How Usable Is the Honda Civic Coupe's Backseat?
CARS.COM — The 2017 Honda Civic compact sedan’s shape is more coupelike than ever, but if you believe two doors are better than four, nothing but a true coupe will do. The Civic’s two-door body style has a distinctive fastback shape that turns heads — especially when finished in Energy Green Pearl paint like our test car — but we were curious whether any heads could comfortably fit in the backseat or if the styling penalty was too much to bear.
Related: 2016 Honda Civic Coupe Review
Getting in or out of a coupe’s backseat isn’t usually a graceful endeavor, and it’s no different in the Civic coupe. While the front seats slide and tilt forward, leaving a decent-sized entry, you must duck quite a bit to avoid the roof; it’s especially apparent when climbing out of the car. The front seat belts, which aren’t attached to any portion of the front seats, are a little in your way, too, when trying to exit from the backseat. One nice touch is a foot-activated lever on the back of the passenger-side front seat; pressing it releases the seat so it can slide forward and out of the way.
While the Civic sedan’s backseat recalls that of a mid-size car because of its overall roominess and comfort, the coupe does no such thing; you sit closer to the floor with your knees in a less comfortable, elevated position. The top of my head was pressed against the rear window (I’m about 6 feet tall). Rear headroom in the coupe is 2.3 inches less than in the sedan, and taller passengers will notice.
Even though we tested the top-line Touring trim level, which had an as-tested price of $26,960 including the $835 destination charge, backseat amenities were few; there’s just a single cupholder and storage cubby in each outer armrest, and there’s no center armrest or USB ports for device charging.
Automakers have tried different ways to make coupes more practical over the years, in some cases even adding a third door for backseat passengers, but the body style is inherently driven by style over utility. The redesigned Civic coupe hasn’t changed that equation.
