2024 Honda Civic

For distinction, the Civic Si wears its own body trim and more paint colors, along with 18-inch wheels. The Type R opens up its front end for better air intake, and it straps on a big rear wing and lower ground effects down the sides. It’s still in your face, but friendlier than before.

The Civic interior hits a new high-water mark for Honda. Simple and elegant, it’s highlighted by a mesh strip that spans the dash and cloaks the air vents, while it extends tiny joysticks for vent control. It’s a subtle callout to everything from Atari to Blackberry to Thinkpads that seems as clever as it is purposeful. A big touchscreen and digital readouts bring the rest of the cockpit up to a certain speed, while the Civic Si and Type R bring on the red cloth and carpet to remind you—as if you’d forgotten—that those are the spicy Civics.

Honda suits up the lower-end Civics with its 158-hp 2.0-liter inline-4. Power goes through a CVT to the front wheels, and though it’s a more free-wheeling and rev-friendly transmission than most of its kind, these Civics have pedestrian acceleration and a fair amount of drivetrain noise, which CVTs exacerbate (they keep engines revving in the middle of their powerbands). 

Step into the 1.5-liter turbo-4 that slots into the Civic EX and higher-end models (though not the Sport), and the 180 hp on tap eggs the Civic on through confident highway passes and merging onto highways. Gas mileage improves somewhat, too—as if you needed the justification. The turbo zaps some of the CVT’s lethargy, but the 6-speed manual’s a delight like the most old-school of Hondas, with a light clutch uptake and shift action.

In the Civic Si, Honda dials up the boost to make 200 hp, which pushes the car to 60 mph in under seven seconds. Torque peaks low at about 1,800 rpm, and the manual transmission (the only transmission offered) takes full advantage of that. Still, we’d choose the 315-hp version of the same engine as it’s installed in the bawdy Civic Type R. Good for 310 lb-ft here, the engine can sear off pavement in 60-mph, five-second chunks like good ribeye.

On the handling front, all the base Civics comport themselves like polite citizens, just as you’d suspect from the name. They’re attuned to all kinds of road surfaces, and deploy balanced suspension tuning with great steering feel to give all degrees of drivers confidence. The front strut and multi-link rear suspension can handle larger wheel and tire combinations with ease, though the last Civic’s adaptive dampers and hydraulic bushings delivered a more purely isolated ride.

Move into the Civic Si and Honda firms up the suspension and steering all around, turning the Civic into a rapid-fire corner-cutter. But to experience Honda’s ability to transform ordinary running gear into something mythic, drive a Civic Type R. It gets adaptive dampers to quell its very firm ride, while it dials in unflappable handling that’s at home on an amazing variety of roads. Bomb down a canyon road or cruise a coastal highway; either way the Civic Type R has your back, and your seat, and your fingertips, all at once.

In the rear seats, Honda ensures easier access with wide doors, but the low roofline means tall people will need to stoop to gain access. Once inside, it’s no issue with the Civic’s 37.1 inches of rear-seat legroom or its ample headroom. 

Cheaper versions don’t get fold-down rear seats, but most Civics can flip down the seatbacks to expand cargo space. Sedans start with about 15 cubic feet, while hatchbacks up the ante with nearly 25 cubic feet of space behind the back bench.

Honda boosted the Civic’s vibe in this generation with a strip of metal mesh that spans the dash, joystick vent controls, and bigger touchscreens. It’s not a luxury car, but it’s a very well-presented one nonetheless.

The Civic Sport sedan runs $26,645 with the automatic only. The hatchback costs $27,445. Both add bigger wheels and some sporty touches, though they retain the non-turbo engine. The hatchback does offer a no-cost choice of manual or automatic. 

Honda applies a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty to the Civic with no free maintenance. 

Which Honda Civic should I buy?

We’d spend more for the turbo-4. Steer toward the $28,045 EX sedan or the $29,745 EX-L hatchback. Both include a sunroof, better audio, heated front seats, and blind-spot monitors. Hatchbacks also come with leather upholstery. 

How much is a fully loaded Honda Civic?

For $32,545, the Civic Sport Touring hatchback gains wireless smartphone connectivity and a 9.0-inch touchscreen. It also offers a choice of transmissions, which the $31,645

Civic Touring sedan does not. 

Honda asks $30,195 for the zippy Civic Si and configures it with an 8.0-inch touchscreen and its 200-hp turbo-4. 

The $45,890 Civic Type R carries a breathtaking price tag, but gains Brembo front brakes, 19-inch wheels on summer performance tires, adjustable dampers, a limited-slip front differential, front sport seats, and a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster. 

The Civic Si checks in at 27/37/31 mpg, while the Civic Type R gets EPA-rated at 22/28/24 mpg. This duo requires premium fuel, while other Civics can run on regular gas.