These days, thanks to America’s obsession with SUVs, sedans have largely been relegated to the “boring” category. Not so with the 2022 Honda Civic. The first model year of this iconic car’s 11th generation, the 2022 Civic combines affordability with style and, yes, even performance to deliver an intriguing option for the SUV-fatigued.
The Civic starts at just over $21,000 for 2022, which is a bargain considering Honda has completely redesigned the car. A fuel-sipping 31 MPG city and 40 MPG highway continues the affordability theme into the ownership experience, while class-leading safety and tech will satisfy even the most tech-thirsty buyers.
By far one of the biggest highlights of this newest Civic is its curb appeal. Sleek, modern lines invite the eye and evoke a sporty vibe without detracting from Honda’s obvious focus on elegance. Somehow the Civic manages to be both athletic and refined, an aesthetic typically reserved for far more expensive European imports. That’s high praise, considering we’re talking about a value-priced compact sedan.
What’s new for 2022? In a word, plenty. Honda took a good thing and made it even better. We’ll review all the features, trims, and extras available in Honda’s iconic category leader here and offer up a challenge: if you’re on the hunt for the best compact sedan, we dare you to find a better, more complete option than this all-new 2022 Civic.
Trims, Packages, and Equipment
The 2022 Civic lineup is diverse enough to give buyers freedom of choice in the usual areas, like budget, equipment, and interior appointments. The price spectrum runs from the very low $20,000s up to nearly $30,000, and the dollar amount directly correlates with key differences. For example, the base LX gets you 158 horsepower, but move up a couple trims, shell out another $3,000, and performance tips the scales at 180 horsepower.
The LX Trim
As far as base models go, the Civic is no less and no more well-equipped than many others, but the standard features it offers are still somewhat rare. The LX comes standard with LED headlights and a push-button start, two features usually absent in other entry-level compact models. The LX is also infused with a plethora of standard safety systems, including Adaptive Cruise Control and Traffic Sign Recognition, the latter of which alerts drivers to speed limit changes.
Also standard are 16-inch wheels, cloth seats (no surprise), a surprisingly adequate 160-watt 4-speaker audio system, automatic climate control, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. A generous 7-inch infotainment touchscreen graces the dash, putting integration and interaction safely within the driver’s reach.
The Sport Trim
Nudge your budget up to the sport, and for a scant few thousand more, you’re rewarded with a clever 3-mode drive system (standard, sport, and ECON), larger 18-inch wheels, and a chrome exhaust. Inside, you will find a more powerful 8-speaker stereo, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a fold-down rear seatback. Included with the push-button start is a remote engine start feature.
Also standard on the Civic Sport is Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock, which is essentially a more intelligent key fob that can trigger the vehicle to lock or unlock automatically. It works via sensors that let you unlock the vehicle by just touching the door handle. The walk away feature does the same thing in reverse, which means it’s never necessary to manage a traditional key.
The EX Trim
The EX ventures into the mid-$20,000 range, but it makes a big leap in performance with the addition of a standard 1.5-liter four-cylinder 180-horsepower turbocharged engine. It’s mated with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that optimizes performance without robbing from fuel economy. The powertrain relies on 17-inch wheels and tires to deliver agile handling and a surprisingly balanced ride.
The EX is loaded with a generous number of standard features, like heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. Honda also adds blind-spot monitoring to the list of driver-assist systems, as well as heated exterior mirrors and a standard power sunroof. The 7-inch infotainment touchscreen is still the default command center on the Civic EX.
The Touring Trim
This top-of-the-line Civic Touring trim aims to combine luxury with performance. It sticks with the turbocharged engine, CVT, and 3-mode drive system but adds standard 18-inch wheels to differentiate from the EX trim. LED fog lights are also standard on the Touring model, joining the already present LED headlights for a more aggressive grille appearance.
The big changes happen inside the cabin, with standard leather-trimmed seats, a one-touch power moonroof, and a powerful 12-speaker Bose audio system with a built-in subwoofer. Power front seats join the standard dual-zone automatic climate control and leather-wrapped steering wheel to give the cabin a high-end luxury feel, while the infotainment touchscreen grows to a generous and prominent 9 inches.
Advanced Safety
Honda vehicles have long been known for providing advanced safety features, making them the default favorite for families and drivers looking for worry-free commutes. For 2022, Honda has equipped all Civic trims with standard Honda Sensing, a driver-assist safety system that utilizes radar and cameras to monitor road and driving conditions, alerting the driver to potential hazards and mitigating potential accidents with braking and steering corrections as necessary.
Honda Sensing includes the following five features standard across every trim of the 2022 Honda Civic:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Road Departure Mitigation System
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow
- Lane Keeping Assist System
- Traffic Sign Recognition
The final feature in the above list includes recognition capabilities to actually read traffic signs and display information, such as a change in the speed limit, to help keep drivers aware and safe.
Interior and Dimensions
The 2022 Civic delivers in comfort and cargo hauling, offering 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space and a total passenger volume of 99 cubic feet. The driver and front-seat passenger can stretch out, thanks to 42.3 inches of available legroom and nearly 40 inches of headroom. In the back seat, there are 37 inches of headroom and 37.4 inches of legroom, a generous space allotment for a compact car.
Both the EX and the Touring trims offer the most interior comfort features, but the Touring is where you’ll find the most tech. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two extra 2.5-amp USB charging ports in the rear, a 10.2-inch Driver Information Interface Screen instead of analog gauges, built-in navigation, and a wireless phone charger round out the Civic Touring’s standard tech goodies.
A Fresh Entry in the Civic Saga
What we love most about the Civic is its completeness. It’s never exclusively an economy sedan or a luxury sedan; rather, it’s a blend of the best parts of each. Sure, there’s an available turbocharged engine and plenty of leather and in-cabin convenience features, but these features are blended across the entire trim range rather than forcing buyers to move up the price spectrum to capture them.
The compact sedan category may not immediately draw performance-oriented buyers because it prioritizes affordability first and foremost, but the 2022 Civic defies that logic. Car and Driver rated this newest Civic version a 9.5/10, a rare and bold statement from seasoned and hard-to-please reviewers, calling it “athletic” and “balanced.” Those characteristics aren’t commonly associated with value-oriented cars.
In short, the Civic is better in sum than its individual characteristics or trims. With this newest Civic iteration, Honda manages to hit the sweet spot between features, performance, and price. Add to that a refined, elegant cabin and all the next-generation tech buyers demand, and it’s hard to understand why drivers would pass the new Civic over for another option.
