They say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And as one of the top-selling cars in the United States since 1973, it’s very clear that the Honda Civic isn’t anywhere close to broke. Over 12 million of the vehicles have been sold, and the current generation, which was introduced in 2015, has received numerous accolades from consumer rating sites such as J.D. Power and KBB.com. Therefore, Honda is put in a difficult position for the release of its latest version, the 2022 Honda Civic. It’s a fine balance to engineer a car that people want even more than a trusted favorite like the Honda Civic without accidentally killing the golden goose. The automotive industry has proven time and time again that too much change is a bad thing.
Fortunately, Honda seems to have yet again struck the perfect balance with the new Civic. The public should still be thrilled by the changes, and some key upgrades will attract new drivers to the compact car as well. The new Civic features a refined exterior, with a more deluxe and intuitively designed interior, all while offering the dependability and consistent performance that Honda drivers swear by. Will the 2022 Honda Civic be a huge win? It’s hard to make such a prediction just yet, but the details are pretty encouraging.
Safety and Security With the Honda Sensing Package
One of the main reasons for the Honda Civic’s success across these many decades is that it has been a safe and reliable little car. The model’s early adoption of now-common features such as anti-lock brakes and multiple airbags only helped it climb to its current level of success.
Today, there are so many more safety and driver assistance features that can be included, thanks to impressive technological advances. The 2022 Honda Civic will feature a full suite of such features, known as the Honda Sensing package.
The 2022 Civic will receive more technology than ever before. The big systems included standard in the Civic’s Honda Sensing kit are:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System, which can help drivers avoid a forward-traveling collision.
- Road Departure Mitigation System, designed to keep you on the road safely with automatic braking and steering assistance.
- Lane Keeping Assist System, which helps gently keep your vehicle centered in its lane at any speed.
- Traffic Sign Recognition, which will scan traffic signs and display them on the Driver Information Interface screen.
- Adaptive Cruise Control, designed to make long highway drives easier by automatically matching speed with the car ahead of you.
With ten standard airbags on board as well, the all-new Civic promises to be a well-considered vehicle with safety and driver assistance technology that makes it ideal as a driver’s first car or as a family sedan.
Driving the 2022 Honda Civic
Historically speaking, the Honda Civic has been fun and easy to drive, as well as comfortable. When it comes to performance, the Civic has never been exceptionally fast, but it has always been serviceably peppy and equally enjoyable on the highways and the city streets.
For 2022, both the engine and the engineering get a closer look. Not only is the Civic given an entirely new rigid chassis with a larger wheelbase, but it will also include two different engine options. The first is a 2.0L inline-4 carried over from previous generations, which provides 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. Honda’s notable fuel economy will also carry over, with this engine getting an estimated 30-31 miles per gallon on the city streets and 37-40 miles per gallon on the highway, depending on which trim is selected.
The second engine option is also a carryover – this time a 1.5L turbocharged inline-4. However, while the engine itself may seem familiar, it now offers an upgraded 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, giving it a zippier advantage over the base version. This engine is also improved when it comes to fuel consumption, with the EX sedan getting 33 miles per gallon in the city and 42 miles per gallon on the highway, with the Touring trim coming in at 31 miles per gallon city and 38 miles per gallon highway.
Front-wheel drive will continue to be the only option, as Honda has confirmed that an all-wheel drive Civic is not in the cards just yet. Additionally, the manual transmission option will be reserved for the Si and Type-R performance models, while the sedans will feature a more efficient continuously variable automatic transmission. Honda has also given significant attention to improving areas like the automatic stop/start system and catalytic converter to provide the greatest overall efficiency for drivers, regardless of which engine powers their Civic.
There may not be any huge or shocking adjustments to the overall Civic formula for the 2022 model year. However, it is very clear that Honda’s engineers have worked carefully to create a more advanced driving system with greater efficiency without drifting too far from the components that make today’s Civic a winner.
Features and Style in the 2022 Honda Civic
For 2022, the Honda Civic sedan will be offered in a slightly simplified lineup of four trims. Just like last year, the LX and Sport trims will both receive the 2.0L engine, while the EX and Touring trims will receive the turbocharged engine. However, the EX-L trim will not be making a reappearance this year, so if you want leather seats, you will need to upgrade to the Touring.
All 2022 Civics will receive a full remodel, both inside and out. The model now boasts a clean, uncluttered cabin, with the buttons and controls placed exactly where many drivers would expect to find them. The standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display provides a spacious area to regulate the driving experience, and a larger 9-inch screen is offered on the Touring trim. Other options include a premium Bose audio system, a wireless charging pad, and a simple yet bold digital instrument cluster.
The exterior might be one of the most noticeable areas for the 2022 Civic design. The longer, lower hood, combined with the more expansive chassis, creates a slightly more aggressive stance for the Civic, giving it a sportier outline that’s faintly reminiscent of the crouch typically seen in rear-wheel drive muscle cars. These updates aren’t just for looks, however – the new Civic will provide a smoother and more responsive ride as well.
A Worthy Upgrade
Honda has the unenviable task of making one of the automotive greats even greater for the 2022 model year, which means making changes to a formula that has stood the test of time. However, the company was up to the task. While the actual changes may seem small, they’ll bring an exceptional amount of driver enjoyment and efficiency to the Civic experience.
It is clear that engineers at Honda took their time in carefully considering every facet of the Civic, including what works and what elements could use a little more attention. It appears that this version of the Civic is going to bring an improved driving experience in addition to complimenting a comfortable cabin with just the right amount of convenience features. Plus, with a compelling array of safety and driver assistance features in the Honda Sensing package, this appears to be exactly the right Civic for a new age. We can’t wait to see how the 11th generation of this iconic car stands up to the ages.
