The 2022 Honda Civic is proof that Honda’s mojo is back with a vengeance. If you’re old enough to remember, the Civic gave Honda some proper street cred from the 1990s to the early 2000s by offering rev-happy engines, clever usage of space, brilliant ergonomics, and lasting durability – not to mention one of the best manual transmissions in the business. And now here we are, 11 generations later.
Setting The Stage
When that VTEC kicks in, you better be holding on to something. But with the advent of i-VTEC, Honda mellowed down like an aging superstar athlete. Take the seventh-gen Civic, for example. After blowing our pants off with the fantastic sixth-gen Civic EK, we got the seventh-gen model with fish styling, a MacPherson strut front suspension instead of those magnificent double wishbones, and a subdued i-VTEC engine.
Oh, don’t get me wrong: The Civic has always been an excellent car to drive. The engineering is spot-on, but every Civic after the EK model went through an identity crisis of sort. I’m not the biggest fan of the outgoing tenth-gen Honda Civic, and it has a lot to do with its robot façade and busy styling, Type R be damned.
Channeling Some Acura Vibes
It seems crazy has left the building, specifically from Honda’s styling department. Squint hard, and it’s easy to mistake the 2022 Honda Civic for a next-gen Acura Integra, particularly the third-gen model. The refined shape is what Honda calls a “breath of fresh air,” and they’re right.
The 2022 Civic is easier on the eyes with a simple grille design (like the Acura Integra), a lower hood (same), and a quad-headlight design (Integra). It also has a lower beltline and a significant greenhouse due to Honda’s “Man-Maximum, Machine-Minimum” design idiom. Honda relocated the A-pillars rearward by almost two inches, extended the wheelbase by 1.4 inches, and widened the rear track to give the 2022 Civic a sportier, more dynamic stance.
“Civic has been the go-to choice for compact buyers for almost 50 years, and the all-new 11th-generation Honda Civic builds on that leadership with simple and sporty styling inside and out, best-in-class features, and class-leading performance,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Premium Interior Design
Honda’s been upping its interior design with each new Civic generation. For the 2022 Civic, Honda is pulling rabbits out of its hat. The new Civic’s interior has a visually striking honeycomb mesh across the entire length of the dash. Underneath that glorious mesh are hidden aircon vents to unclutter the dashboard. It does look good, but I reckon it’ll be a pain to rid of dust and dirt after extended use.
Honda claims the 2022 Civic’s cabin is awash with premium, high-grade materials for a plusher feel. Also new are innovative front seats with a new frame promising better comfort on those long, arduous drives.
The 2022 Civic LX, Sport, and EX have a seven-inch color LCD instrument display and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Civic Touring models get an all-digital 10.2-inch instrument panel and a new nine-inch infotainment screen shared with other Honda models like the Accord, Odyssey, and Pilot. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard across the lineup while Touring models have wireless charging.
New for the 2022 Civic Touring is a Bose premium audio system with 11 speakers, an eight-inch subwoofer, and a 12-channel digital amplifier with digital signal processing. In short, the new Civic is a music studio on wheels.
Engine & Powertrain
The 2022 Honda Civic will come in four trim models. The base LX and Sport have a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-banger with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft. of torque. The engine connects to a revised CVT gearbox with a new electric hydraulic pump and ball-nearing secondary shaft to reduce friction. All Honda Civic variants are front-wheel drive.
The 2022 Honda Civic EX and Touring have a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft. of torque. It produces six more horsepower and 15 lb-ft. more torque than last year’s turbo engine. It also gets VTEC-controlled exhaust valves to improve fuel economy without penalizing performance.
Nimble Handling, Better Comfort
I’m still missing those front double wishbones, but Honda promises better comfort and nimbler handling for the 2022 Civic. The front struts have low-friction ball joints and damper mount bearings to minimize harshness while sharpening the steering feel. In the back, larger compliance bushings and new rear lower arms ensure a quieter ride while improving straight-line stability.
Advanced Safety Features
The 2022 Honda Civic is brimming with advanced safety features. Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure has stiffer components to improve crash safety. The Honda Sensing package is standard across the lineup, which includes features like traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warnings, and many more. In order to detect road hazards, Honda uses a single camera system with advanced software and a more potent processor.
Honda Civic Warranty
All Honda vehicles come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. Hondas are among the most reliable cars to date, and we’re expecting the 2022 Civic to be no different. Still, it might be worth considering a Honda extended warranty if you do a lot of driving. If you want to know more, our comprehensive guide will help you make the right decision.
2022 Honda Civic: Pricing & Availability
The 2022 Honda Civic arrives at U.S. dealerships this summer. Pricing remains forthcoming, but Honda promises to unveil more details closer to the intended launch date. Production of the 2022 Honda Civic sedan is at Honda’s Alliston plant in Ontario, Canada, while the 2022 Civic Hatchback will arrive from Greensburg, Indiana.
When the 2022 Honda Civic arrives, this free and easy vehicle search tool* will show you see dealer inventory in your area. It will help you compare prices and see which Honda dealers are offering the best discounts and incentives. When shopping for a new car, you always want to try and obtain the invoice price, which that vehicle search tool will help you do.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Honda North America.
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Original article: 2022 Honda Civic: Eleventh-Gen Civic is Finally Sorted Out & We Like It!
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