The 2012 Honda Civic ranks 23 out of 33 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 15 published reviews and test drives of the Honda Civic, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
The automotive industry isn’t excited about the redesigned 2012 Honda Civic’s lackadaisical exterior and interior updates. The competition is priced lower and outshines the Civic in almost every way.
In December 2010, Honda released a sketch of the 2012 Honda Civic and nothing else. Now that Honda has released pricing information and available features and journalists have had a chance to drive the 2012 Civic, there’s a lot more information to share.
The first thing most shoppers will notice is the Civic’s slightly refreshed exterior. “Honda opted for the safe route, which could prove unsafe if the Civic doesn't meet expectations,” writes Motor Trend. “Gen 9's exterior design, which is meant to be distinctive, clean, and energetic, per Honda, looks decidedly similar to that of Gen 8, retaining the so-called ‘mono-form body.’ Why? Honda wanted the new model to be instantly recognizable as a Civic.” Other critics agree that the Civic is undoubtedly a Civic, but say its exterior is bland.
The 2012 Honda Civic will be available in seven models: a sedan, a coupe, Si sedan, Si coupe, hybrid, high fuel-efficiency (HF) and a natural gas model. With so many models, the trim levels can start to get confusing. To keep things simple, the base DX coupe and sedan, which start at $15,605, offer next to nothing in terms of standard interior features. There’s no air conditioning and no radio. The 2012 DX gains Eco Assist, a new feature this year, which helps you drive more efficiently. Meanwhile, the $14,495 Hyundai Elantra, which is a competitor reviewers recommend, comes with a six-speaker audio system, a USB input jack and XM Satellite radio. Like the Civic, Bluetooth and air conditioning are optional on the Elantra, but are less expensive to add.
“With an automatic transmission, both the Civic sedan and two-door coupe are rated to get 28 mpg in the city, 39 on the highway, for an average of 32 (up from 29 before),” writes Business Week. “However, that still leaves the Honda a tiny bit behind the 2011 Elantra sedan, which is rated at 29/40/33 whether with an automatic or a stick shift, and versions of the 2012 Ford Focus that are rated at 28/40/33 with an automatic. (The 2011 Toyota Corolla trails behind at 26/34/29.)”
Details: 2012 Honda Civic
Honda redesigned the Honda Civic for the 2012 model year, and now there are a total of seven models available: sedan, coupe, Si sedan, Si coupe, hybrid, high fuel-efficiency (HF) and a natural gas model. The sedan, coupe, HF and natural gas models have a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 140 horsepower. The Si is the most powerful option. It gets a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 170 pound feet of torque.
Fuel economy for all models has improved. Honda says ratings will range from 31 mpg for the Civic Si to 44 mpg for the hybrid. The Civic starts at about $15,800 for the base model with a five-speed manual transmission.
If you’re disappointed with the base Honda Civic but want to stick with Honda, try the Honda Fit. The Fit is less expensive than the base Civic and has more cargo space. The Fit also has Honda’s Magic Seat, which allows you to adjust the front passenger seat and rear seats to accommodate a bicycle, surfboard and other large items.
There aren’t many affordable small hybrids to compete with the 2011 Civic Hybrid. The Honda Insight is the Civic Hybrid’s only competitor, and it has lower fuel economy ratings of 40/43 mpg city/highway. If you’re after something super fuel-efficient, try the Toyota Prius. It’s a midsize car, but costs about $23,000, which is about $1,000 less than the Civic Hybrid. It also has much better fuel economy ratings of 51/48 mpg city/highway and according to reviewers, has better performance.
Then there’s the Honda Civic Si, which will appeal to shoppers looking for something practical but fun to drive. If you fall into this category, check out the Volkswagen Golf or Mazda3, two of the most fun-to-drive cars in the class. You’ll have to sacrifice fuel economy for performance, though. The Golf gets up to 24/31 mpg city/highway, and the Mazda3 averages 25/33 mpg city/highway. The Golf is available as a two- or four-door hatchback, and the Mazda3 comes as a sedan or five-door hatchback. For better fuel economy, consider the Golf TDI Clean Diesel, which starts at about $23,300 and gets 30/42 mpg city/highway.
Much of the hubbub surrounding the 2012 Honda Civic’s debut focuses on the exterior. Unfortunately, many automotive journalists are bored with the changes. “We'll start off on a positive note: the 2012 Honda Civic is not ugly,” says AutoblogGreen. “Problem is, it's also not hugely attractive. In fact, *yawn* it's not really anything.”
The automotive industry isn’t excited about the redesigned 2012 Honda Civic’s lackadaisical exterior and interior updates. The competition is priced lower and outshines the Civic in almost every way.
In December 2010, Honda released a sketch of the 2012 Honda Civic and nothing else. Now that Honda has released pricing information and available features and journalists have had a chance to drive the 2012 Civic, there’s a lot more information to share.
The first thing most shoppers will notice is the Civic’s slightly refreshed exterior. “Honda opted for the safe route, which could prove unsafe if the Civic doesn't meet expectations,” writes Motor Trend. “Gen 9's exterior design, which is meant to be distinctive, clean, and energetic, per Honda, looks decidedly similar to that of Gen 8, retaining the so-called ‘mono-form body.’ Why? Honda wanted the new model to be instantly recognizable as a Civic.” Other critics agree that the Civic is undoubtedly a Civic, but say its exterior is bland.
The 2012 Honda Civic will be available in seven models: a sedan, a coupe, Si sedan, Si coupe, hybrid, high fuel-efficiency (HF) and a natural gas model. With so many models, the trim levels can start to get confusing. To keep things simple, the base DX coupe and sedan, which start at $15,605, offer next to nothing in terms of standard interior features. There’s no air conditioning and no radio. The 2012 DX gains Eco Assist, a new feature this year, which helps you drive more efficiently. Meanwhile, the $14,495 Hyundai Elantra, which is a competitor reviewers recommend, comes with a six-speaker audio system, a USB input jack and XM Satellite radio. Like the Civic, Bluetooth and air conditioning are optional on the Elantra, but are less expensive to add.
“With an automatic transmission, both the Civic sedan and two-door coupe are rated to get 28 mpg in the city, 39 on the highway, for an average of 32 (up from 29 before),” writes Business Week. “However, that still leaves the Honda a tiny bit behind the 2011 Elantra sedan, which is rated at 29/40/33 whether with an automatic or a stick shift, and versions of the 2012 Ford Focus that are rated at 28/40/33 with an automatic. (The 2011 Toyota Corolla trails behind at 26/34/29.)”
Details: 2012 Honda Civic
Honda redesigned the Honda Civic for the 2012 model year, and now there are a total of seven models available: sedan, coupe, Si sedan, Si coupe, hybrid, high fuel-efficiency (HF) and a natural gas model. The sedan, coupe, HF and natural gas models have a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 140 horsepower. The Si is the most powerful option. It gets a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 170 pound feet of torque.
Fuel economy for all models has improved. Honda says ratings will range from 31 mpg for the Civic Si to 44 mpg for the hybrid. The Civic starts at about $15,800 for the base model with a five-speed manual transmission.
If you’re disappointed with the base Honda Civic but want to stick with Honda, try the Honda Fit. The Fit is less expensive than the base Civic and has more cargo space. The Fit also has Honda’s Magic Seat, which allows you to adjust the front passenger seat and rear seats to accommodate a bicycle, surfboard and other large items.
There aren’t many affordable small hybrids to compete with the 2011 Civic Hybrid. The Honda Insight is the Civic Hybrid’s only competitor, and it has lower fuel economy ratings of 40/43 mpg city/highway. If you’re after something super fuel-efficient, try the Toyota Prius. It’s a midsize car, but costs about $23,000, which is about $1,000 less than the Civic Hybrid. It also has much better fuel economy ratings of 51/48 mpg city/highway and according to reviewers, has better performance.
Then there’s the Honda Civic Si, which will appeal to shoppers looking for something practical but fun to drive. If you fall into this category, check out the Volkswagen Golf or Mazda3, two of the most fun-to-drive cars in the class. You’ll have to sacrifice fuel economy for performance, though. The Golf gets up to 24/31 mpg city/highway, and the Mazda3 averages 25/33 mpg city/highway. The Golf is available as a two- or four-door hatchback, and the Mazda3 comes as a sedan or five-door hatchback. For better fuel economy, consider the Golf TDI Clean Diesel, which starts at about $23,300 and gets 30/42 mpg city/highway.
Much of the hubbub surrounding the 2012 Honda Civic’s debut focuses on the exterior. Unfortunately, many automotive journalists are bored with the changes. “We'll start off on a positive note: the 2012 Honda Civic is not ugly,” says AutoblogGreen. “Problem is, it's also not hugely attractive. In fact, *yawn* it's not really anything.”
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