2023 Honda Civic Hatchback

Pros:

• Sharp handling makes the Civic a lot of fun to drive.
• Fuel economy and cargo space are better than average, and many user-friendly technological features exist.

Cons:

• Noise from the road can be heard on the highway.
• There is no back support in the front seats.
• Safety measures It can be annoying to set off false alarms sometimes.

How do you move the Civic? The Civic Touring sedan with the turbocharged engine was put to the test. In 7.9 seconds, we could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph on our test track. This small sedan is faster than most others. Compared to the base 2.0-liter engine, it feels slow off the line, but the power builds up steadily and quickly, so you never have to floor it. The Civic’s continuously variable automatic transmission is set up to give the car smooth power and a quick response when more speed is needed.

The Civic is stable and sporty around corners, which gives you confidence and some fun. Even though they make a lot of noise, the tires have a surprising amount of road grip, which helps the car stop better than average. Lastly, this Civic is simple and easy to drive, exactly what we’d expect from a cheap sedan.

How comfortable is the Honda Civic? The Civic’s suspension works well to smooth out bumps in the road. Even though it’s not as comfortable as some other small cars, its sporty handling makes up for it. The leather on the front seats breathes and supports you, so you stay cool on hot days. On the other hand, people with sensitive lower backs might not like that the lumbar support can’t be changed.

The layout of the climate controls is much better than the last generation, and the vents cover the cabin very well. You can hear the sound of the road at any speed, which can be annoying on rough surfaces. Wind noise has stopped, and the rest of the inside of the car feels solidly built and free of vibrations.

How does the inside look? The design of the cabin is excellent. All of the controls are easy to reach and simple to use. It’s also roomy. The front seats can fit both tall and short people, and adults of average size can sit comfortably in the back seats. Your rear passengers will have plenty of room to stretch out.

Narrow front roof pillars make it easier to see out, and side view mirrors on the doors make it easier to see forward. Even though the rear window isn’t huge, you can still see what’s behind you thanks to the car’s multi-angle camera system.

How good is the tech? The touchscreen infotainment system in the Civic is set up high on the dashboard so you can keep your eyes on the road. It responds quickly to what you do and has easy-to-use menus on the screen.

The graphics on the optional integrated navigation system are a bit old, but the map still works perfectly. Our Touring trim has a bigger 9-inch screen than the lower trims, which have 7-inch screens. Most users will probably choose the standard smartphone projections for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. These features can connect to your phone wirelessly in the Touring trim. You can connect with a USB cable, which we found makes the connection faster.

Most of the time, Honda’s new high-tech driving aids that are based on cameras work well. Even though these things didn’t happen often, we did have false frontal collision alarms and lane-keeping assistance that got confused by worn lane markings. Even though it sometimes stops a little too late, adaptive cruise control makes driving in stop-and-go traffic less stressful.

What about putting things away? Its trunk space of up to 14.8 cubic feet is above average for compact cars like the Honda Civic sedan. The Civic fits comfortably because its wheel wells and trunk hinges barely protrude into the parking spot. Cargo space can be expanded by folding down the rear seats, but there is little room between the floor of the trunk and the folded-down seats.

The old Civic had a lot of clever storage inside, which was one of our favorite things about it. It’s a little bit of a change that Honda made the new Civic have more standard storage places. Still, the armrest bin in the middle has a lot of storage space, as do the large cup holders and the charging pad in front, which is made of rubber and can help keep your phone from moving while it is charging.

The Civic has three top anchor points for child safety seats that face forward, and the central lower anchor points are easy to reach if you have small children. Larger infant carriers that meet backward will likely take up a little space in the front seats, but this is true for most vehicles in this segment.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says that the Civic Touring with a turbocharged engine will get 34 mpg in both the city and on the highway. Even better, the EX gets 36 mpg on the road. The Civic gets 3–4 mpg better gas mileage in both cases than its closest rivals. On our mixed-driving evaluation route, our test Civic Touring got 33.4 mpg. Based on the EPA’s numbers, this isn’t relatively as high as we had hoped, but it’s still a good showing.

When compared to the Kia Forte and the Toyota Corolla, the Honda Civic’s price is a touch higher. Still, it more than makes up for it with better performance, better gas mileage, a few extra features, and a much more excellent interior. The level of refinement is about the same as what we expect from the more expensive Honda Accord. We recommend getting the EX trim because its turbocharged engine is more powerful and effective.

Honda’s warranty still needs to be better compared to other companies. On the other hand, the company makes high-quality goods that tend to hold their value well.

This small Honda has a lot of power, which is a surprise. The sporty handling makes driving a lot of fun for those who aren’t afraid to take chances. These features are usually found in high-performance cars like the Civic Si and Type R.

The old Civic had a busy design, but the new one has a more simple and elegant look. For a more mature interpretation, it removes most of the clutter and fake vents while leaving room for more exciting treatments.

The best value in the Civic lineup is still the base EX (sedan) or EX-L (hatchback) trim. It doesn’t cost much more than the base Sport, but it has more standard features and a more powerful but less fuel-hungry engine.

Honda Civic Models:

The 2023 Honda Civic can be bought as a sedan or a hatchback. The sedan is available in Sport, EX, Touring, and Si trim levels. The hatchback also comes in Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring trims (there is no Si equivalent for the hatch) (there is no Si equivalent for the hatch). In 2023, the hatchback will come in a brand-new, powerful trim called Type R.