First Drive: 2022 Honda Civic

UPDATE: There have been plenty of 2022 Honda Civic news and reviews stories since this pricing article went live, so head to our Civic page to catch up on the latest.

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September 2021: Next year, 2022, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the legendary Honda Civic.

That first generation is the model credited with keeping Honda in the automobile manufacturing business and now eleven – yes, eleven – generations deep, it’s become an icon for the brand. With more than twenty million Civics sold worldwide, it’s also Honda’s most successful model.

Known for its efficiency, reliability and fun-to-drive factor, the Civic has continued to grow in size and the previous tenth-generation Civic now appears XXXL-sized compared to the early cars. The tenth generation also introduced turbocharging to the Civic for the first time and, thankfully, that continues.

But most importantly, with each successive generation, Honda pays attention to improving the breed.

BEEP BEEP: It's important to note here that Australia will be offered the new Civic in hatch form only, and you can read more about launch plans here. For now, this story is intended only to give buyers a sense of the new model's driving experience and fit-and-finish.

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For this first drive review, we’ve had a bit of seat time in a North American-specification Civic sedan in Touring trim, which is more-or-less the equivalent of our VTi-LX grade, save for the lack of a hatchback.

At the moment, this Civic Touring sedan is the most powerful and best-equipped model available in that part of the world.

For this new-generation model, Honda's turbocharged four-cylinder engine carries over, as does the continuously variable transmission. It's not without change, though. The 1.5-litre, VTEC, dual-overhead cam, turbo motor has been retuned for 2022 and now produces 134kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm from 1700 to 4500rpm.

It’s a modest increase of seven peak kilowatts at 500rpm higher than before and an additional twenty Newton-metres over a slightly narrower rev range. Peak torque now begins to fall off at 4500rpm instead of 5500.

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The suspension is based around McPherson struts in the front and a multi-link design for the rear. Kerb weight of the sedan is up by a modest twenty kilos over the previous model to 1396kg the new hatch is expected to add a similar touch of mass.

Weight distribution is that old front-drive chestnut – 61 per cent front, 39 per cent rear. Steering remains electrically assisted and is the variable ratio type. Brakes are discs in all four corners.

Inside, the entry-level Civics have a simple instrument cluster, the top model fitted with a stunning, 10.2-inch TFT screen. Honda’s latest infotainment system is based on either a 7.0-inch or 9.0inch touchscreen that sprouts from the top of the dashboard. Wireless phone charging is only available in this Touring model.

Again, Australian buyers should note that local trim grades have not been announced, and equipment lists may vary from what we're describing here.

The 1.5-litre turbo motor now produces 134kW and 240Nm, a modest increase of seven kilowatts at 500rpm higher and an additional twenty Newton-metres over a slightly narrower rev range.

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The exterior design of the previous generation was something of an acquired taste for some and a necessary evil for others. The angular, disjointed shapes of the nose and tail didn’t leave anyone with the warm and fuzzies, and perhaps some even overlooked the styling in order to get those Honda dynamics they enjoy.

Overall, the shape of this eleventh-generation Civic is more mature, sophisticated, and refined. It possesses hints of Accord and takes design from quirky to polished. The interior is refreshingly minimalist and the delightfully recessed HVAC vents give the cabin a horizontal, spacious feel, save for the infotainment screen set atop the dash.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range of sedan models and can be used wired or wirelessly in the Touring sedan.

Safety remains a top priority, with passenger protection provided by front, knee, side, curtain, and rear airbags in place. Adaptive cruise control with a low-speed follow function carries over from the tenth-generation model.

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While the seating position of the ninth-generation Civic was a couple of centimetres too tall and left much to be desired, it was remedied for the tenth gen and, thankfully, that continues for the ’22.

The seat is positioned near perfectly and relatively low so that the driver feels in harmony with the car while having excellent visibility. A notable miss is the lack of adjustable lumbar support.

The driver’s relationship to the wheel and pedals is assisted by the adjustable steering column and the six-way manual or eight-way power driver’s seats, the latter reserved for the top model.

The Civic will accommodate drivers in a range of sizes and the standard dead pedal helps with support. The second row is relatively spacious, as well. Filling a Civic with four full-size footballers shouldn’t be a concern and all will be comfortable.

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The steering wheel is a modern, three-spoke design that encourages hands at 9-and-3 with buttons for the adaptive cruise and lane-keep systems, as well as redundant audio controls. This Canadian-spec test car naturally included a heating function for the steering wheel. The centre armrest has a reasonable amount of storage, as do the door pockets and the cubby/wireless charging pad ahead of the gear selector.

Honda has struggled with the operation of its in-house sat-nav systems and has been saved in recent years by the rollout of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the interface has been improved for 2022, it’s still not as intuitive nor as straightforward as any simple smartphone application. Accessing the Civic’s deeper functions in the system is easy enough, but you’ll still be encouraged to connect your iPhone or Android for their clean operation.

Automatic, dual-zone climate control is standard equipment in this Touring tester and the highlight isn’t its ease of use, but rather how Honda has cleverly styled the vents into the design of the dashboard. The result is a clean, attractive and minimalist aesthetic that’s often reserved for cars costing three, four, and five times as much as this Civic.

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While many of us love our manual and automated gearboxes, there’s yet to be a continuously variable transmission enthusiast organisation. The engineering concept behind them is perfectly logical, which is to let the engine operate at the optimal speed for the task at hand, which varies from maximum acceleration to fuel sipping cruising and everything in between. However, the droning and groaning of an engine mated to a CVT often sounds completely unnatural and labored compared to a geared drivetrain.

To be fair, it’s taken years, if not decades, for CVTs to come into their own and the mating of the 1.5-litre turbo four and this example is as good as they get. The broad torque curve of this engine allows it to operate at relatively low revs and the CVT rarely causes the motor to shriek with anxious urgency. At full throttle, however, it does play an odd parlour trick by way of mimicking shifts at the redline.

Say you’re accelerating onto the motorway and you put your foot to the floor. Once you hit the redline, the CVT will adjust, the engine revs drop, and begin their climb again, and the process will repeat once or twice before you’re up to speed. This behaviour is as redundant and as inauthentic as the shift paddles on the steering wheel. The CVT operates perfectly, but if Honda wanted this Civic to possess the feeling of a geared transmission, why not simply engineer a decent auto box?

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A major highlight of this new Civic is the overall dynamic package – handling, ride quality, and comfort.

In this regard, this Honda has it all, and it’s remarkably quiet inside the cabin, even at higher speeds. In fact, it may be the quietest car in the segment.

It carves a line with confidence and shows little body roll. Body and wheel control is above average, but the front dampers on this early production test vehicle allowed a touch too much secondary body motion in more extreme conditions and enthusiastic drivers may be looking for a little more control in those situations. It’s a pockmark on an otherwise excellent chassis.

A major highlight of this new Civic is the overall dynamic package – handling, ride quality, and comfort. This Honda has it all.

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Steering response is excellent, though feel and feedback are limited. Braking control and modulation are well above average, as you’d expect from Honda. The brakes show decent power and while there seems to be some anti-dive geometry engineered into the suspension, the slightly soft brake pedal feel seems out of step with the rest of the Civic.

For Honda, this eleventh-generation Civic changes the paradigm once again. As they do with each successive generation, it is incrementally improved across many quantifiable metrics but it’s the mature styling that makes it more appealing and the quiet, premium interior that makes it a place that drivers and passengers will enjoy.

2022 Honda Civic Touring specifications