Seeming a lot like a scaled down Honda Accord, the all-new 2022 Honda Civic brings more space, more power and more features this year in a tidy new package that seems more grown up than before.
Growing in size, it’s 1.4-inches longer in wheelbase and about 2-inches in length. Width and height remain the same but key proportional changes like the windshield being pushed further back by 2-inches give it a fresh rear-wheel-drive-like look.
The front features a more mature and businesslike presentation with standard LED lighting up front on our Touring model which rang in at $29,295. From the side side you see its 18-wheels which fit well in its sleeker silhouette.
The cabin is where I think the money is at with this new design. Taking an entirely different direction, a wide horizontal dash with deep inset honeycomb mesh and hidden vents reek of a 1970’s exotic GT car. The wide lines and proportions certainly give a sense or more space and width from behind the wheel in spite of the windshield now being some 2-inches closer to you.
Ahead of the driver in our Touring model is a new 10.2” wide-screen instrument cluster that is entirely customizable. Infotainment options for all Civics include a larger standard 7-inch color touchscreen but our tester has an even larger 9-inch touchscreen system with Bose sound. Well done.
It features all forms of connectivity, media support and the availability of navigation – all with simplified menus. Hard controls are provided plentiful including both a volume and tuning knob.
Powering the 2022 Honda Civic Touring is a revised 1.5-liter turbo four which gets a few extra ticks now with 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. The extra power comes by way of revised turbo plumbing, adding VTEC to the exhaust cam, The CVT remains the lone transmission for this engine for 2022 though gets a revised “Step-Shift” algorithm.
In spite of the extra power, the CVT robbed the engine of much spunk and while it’s rated at 31 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 34 mpg combined we struggled to achieve 29 mpg combined in our week with it – lower than even the city rating.
There is a new Sport mode toggle on the center console that bumps the CVT ratios and mapping for a more lively feel and gives you red instrument cluster lighting to remind you of your sinful nature.
The new 2022 Honda Civic is slightly heavier as it gains 100 pounds. The increase in size and a stiffer body structure are given mild suspension revisions front and rear to improve overall refinement and noise levels. We found this to be a marked improvement over the last generation.
It has half-inch wider track at the rear and larger bushings in the rear trailing arms. The front suspension gets low-friction ball-joints and improved strut bushings for better steering feel and the steering rack is re-programmed for better feedback and straight-line stability.
A new cast aluminum front sub-frame improves solidity of suspension geometry too. All of this gave us a handling feel much more solid and refined than we remember from the last generation.
Videography: Oscar Solis
