2022 Honda Civic Sedan: Is the 11th-Generation Civic the Best Yet?

Competes with: Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla

Looks like: We’ve already seen it, actually, in both concept and production form. The sedan, at least, looks a bit like a smaller Accord.

Powertrains: 158-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder (LX, Sport); 180-hp, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder (EX, Touring); continuously variable automatic transmission (with paddle shifters on Sport, Touring); front-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Summer

Honda’s popular and long-serving Civic sedan is back for its 11th generation, wearing new styling that strongly matches the concept we saw in late 2020 and boasting a wealth of subtle improvements. Given that the 10th-generation Civic won our last comparison of compact sedans, Honda’s “if it ain’t broke” approach appears prudent — for now.

Related: Here’s Your Redesigned 2022 Honda Civic Sedan

Besides its sleeker and less angular new look, the 2022 Civic sedan will get a more powerful turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine for the EX and Touring trims and upgraded underpinnings Honda says will make the 11th-gen Civic the “most fun-to-drive” Civic yet. All models also get some updated safety tech to help try to keep occupants safe.

Exterior

Outside, the relocated A-pillars are one of the most notable features. They’ve been pushed back almost 2 inches, which Honda says should improve visibility while also visually lengthening the appearance of the hood. The side mirrors have been extended away from the body for better visibility, as well.

Wheel choices are 16-inchers on the LX and 17s on the EX, while both the Sport and Touring get trim-specific 18s.

Interior

Honda’s goal inside the Civic was to present a cleaner-looking and less cluttered cabin. One element that helps is the honeycomb panel that extends across the entire dashboard from front door to front door. It provides a clear separation of the displays, audio controls and climate controls. It also covers the front air vents as part of Honda’s mission to keep things looking clean inside.

Speaking of looking clean: Have you ever been in a car with piano-black accents that get covered in oily fingerprints seemingly within seconds of entering the car? If so, Honda feels your pain. There’s new premium center console trim available, which the automaker says will hide smudges and fingerprints.

The front seats are also a new design that Honda claims will do a better job of holding occupants in place and reducing fatigue on longer trips.

A new 7-inch touchscreen display with volume and tuning knobs (the absence of the latter has long been a pet peeve of ours with Honda) is standard on the LX, Sport and EX. Touring models get a 9-inch touchscreen that ditches the tuning knob, but Honda hopes its new Bose premium 12-speaker stereo makes up for that. Both displays have standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration.

Engines, MPG and Other Under-the-Skin Upgrades

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the LX and Sport models is a carryover from the 10th-gen Civic and produces 158 hp and 138 pounds-feet of torque, which it sends to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. EX and Touring models use a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is mostly a carryover, as well, though horsepower is up 6 ponies to 180 hp while torque jumps 15 pounds-feet to 177. Both the Sport and Touring trims also get a new Sport driving mode that alters the transmission response and adds red accents to the gauge cluster. Honda claims to have also improved “power delivery, engine sound and overall refinement,” though we’ll have to wait and see until we drive one.

Estimated fuel economy has also improved at least partially on all models. The 2022 Civic LX is now rated at 31/40/35 mpg city/highway/combined, increases of 1/2/2 mpg. The EX is the fuel sipper of the lineup at 33/42/36 mpg, though its combined mileage is the only one unchanged from 2021. The Sport has the worst fuel economy of the bunch at 30/37/33 mpg, though both its city and combined ratings increase by 1 mpg over 2021. The range-topping Touring comes in at an estimated 31/38/34 mpg, also increases of 1 mpg to its city and combined ratings.

The 2022 Civic also gets revised suspension components and tuning front and rear to go with a 0.5-inch-wider rear track for increased stability and handling performance. Honda also says it has improved the Civic’s power steering for better handling, and a new front aluminum subframe should add rigidity. Improvements were also made to reduce noise from the suspension components and improve ride comfort when going over road features like railroad crossings.

Safety

Honda Sensing is standard on all 2022 Civics and has been updated to include a new front camera with a wider view. Touring models get a Traffic Jam Assistant and low-speed braking control for use in stop-and-go traffic.

Honda is also making the 2022 Civic the first Honda to use a new front airbag design that aims to reduce brain injuries that can occur in angled front collisions. The automaker says the new airbag is better at controlling occupants’ head movements.

Pricing and Release Date

Pricing for the 2022 Honda Civic will be available closer to its on-sale date, which is slated for sometime in the summer. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for a look at the new Civic hatchback and any performance versions, too.

More From Cars.com:

• Here’s Every Car That Earned an IIHS Top Safety Award for 2021
• Which Compact Sedan Has the Best Value?
• Honda Civic Prototype Revealed, and It’s Pretty Much the 2022 Civic
• Honda EV SUVs Coming as 2024 Models, Fully Electric Lineup by 2040

Related Video: 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Reveal

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.