Honda Civic

Now on its 11th generation, the Honda Civic is arguably the benchmark for a rather shrinking compact passenger car (PC) segment. This is because the general market is shifting more towards utility vehicles and subcompact passenger cars eligible for ride-sharing or public utility vehicle transport.

Nevertheless, Honda’s compact still continues to do its Civic duty as a vehicle for the boy racer crowds, for the technologically advanced gearhead, and the Honda diehards.

History

The Honda Civic was first introduced in 1972 and the first generation lasted until 1979. Currently, the Honda Civic has reached its 10th generation. And the latest generation was released in 2016 with a turbo engine and Earth Dreams Technology and a sport version variant, the Honda Civic Type R.

The latest generation

Finally, we have a new Honda sedan on the local market. Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. has officially launched the 11th-generation Honda Civic, with the company’s Honda Sensing system being one of the car’s most unique and attractive features.

The 11th-generation Honda Civic was launched in the Philippines on November 23, 2021. It was made available with three variants all of which carry the 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that was once only seen in the top RS Turbo trim. The new version of the sedan aims to solidify itself as one of the popular entries in the compact sedan segment by bringing with it a host of new features. 

Honda Philippines has also given the new Civic Honda SENSING technology as standard further increasing the number of safety features the vehicle has. The 11th-gen Honda Civic is now available at all 37 Honda dealerships nationwide. It won’t be offered with a manual transmission in the country. There are three variants and five color options to choose from: Morning Mist Blue Metallic, Meteoroid Grey Metallic, Ignite Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, and Lunar Silver Metallic.

Variant and Price

In the Philippines, the all-new Honda Civic is priced as follows:

Front

The 2022 Honda Civic’s body is less angular and styled more conservatively than its immediate predecessor.

The front end still had obvious traces of its tenth-generation relative, including the squinty headlights, blacked-out small upper grille (the one behind the telltale Honda “H”), the large maw that is the lower grille, and snub-nosed front end. Even without the Honda logo, one could easily distinguish the Civic’s front end from its fellow Honda stablemates and its fellow compact car rivals such as the Toyota Corolla Altis, Mazda 3, and Subaru Impreza.

Headlights

One can make a case that Honda stuck to what made the previous Civic look good, and kept the headlight design for the present generation. One can call it laziness, but this poster deems the approach as a classic example of: "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Light-emitting diode (LED) headlights come standard on the compact car. However, the PHP 1.368 million entry-level S variant comes with halogen headlights, which is rather passe in an overall market where the technologically advanced competition carries LED headlights as basic forward exterior lighting.

That aside, the Honda has automatic high beams in its headlights, which should signal onlookers and vehicles ahead of the car’s presence.

Dimensions

The size of the 11th generation Honda Civic has increased in length and width, although it is not significant. However, the changes made are aimed at better control rigidity, so that this medium sedan is claimed to be more fun-to-drive.

Side and rear

Like the front end, the flanks and backside went with a relatively conservative approach.

For example, when viewed from the side, the A- and B-pillars seem more upright than the last two precursors. The beltline above the door handles is high, and the rear end looks like it took a page from the late 2000s Audi A4 even though a hint of BMW 3 Series G20 comes to mind when viewed from the quarter rear. Gone were the raked windshield and seemingly swept side profiles of the 2006-2015 and 2016-2021 models that made them distinct from every Honda in the roster. Instead, what the Civic carries is a design that tells the onlooker that it’s a smaller version of the fellow stablemate Accord executive saloon.

The rims, on the other hand, have styling that’s aggressive, whether the 16-inchers on the S base model, the 17-inchers on the PHP 1.568 million V mid-spec choice, or the 18-inchers on the top end PHP 1.76 million RS variant. The wheels on the RS pick seem like the Japan-based mother company listened a lot to the inputs of the international tuning community, and came out with seemingly flat black, 10-spoke, 18-inch rollers that looked like they came out of the Enkei or Volk Racing aftermarket catalog. 

If the outside is rather non-distinct, the cabin carries a lot of telltale marks. For example, the air conditioning (A/C) vents have a plastic retro-honeycomb design, and the A/C vents for the front passenger start from the middle dashboard up to the right front door. For many reviews, it’s a love-hate matter, aesthetics-wise.

Another example is the seven-inch to the nine-inch infotainment system. Sure, anything that’s seven inches and above for the touchscreen head unit size is pretty standard, but the fact that keeping any occupant busy via wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (plus twin USB ports, a 12-volt outlet, and a wireless charger) ain’t nothing to callously dismiss.

A third example is the digital gauge cluster. First observed in the previous model, the overall size of the aforementioned display in front of the driver ranges from seven (PHP 1.368 million S base model) to 10.2 inches (RS version). It’s not as overwhelming for the one behind the wheel as, say, the 2006-2015 model, as the readouts are quite easy on the eyes.
The rear confines are a fourth example of this Civic’s standout traits. In fact, one can surmise that two six-footers can get comfortable in the row behind the folk in front. A longer wheelbase (2,735 mm, some 35 mm more than the previous model) is the culprit for the increased rear space, which also extends to the cargo hold (493 liters, some 30-odd liters more than its predecessor).

Probably the only downers with regard to the interior, for some reviews, were the use of fabric seats and the lack of keyless entry. The latter was the more glaring of the two irritants, as the lack of that feature is unbecoming of the technological advancements always present in that particular Honda brand.

Dashboard

In the center of the dashboard, there is a honeycom accent made of metal that stretches horizontally separating the AC panel and the Head Unit. This section hides the AC grille so that it adds a luxurious minimalist impression. The feel of luxury is felt on the soft seats wrapped in suede leather combined with fabric on the inside of the seat. There are leather bandages with red stitching on the arm-rests, door trim, shift lever and steering wheel. An 8-way electric setup for the driver's seat and 4-way for the passenger, and there's also red illuminated accents on the door trim.

Space and Practicality

Typical of Honda, interior practicality is unrivalled - storage spaces are aplenty and easy to reach, while the centre armrest console is spacious enough to store all your miscellaneous items. For seats, the RS receives a combination of suede and leather upholstery, while the S and V get fabric. The slightly bigger dimensions of the car allowed for generous cabin and cargo space, particularly for the rear passengers.

Luggage

As a sedan, of course the accommodation in the luggage section is not too flexible. But in this latest generation of Civic, we can pull the lever in the trunk to fold the rear seat. So, even though it's not flat, the luggage capacity becomes more spacious.

Advanced safety and driver-aid systems are the centerpieces of the 2022 Honda Civic. The Japanese manufactuer put a considerable occupant aid package into its compact car representative that it gave it a name and its own identity - Honda Sensing.

Honda claims that Honda Sensing was created to help further the one behind the wheel, whether in single-digit speed or triple-digit speed situations. Sensing aids included added deceleration when the front bumpers detect potential impact ahead, warning chimes to remind the driver to stay in a lane (should the vehicle veer off lane), the hazard lights engaged during emergency braking, adaptive cruise control on highways (which maintains a user-definable distance between the car in front), and warning chimes to alert the driver if and when a vehicle in front has moved ahead from a standstill. Granted, the best safety system of the Civic, or any car for that matter, is the one taking hold of the steering wheel. But Honda Sensing does help the driver immensely in a lot of four-wheeled motoring situations.

In addition, Honda tossed into the Civic additional safety and security systems such as anti-lock braking, deceleration distribution, an engine immobilizer, Isofix latches for child seats, automatic locking once one walks away with the key fob, hill hold and hill start assist function, six airbags, and traction-stability control.

Comfort Features

All variants of the Honda Civic receive rear air-conditioning vents, while leather upholstery is standard fitment on turbocharged variants of the Honda Civic. In addition to those, an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat is fitted to all variants of the Honda Civic. Other standard convenience features include automatic climate control, and dual-zone climate control exclusive on the RS variant.

Infotainment Features

Given the Civic’s full model range – the starter S model, the mid tier V variant, and the range-topping RS version – and what they have to offer, it’s best to take the RS version.

The RS has the biggest infotainment touchscreen and digital gauge cluster real estate, plus a Bose 12-speaker system. That alone should make occupants in any place in the Civic entertained, whether on highway jaunts, mountain passes or even in stop-go traffic jams. And we have to say, the Bose setup truly will make a '90s SQ-loving music aficionado's eyes water in joy and satisfaction. Defining highs, clear mids and creeping bass all from a stock sound system. What else could you ask for?

The pricing may rival some utility vehicles, but Honda’s compact passenger car is more than enough to scoot around urbanity and the occasional province.

All current Honda Civics carry a turbocharged, gas-fed, 178 PS/240 nm 1.5-liter inline-four and a Continuously Variable Transmission.

The response underneath the rightmost pedal is quite the thrill ride, lunging at near-instant levels with light prods. The turbo wakes up early and the power curve is wide. Combine that with Honda’s CVTs, and you have assurances that the car is more than capable of going on urban inclines and paved mountain ascents without the engine straining and without delay.

The transmission also has a manual mode, engaged by moving the CVT stick to the left and pushing said stick upwards (for downshifts) or pulling that same stick (for upshifts). As with any other CVT however, expect the car to struggle a bit as it tries to back itself out of a drainage gutter or road depression. There are still some ways to go before a CVT can outgrow its rubbery response over less-than-ideal surfaces.

Engine

The 11th generation Civic is powered by a 1.5 liter 4-cylinder DOHC VTEC Turbo engine. The engine can produce 178 All 11th-gen models sport a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder DOHC VTEC Turbo engine, which produces 178 ps and 240 Nm of torque, versus the last-gen Civic’s 173 ps and 220 Nm with its 1.5 VTEC Turbo engine. They’re also paired with a CVT or continuously variable transmission for every trim level.

Transmission

Honda's 11th-generation Civic gains another version with the arrival of the performance-oriented Civic Si. Debuting solely in sedan form, the 2022 Civic once again features a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission. 

Honda dropped the manual transmission on the Civic sedan as it only offers CVT (with paddle shifters on the performance lines). The lower trims have a 2.0-liter engine that is capable of providing 158hp; upper variants boast 180hp from its turbocharged 1.5-liter engine.

Suspension, steering and chassis

Macpherson struts and a stabilizer bar setup for the front and a multi-link coil spring-and-shock combo for the rear comprise the suspension of the 2022 Honda Civic.

Combine that with the longer wheelbase compared to its predecessor, and you have road damping comparable to the higher-end Accord. There’s admirable shock absorption displayed when the car goes through EDSA’s potholes and asphalt molehills. You'll feel insulated from the harshness of the road making it feel like EDSA suddenly just got refurbished with a smooth asphalt overlay. Think of that Civic trait as akin to how Adidas’ Boost foam works to absorb any sort of rubber-to-lower body impact, and you have an idea of the wonders of the 2022 Honda Civic ride quality.

The steering feel can be described as generally light, yet you can sense where the front rollers are pointed with each lateral flick of the steering wheel.

Driving characteristics

Another thing that is impressive is the controllability that is fairly easy on this sedan. The steering wheel is precisely made to translate the driver's wishes quickly and precisely. This ability is an important capital for maneuvering although it seems it would be more fun to invite this sedan to have fun on the track

Fuel consumption

The 11th generation Honda Civic is equipped with a 1.500cc turbo engine, which is capable of spewing out 178PS of power and 240Nm of torque. Honda claims its newest Civic only needs 1 liter of gasoline for a distance of 17.2 km.

The Honda Civic is the embodiment of Honda's engineering - the turbocharged engine is strong, while the cabin practicality is bar none. Couple that with Honda Sensing and LaneWatch, it is no surprise why the Honda Civic currently tops the C-segment sedan market. Those who purchase the V Turbo CVT variant of the Civic until December 31, 2021, will be entitled to a free Modulo Trunk Tray and Modulo Exhaust Pipe Finisher, on top of all the promotions offered for the month of the vehicle release until January 31, 2022.