The 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Brings A New Level Of Interior Refinement, Better Fuel Economy: Video

Honda's kicking off the 11th-gen Civic with the sedan — more will follow later this year

2022 Honda Civic sedan
At first glance, the 2022 Honda Civic may not look drastically different, but the 11th-generation model brings a host of refinements to the table. (Images: Honda)

Finally, the 2022 Honda Civic has arrived.

While we’ll still have to wait a bit for the hatchback and — more crucially to enthusiasts — the Si and Type R hot hatch, the 2022 Honda Civic sedan has arrived to show us what’s in store. It’s the first completely new Civic model since 2015, and it’s bringing quite a few refinements to justify the wait. Up front, there’s a totally new front clip with a softer grille, new-style LED lights, a broad yet simpler shoulder line, and a dramatically updated interior. In short, the new Civic aims to up the wow factor to new buyers and loyal Civic fans alike.

Just earlier this week, the automaker revealed a new design direction that leans on classic Civic character traits. That is, bring a simplicity that adorns the much beloved earlier generations, while keeping the tech from overpowering the whole experience. Instead, designers aimed to integrate features in such a way as to complement the driver, in an approach called “Man-Maximum/Machine-Minimum”. Whether or not that actually translates to a better driving experience will bear out when we actually get to drive the new Civic. For now, though, what’s on paper looks promising.

2022 Honda Civic highlights

Overall, the Honda Civic rides on a slightly longer wheelbase — and is slightly longer overall — than the outgoing tenth-generation model. The company says that makes for a more stable platform and a better ride, particularly as they went through the rest of the drivetrain with a fine-tooth comb. The engines, CVT, suspension, brakes and chassis have all been updated to offer better fuel economy and driving dynamics.

While that all sounds great, the engines themselves will look familiar if you’ve shopped a Honda Civic over the past few years. The naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter unit returns on the LX and Sport models. Power for the base engine remains the same, at 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The Civic EX and top-end Touring, for their part, get Honda’s ubiquitous 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. You do get a bit more punch in this application, with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque on tap. That’s 6 more horsepower and 15 lb-ft more torque from the 2021 models. Thanks to the assortment of changes including the continuously variable transmission, Honda does claim 1 to 2 mpg more in some driving situations, with the biggest gains coming to the least expensive LX.

More powerful versions are certainly coming, but you’ll have to wait a bit if you want, say, a new Civic Si or the Type R.

On the inside, the 2022 Honda Civic sedan really shows its hand. A fully digital instrument cluster is standard across the range — a first for the Civic lineup. The unit on LX, Sport and EX models comes in at 7 inches, while the Touring gets a 10.2-inch cluster. The infotainment screen is larger as well — 7 inches again on the lower models and a 9-inch display on the Touring. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, while top-end models get a 12-speaker Bose stereo system. Qi-compatible wireless charging comes standard on the Touring trim.

The interior really is a step up

The tenth-generation Civic mostly had all the features you’d want, but the feel and ambience of it all left something to be desired, at least in my opinion. Visually, at least, this 2022 Honda Civic sedan steps up its game, thanks in no small part to apparently taking some cues from the larger Accord. The new steering wheel design, center console layout and floating infotainment screen are all features you’d find on the Civic’s larger sibling. You do still get a physical gear selector over a push-button setup for the transmission, though.

Then, of course, the real eye-catcher with this interior beyond the gauge cluster is the flow-through design for the air vents. Rather than cluttering up the overall design with swaths of black plastic vents, here they’re all concealed in one mesh strip across the dashboard. You reposition and open or close them using small stalks, but overall it’s a much simpler look.

Physical dimensions for the 2022 Honda Civic haven’t changed drastically from the old car. There’s slightly more headroom than before, while hip room has also gotten a bit better in the rear. If you’re looking for cargo space, the new car actually has a smaller trunk than before, even if it’s only by 0.3 cubic feet. The LX, Sport and EX pack 14.8 cubic feet of space, while the Touring scrapes by with just 14.4 cubic feet.

Honda Sensing, the brand’s driver assistance suite, comes standard on all models as it did before. 10 airbags also come with every car, while features like the Blind Spot Information System only come on higher EX and Touring models.

2022 Honda Civic sedan

No pricing yet

The 2022 Honda Civic sedan is imminent, with the company claiming a late spring arrival in dealers, i.e. in the next few weeks. That said, the official statement did not mention pricing just yet. We don’t expect a massive jump beyond the $22,000-ish mark the outgoing sedan starts at. With some more standard technology on board, though, we think you’ll need to bring at least a few hundred more dollars to the purchase. Again, we’ll know more about that shortly, so stay tuned for more updates.

Check out more on the all-new 2022 Honda Civic in our video below: