After the last edition of the Honda Civic received such poor reviews that the small car was no longer the go-to choice. The 2016 Honda Civic received a serious makeover, with a return of the affordable elegance we know and love.
The Honda Civic is back—recapturing its position as a mature, substantial economy car with enough elegant touches that make you feel like you spent more money than you did.
We tested two versions of the 2016 Honda Civic: the base LX with a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 158 hp, and the EX-T with the uplevel 1.5-liter, 174-hp turbocharged four-cylinder (the first turbo Honda has offered in the U.S.).
Read the complete Honda Civic road test and check our reviews of the 2016 BMW 750i, 2016 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450, and 2016 Lincoln MKX.
Automatic Civics come with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which uses belts and pulleys rather than mechanical cogs. If you prefer to row your own gears, the 2016 Honda Civic LX model offers a six-speed manual.
The base 2.0-liter engine is smooth, with reasonable oomph, provided you're not in a real hurry. If you just loaf around, the CVT is a fairly good application of the technology; most are joyless and underwhelming, but this one does a fair job of minimizing the transmission's inherent rubber-band feel. Still, if you climb a hill or merge quickly, the engine responds with annoying, whiny revs.
For people who move to the turbo engine, those CVT quirks are well-masked by the engine's impressive midrange power—making merging a cinch. We like the power of the turbo, and our test numbers backed us up: The EX-T was 1.6 seconds quicker to 60 mph (at a zippy 7.1 seconds) than the base engine. Fuel economy was similar—the LX got 32 mpg overall; the turbo, 31.
HIGHS: Fuel economy, ride, handling, in-cabin storage
LOWS: Awkward access, front-seat comfort, complicated infotainment for EX and above trims
POWERTRAIN: LX: 158-hp, 2.0-liter 4-cyl. EX-T: 174-hp, 1.5-liter 4-cyl. turbo; continuously variable transmission (CVT); front-wheel drive
FUEL: 32 mpg (LX), 31 mpg (EX-T)
PRICE: $19,475-$27,335
The 2016 Honda Civic handles with newfound confidence, thanks to a redesigned chassis that endows the car with a sense of precision and control. It's secure and predictable with minimal body lean in the corners. The Civic turns in quickly and responds intuitively, although we wish there were more steering feedback.
The Civic's ride is unusually refined for a compact car. The suspension keeps the car steady and composed over all but the nastiest bumps. Braking is responsive and confident during panic stops.
Inside, the Civic's interior has been thoroughly updated. The 2012 version looked furnished by discards from Honda's House of Plastic. The 2016 model features higher-grade materials, and the cabin is quieter and has clever cubbies and nooks. It's easy to stash an iPad under the armrest.
Still, the car's sleek, low-slung styling means that getting in requires almost falling in to the front seat, as well as limbo-dance flexibility getting out. Front-seat lumbar support isn't available, period. And we disliked the seats' short bottom cushion. But for a compact sedan, rear-seat room for legs, knees, and heads is excellent.
The instrument cluster features all gauges on the same eye level, including a large digital speedometer. And the base LX has an intuitive array of knobs and buttons for the audio system. But every other trim has a frustratingly overcomplicated touch screen—although it does work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from your smartphone.
Despite a few gripes, the 2016 Honda Civic brings more civility, better road manners, decent fuel economy, and thoughtful features—all wrapped in a stylish and appealing package.
Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the May 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
