The 2012 Honda Civic LX contains a 1.8 liter four cylinder producing 140 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque. My friend’s Civic had a 5-speed manual transmission, but a 5-speed automatic was also available for 2012. My suggestion: get the manual. I found that I really enjoyed the standard transmission. Sure, you have to rev the crap out of it to get any power, but it puts you in tune with the car. I might have even forgotten for half a second that I was driving an econo-box. It’s also fairly competent in the corners.
When most people think of Honda, they think of reliability. That’s what you get with the 2012 Civic LX, but opting for the manual can also add in a little bit of fun. Who says a safe and economical vehicle has to be boring? There are some cheap materials, but the car still managed to be comfortable. The EX model adds some additional features, but the LX is by no means bare-bones. And with the 2013 “redesign,” you can find these things at a much more reasonable cost than new.
Honda knows how to make a manual transmission, and their high revving engines make for a different, yet enjoyable experience. I think that’s why I forgot about the ugly dash in my Civic Si – the core of the car makes up for it.
Take a look at Roman and Nathan’s review of the 2012 Honda Civic EX below, and make sure to check out our other cars we think are worth a second look HERE.
