another Civic.”
“Honda Named Most Awarded Brand of 2019 by Kelley Blue Book”
The competitive compact sedan market offers many great brands and models, if you are buying a new car I suggest going to the nearest dealer and test-drive a few models and trims. Find out information about warranty, maintenance, financing, leasing, and go for the best option according to your budget and needs. Many car dealers have tools to compare models online so you can do some home-work before visiting the dealer and test-driving your desired car.
