2019 Honda Civic Review
For 2019 the Honda Civic gets some updates that keep it ahead of competitors in the highly volatile compact city car market.
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What’s New for the 2019 Honda Civic
For 2019, the Honda Civic gets some updates that keep it ahead of most all of its competitors.
Honda has revamped the Civic for 2019 with new features, new equipment, and some slight styling tweaks. Introduced in 2016 as the tenth generation, the latest iteration of the Civic is a welcome improvement. The 18’ model was by no means bad but compare this with that and it becomes obvious that Honda isn’t resting on the success of this world-famous people mover. With three different body styles, there are a total of eight different trims so almost everyone should be able to find a Civic that fits their needs.
The first notable change is the adjustments to exterior styling found on the sedan and coupe. New paint colors are also available. Inside things get better too with more sound deadening, better steering wheel controls, larger cupholders, and (Gasp) a volume knob in place of the frustrating capacitive touch control from the last few years. Under the skin, there are new driver assistance technologies.
The Breakdown
Fun to drive
Great fuel economy
Very flexible
Infotainment system isn’t top notch
Styling won’t be for everyone
Not much in terms of luxury
All-wheel-drive would make Type R better
2019 Honda Civic Specs
- 158 horsepower from base engine
- 138 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 8 available trims
- 12 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- Volume knobs are underrated
- Automatic emergency braking standard
- No notable warranty perks
2019 Honda Civic Powertrain
Regardless of the powertrain used, the Civic is a very engaging driver’s car. Bump up to any of the engines with 200 horsepower or more and it’s easy to see why so many consider this the best-balanced car on the market. It handles very well, it’s so comfortable in a curve, and it delivers power in a satisfying way. It’s also quieter this year which makes it a real pleasure even in what would otherwise be noisy road conditions.
Perhaps the best part of the Civic in our eyes is the outstanding manual transmission and sport suspension featured in the Sport, Si, and Type R. That combination of sincerely performance-focused parts gives the Civic the ability to shine in a way that its rivals often can’t. Steering feedback is very good with only the slightest bit of on-center numbness and then excellent linear weightiness as the turn sharpens.
Braking is a bit underwhelming in most models. It’s just not as precise and communicative as we’d like. The Type R is outstanding and it seems like most other trims would benefit from getting its larger front calipers.
2019 Honda Civic Fuel Economy & MPG
The most economical Civic achieves 36mpg combined and almost all models achieve ratings of 32 or better. Even those that opt for the more powerful Si or Type R will get 29mpg and 25mpg respectively.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Honda has really made this interior more comfortable than it was for 2018 in a meaningful way. Larger cupholders, better switchgear, and outstanding storage spaces really make it a pleasure of a place to spend time. The seating is great too. There’s headroom and legroom in front with decent space for most adults in the back as well. Of course, for buyers selecting the coupe version, that’s not as true since there’s just not much space back there at all. Still, for those who won’t often carry rear-seat passengers, the front is more than comfortable.
Ride comfort is above average in no small way thanks to the additional sound insulation. The seat and steering controls allow for optimizing the driving position and readjusting over the course of a long drive. We really like how easy it is to see out of the Civic too. Adding the blind-spot camera makes that just that much easier.
Materials quality is a bit dependent on the trim level where higher optioned Civics won’t have the same plastics seen in the LX and Sport. Still, nothing in here feels super cheap, and overall the design is quite handsome.
Entertainment & Technology
Look at other cars in the Honda lineup and you’ll quickly realize that the infotainment system included here isn’t the latest and greatest. With that in mind, it’s easy to get a little frustrated with what seems to be delayed responses and sometimes clunky menus. Nevertheless, including the volume knob is a huge upgrade that mitigates much of our lukewarm feeling about the infotainment system itself.
The sound system is solid in most Civics and especially good in those with ten or twelve speakers. We really like the blind-spot camera and wish more manufacturers would start including similar technology. Only Hyundai does a better job by including a driver-side camera as well. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come as standard. Wireless integration is pretty seamless with quick connection times and good responsiveness overall.
Safety Features
Honda Sense as a standard set of features is an outstanding value and keeps the Civic near the top of the pile in its market. We think the adaptive cruise control could use a bit of fine tweaking as it seemed to delay changes a bit more than others. Still, the Civic is a fantastic choice when it comes to safety and scored a 5-star crash test rating from the NHTSA.
2019 Honda Civic Trims & Pricing
LX – $20,505
The base Civic comes with 16-inch wheels, a 5-inch infotainment screen, LED running lights, automatic climate control, a rear-view camera, and a four-speaker sound system. In addition, all Civics come with Honda Sensing, a safety suite that features lane departure mitigation, automatic forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Both the sedan and the coupe get the 2.0-liter 158 horsepower engine while the hatchback gets the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that makes 174 horsepower.
SPORT – $22,205
For the first time, both the sedan and coupe can be had under the Sport trim. Included in said trim are 18-inch wheels, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, sport pedals, fog lights, dynamic guidelines for the rear camera, a center-positioned exhaust outlet, eight speakers, and aerodynamic styling cues. Engines stay the same based on the body style chosen.
EX – $24,255
Once the EX trim is selected all three Civics come with the 1.5-liter engine standard. The driver’s seat is now power operated and other features like dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, blind-spot camera, and heated front seats are all standard. In addition, the same 7-inch touchscreen from the Sport trim is included. Wheels do get downsized to 17 inches.
EX-L – $24,950
The EX-L puts the L in luxury with a power-adjustable passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and leather upholstery. In addition, there’s a Navigation package that further adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
SI – $25,195
In terms of features, the SI is incredibly similar to the EX-L but it’s all about sporting potential with Si-branded seats, a sport-tuned suspension, adaptive dampers, a Limited-slip differential, and the 1.5-liter turbo engine tuned to 205 horsepower mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. In addition, the sound system gets upgraded to ten speakers. This trim level is not available on the hatchback.
TOURING – $27,905
At the Touring level, the Civic gets all the features of the EX-L but adds 18-inch wheels, heated rear seats, 18-inch wheels, the same ten-speaker system from the Si, as well as LED headlights, paddle-shifters, and automatic wipers.
SPORT TOURING – $29,705
Only available on the hatchback model, the Sport Touring gets a slightly tuned 1.5-liter engine with 180 horsepower and a 12-speaker sound system. Navigation is also standard.
TYPE R – $36,959
As the full-fat Civic, the Type R is dynamically one of the most capable front-wheel-drive sports cars ever. Its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine makes 306 horsepower and delivers it through a 6-speed manual transmission. It also gets bigger brakes, 20-inch wheels, a gaudy rear wing, Type R specific sport suspension, and styling accents both inside and out.
Warranties
Honda offers a 5-year 60,000-mile powertrain warranty and a 3-year, 36,000-mile limited warranty. No complimentary maintenance is available.
What we think
2019 Honda Civic – hondanews.com | Shop 2019 Honda Civic on Carsforsale.com
Very few cars can be as many things to as many people as the Civic can. We really can’t say enough good things about it regardless of whether you’re the kind of buyer who needs a super-economical city car or the one who wants a weekend racer with daily driver practicality.
