The Honda Civic has led the compact car segment in sales, reliability, customer satisfaction, Top 10 lists and numerous other awards since it was first introduced to the U.S. market starting with its 1973 model year. While the Civic has stumbled the past couple generations with mundane styling, dull driving dynamics, and car tech that lags behind its competitors, it has always been a reliable daily driver and a solid value over the years.
This fall the all-new 2016 Honda Civic steps in and kicks off a new generation of the carmaker’s cash cow. The redesigned Civic looks hot, has a new chassis that promises better driving dynamics, new tech, and a turbocharged engine – a first for the U.S. market. The sedan will kick off the range, followed by the coupe, high performance Si models, the 5-door hatchback, and a Civic Type R – another first for North America.
The new engine on the 2016 Civic sedan is a 1.5-liter direct injection and turbocharged 16-valve inline-4 sending power to a CVT. The first turbocharged engine in a U.S. Honda model will be in the EX, EX-T, EX-L and Touring trims. Sage Marie, a Senior Manager in Honda’s PR department, the new turbocharged engine will produced around 30 horsepower more than the current 1.8L mill, which puts it in the neighborhood of 173 horsepower.
| 2016 Civic EX-L | 2015 Focus Titanium | 2015 Mazda3 I Touring | 2015 Corolla S Plus | 2015 Civic EX-L | |
| MSRP (as tested) | $24,700 | $25,560 | $25,395 | $21,139 | $24,340 |
| Engine | 1.5L turbo I-4 | 2.0L 4-cylinder | 2.0L 4-cylinder | 1.8L 4-cylinder | 1.8L 4-cylinder |
| Power | N/A | 160 hp @ 6500 rpm | 155 hp @ 6000 rpm | 132 hp @ 6000 rpm | 143 @ 6500 rpm |
| Torque | N/A | 146 lb-ft @ 4450 rpm | 150 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm | 128 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm | 129 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm |
| Transmission | CVT | 6-speed automatic | 6-speed automatic | CVT | CVT |
| Fuel Economy (mpg) | 31 city / 42 hwy | 19 city / 27 hwy | 29 city / 41 hwy | 29 city / 37 hwy | 28 city /36 hwy |
*Official 1.5L turbocharged engine specs not available at time of publishing.
In the this TFL mashup, Roman does a quick, seat-of-the-pants comparison of the 2016 Honda Civic Sedan against its 4-door competitors: the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, and previous generation 2015 Civic.
Honda has done a good job of keeping the price of the 10th generation Civic close to the 2015 model year. Starting price for the 2016 Honda Civic Sedan is $18,640 for the LX trim and the only one that offers a 6-speed manual – a $150 increase compared to 2015. Moving up one level to the EX trim, the tables are reversed: the 2016 Civic EX Sedan is $150 less than the comparative 2015 model.
| HONDA CIVIC SEDAN PRICING and EPA ESTIMATES | |||
| Model | Transmission | MSRP* | EPA** |
| Civic LX Sedan 2.0L | 6-speed manual | $18,640 | 27/40/31 |
| Civic LX Sedan 2.0L | CVT | $19,440 | 31/41/35 |
| Civic LX Sedan w/Honda Sensing 2.0L | CVT | $20,440 | 31/41/35 |
| Civic EX Sedan 2.0L | CVT | $21,040 | 31/41/35 |
| Civic EX Sedan w/Honda Sensing 2.0L | CVT | $22,040 | 31/41/35 |
| Civic EX-T Sedan 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $22,200 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-T Sedan w/Honda Sensing 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $23,200 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $23,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan 1.5L Turbo PZEV | CVT | $23,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan w/Honda Sensing 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $24,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan w/Honda Sensing 1.5L Turbo PZEV | CVT | $24,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan Navi 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $24,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic EX-L Sedan Navi 1.5L Turbo PZEV | CVT | $24,700 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic Touring Sedan 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $26,500 | 31/42/35 |
| Civic Touring Sedan 1.5L Turbo | CVT | $26,500 | 31/42/35 |
*Prices listed below do not include tax, license, registration, options and $835 destination charge.
**Based on 2016 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, and other factors.
