Honda Civic 2017: Small car & hatchback

The Civic is a successful line of Honda’s small cars, first introduced in 1972, and gradually growing in size and market sales over the years. Redesigned completely last year, the Honda Civic 2017 is more luxurious than your regular sedan. The Japanese carmaker has also launched hatchback version for the 2017 model year range along with performance-focused Si and Type R variants.

Design

The latest Honda Civic is compact in design and available as a sedan, coupe or hatchback. While the sedan has six different trim levels: LX, EX, EX-T, EX-L, Touring and Si, there are also three hatchback-specific trims: Sport, Sport Touring and Type R.

Performance

The base LX trim gets a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine producing 158 hp, 138 pound-feet of torque, a six speed manual transmission along with the option of a continuous variable transmission running on 16-inch alloy wheels. This is considered the best value for money variant with several add ons also available. The EX has the same performance details as the base but gets the CVT transmission as standard along with sunroof, heated side mirrors, an eight-speaker audio system with dual USB ports and Honda’s LaneWatch blind-spot camera for the rear view camera. Meanwhile, the EX-T runs on Honda’s turbocharged 1.5L 4-cylinder engine and a six speed manual transmission that churns out 174 hp, 167 lb-ft torque. It also offers an optional CVT transmission (174 hp, 162 lb-ft). The top end EX-L gets the CVT as standard and plush leather upholstery and interiors.

For the hatchback variant, the Sport is the same as the LX trim with a more powerful turbo engine and 18-inch wheels. The Sport Touring has the same performance details as the base Sport along with additional luxury features. The same goes for Type R which runs on 20-inch wheels and has bigger brakes, a huge rear wing and special interiors.

As for the Si, it has a 1.5L turbo at its heart that powers 205hp, 192 lb-ft torque. The Touring trim is quite similar to the Sport Touring with an enhanced audio system.

Interiors

Previous generation Civics were not so well known for their comfort. However, the current model year range gets you the premium comfort of an Accord at a much lesser price. The cabin dampens the outside noise and the suspension is soft enough for the driver to ignore the bumps. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment has mixed reviews though.

Safety

With top ratings in both government and IIHS tests, there is no doubt about Honda’s focus on safety. The Honda Sensing package gives the driver adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure intervention along with emergency braking. The addition of blind-spot camera is a welcome for the safety rating.

The Civic is a complete all rounder when you consider other cars in the same segment. It doesn’t get too snazzy yet it’s not boring. It marries the comfort of a premium car with the technology of a performance oriented sedan/ hatchback.

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