Honda today has finally unveiled its 11th-generation Civic. The new sedan, previewed by a prototype shown by the company in November 2020, gets a sleek all-new exterior design and a refocused interior, as well as several chassis and tech upgrades to improve the overall driving experience.
The new body lines of the production 2022 Civic are virtually unchanged from the orange prototype we were shown last year. The mature, toned look features far less plastic cladding than the previous-gen car, with front and rear fascias that take inspiration from the Accord. Engineers have moved the windshield pillars back by almost two inches to elongate the hood, improving the silhouette. The low beltline and door-mounted side mirrors mean improved outward visibility, while LEDs are used on many of the exterior lights.
The 2022 Civic's unibody is the most rigid in the car's history, with an eight-percent improvement in torsional rigidity and a 13-percent improvement in bending rigidity versus the previous generation, according to Honda. With the goal of improving the ride, the wheelbase on the car has been increased by 1.4 inches, while the rear track has been widened by 0.5 inches. The suspension and electronically assisted steering have also been retuned, while many of the bushings and ball joints have been upgraded to quell vibrations and optimize the car's handling.
Inside, the 2022 Civic has been given a total revamp. The low beltline and matching windshield cowl result in a strong panoramic view out of the front, while a neat honeycomb-themed trim escalates the cabin's overall appearance. Honda says it used high-quality materials on the interior's touchpoints, while the center console uses a trim specifically designed to hide fingerprints while maintaining a high-end look. Buyers who option the Touring package will get a fully digital gauge cluster and Qi-compatible wireless charging. And for those worried about once again losing the volume knob, don't be. It's there.
The 2022 Civic sedan will have four choices of trim: The LX, the Sport, the EX, and the Touring. LX and Sport trims will come standard with a 2.0-liter VTEC-equipped naturally aspirated inline-four making 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque, while EX and Touring trims will come with a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four with VTEC making 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Both engines send power to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission. Sorry enthusiasts, the manual is not available for these models after its initial ax in October 2020. Sport and Touring trims will receive paddle shifters to simulate gear changes, while all trims receive driver-selectable Sport mode and Eco mode, each altering throttle and transmission mapping to deliver a sportier or more economical experience. The CVT in the previous Civic is also very good, so at least we're getting a gearbox Honda knows how to build well.
Pricing has yet to be released for the 2022 Honda Civic, though we expect it to come in at around the $22,000 mark to start. Expect production to begin sometime this summer.
Brian Silvestro is Hearst Autos' former lead deputy editor for rankings content. He spent over seven years as a staff writer for Road & Track Magazine where he contributed car reviews, industry interviews, and more. He has a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing.
