Car Review: 2022 Honda Civic Touring

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Earlier this year, Honda’s Alliston, Ontario assembly plant began production of the 11th Generation Honda Civic, complete with an extensive redesign and overhaul. This Canadian-built favourite hits the road with major upgrades to key systems and components, and delivers the Civic’s best-yet driving experience. I recently spent 2,000 kilometres at the wheel of the latest model, testing and filming for various assignments on TV and web. Below, I’ll share my key impressions, made during a highway-intensive test-drive and extensive use on the secondary highways and backroads of Northern Ontario.

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My tester was a top-dog Civic Touring, with an ask of about $30,500 with every option in the roster. The ‘Touring’ designation, of course, refers to this machine’s setup as a compelling long-distance cruiser.

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The driving experience starts with the Civic’s seats and seating position. Drivers drop down low into the cabin, and the leather seats are immediately slippery for easy entry and exit, and also immediately supportive with bolstering that’s both stabilizing and comfortable. In quick order, drivers are seated and comfy with minimal effort, riding low within the machine’s cabin but still rewarded with good outward sightlines. If you’re a fan of that low-down, in-control, anti-crossover driving feel, you’ll like the setup.

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Between the driver and the tall, upright windscreen is an all-digital instrument cluster that’s easily manipulated and customized via a set of toggle-dials on the steering wheel. The on-screen graphics and process of flicking through various display outputs and menus is a leap ahead of the last-generation car, and the same goes for the central touch-screen nearby.  I’ve been griping about Honda’s display graphics for years, but in the latest Civic, things are looking slick and top-of-the-line. On my test-drive, I appreciated the wireless charging and wireless Android Auto systems continually. An initial one-time hookup takes seconds, and from that point on, drivers need only toss their (compatible) phone atop a charging pad, and within about 10 seconds, key functions are upscaled to the central screen and the phone begins recharging — no cord or clutter required. A punchy Bose stereo system helps complete the multimedia experience.

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The rigid new body structure is even stiffer than its predecessor, boasting respective improvements of 8 and 13 per cent to torsional and bending rigidity.

Stronger body structures help make fo r a quieter ride on rough surfaces, a key consideration in my Northern locale. The stronger a vehicle’s structure, the less it flexes when striking a bump in the road. This flexing pumps air through the vehicle cabin, resulting in added noise. A stronger structure means less flexing, and from the driver’s seat, a ride that stays quieter, more of the time, when the going gets rough. Stronger body structures also make a better foundation from which to tune a suspension system more precisely. The end result, from the driver’s seat, is easily as good as I’ve ever seen at this price point when it comes to maintaining a dense, solid and comfortable drive, even on badly crumbling backroads. The highway drive is similarly impressive, specifically since the car feels heavy, sturdy, and quiet here, too. So, when it comes to the new Civic’s feel on the road, my $30,500 tester punches well above its weight.

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Other backroads ride-quality champs I’ve recently tested include the Subaru Impreza (with AWD), the Buick Envision and Mitsubishi Outlander (if you’re looking for a crossover), and the Nissan Sentra, which Civic shoppers should also test-drive as both machines share a similarly up-level driving experience relative to their price.

Additional upgrades to the Civic’s chassis saw engineers hunt down and eliminate friction from braking system parts, ball joints, and even the spring and damper alignment of the suspension system. By removing as much friction as possible from these parts, the Civic handles, steers and even brakes with a more precise, eager, and polished feel than I expect for the money. Drivers can expect a vehicle with steering feel, braking feel, handling and ride quality that all feel dialled in and balanced off of one another for a convincingly high-end feel, not unlike what you’d expect from an entry-luxury model costing thousands more. 

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This all comes together beautifully on a winding highway, where I found the Civic does its best work. The car glides from bend to bend with the sort of smooth, chill, but athletic poise I usually expect from something pricier. The steering is smooth and precise, but not twitchy. This makes it easy for drivers to dial in their selected line more easily, the first time. During cornering, the suspension takes a set early and the car remains flat and tidy, inspiring confident corner carving with less need to slow down or re-adjust your trajectory into a corner. There’s less second-guessing, which reduces driver workload. Even the brake pedal response feels fine-tuned to inspire confidence with a strong initial bite at the top of the pedal, and a precise and easy-to-modulate feel. For the first time,  I think we’ve got a mainstream-version of the Civic that has some serious appeal to driving enthusiasts.

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If you’re one of them, take care to use SPORT mode on your test-drive.

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The 1.5 litre turbo engine is a revised power unit based on the engine from the last-generation Civic. The new powerplant has revised turbocharger plumbing, and runs VTEC to optimize breathing on the exhaust cams. Output is rated at 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft, though an assault on engine noise means this powerplant operates more quietly, more of the time, in order to help match the high-end feel imparted by the drive. That’s bolstered by improved torque-converter performance from the gear-free CVT transmission, which gives it a feel that’s more direct and less soggy.

In Normal or ECON drive modes, however, enthusiast drivers may find the powertrain too numbed-down. Throttle response is reduced, and the engine and transmission conspire to keep the revs low and steady here — perfect for the light-footed driver. Those with heavier boots will need to toggle into SPORT mode, which tightens and heavies-up the highway steering feel for corner browsing, and (more importantly), puts more of the engine’s torque more easily within striking distance, more of the time.

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Conversely, ECON mode knocks responsiveness back and even reduces the air conditioner performance, to make it easier for drivers to achieve maximum fuel efficiency. Be sure to try all three drive modes on your test-drive, because there’s a good chance you’ll find a favourite pretty quickly.

Gripes mostly relate to operating the Civic in reverse gear, strangely.

The transmission often shifts from drive to reverse with a muted but detectable ‘clunk’; backup camera graphics are good, not great; ditto the turning circle. Further, I found throttle response in reverse gear to be frustrating at times. Specifically, quickly reversing into my driveway from a busy street required a hearty smash on the throttle pedal.

Elsewhere, look for adult-friendly rear seating in the Civic Sedan, generous at-hand storage provisions for smaller items, and plenty of access to standard and high-speed USB charging ports.

Ultimately, here’s a four-door machine with, I figure, the most dialled-in driving experience you’ll find for the dollar, and one that delivers an excellent on-the-road feel across a surprisingly wide range of situations.

Shoppers after something sportier can check out the Civic Hatchback, Si, and Type R as well. More on those later.