To name the 10th-generation Honda Civic a success could be an understatement. It’s been America’s retail automobile gross sales chief ever because the first Honda Civic in 2016, largely because of its nice packaging, properly crafted inside and stylish fashion. Now, for 2019, small styling and tech updates arrive to enhance upon this already strong bundle. Minor nips and tucks The 2019 Civic’s shapely sheetmetal is essentially unchanged. The solely actual tweaks embrace a restyled decrease entrance fascia and grille, the latter of which adopts a gloss-black end the place chrome had lived earlier than, and I feel this minor replace actually works on the Honda’s entrance finish. Chrome is as a substitute added to the underside of the rear fascia.

There are a few new wheel designs for 2019, with my top-of-the-line Touring mannequin check automobile getting slick, 18-inch rollers with gray-painted spoke insets. The Molten Lava Pearl paint job pictured right here can also be a brand new addition to the colour palette, and general, the Civic seems to be contemporary as ever, able to battle the newly redesigned Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta. As to the skin, modifications to the Civic’s cabin are minimal. You’ll discover some contemporary dashboard trim, in addition to a redesigned entrance cup holder that higher accommodates huge, American-size drinks. (I am joyful to report that vast Slurpees now match with ease.) That mentioned, the place of the middle armrest continues to be form of awkward, relative to the placement of the cup holders.

The huge replace you possibly can’t see is the extra sound insulation Honda added to the Civic, which is basically noticeable. The Civic is impressively quiet inside, even at freeway speeds. Combined with beneficiant lodging for passengers and cargo — the trunk has 14.7 cubic toes of house — the 2019 Civic is a snug and sensible each day driver. Outside of the brand new trim and redesigned cup holders, the Civic’s inside is usually unchanged.
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Friendlier tech The largest 2019 mannequin yr replace occurs on the tech entrance, with extra intuitive steering wheel controls and main usability updates for the Display Audio infotainment system. New bodily shortcut buttons now reside to the left of the 7-inch touchscreen, somewhat than the touch-sensitive controls from the outdated mannequin, permitting you to rapidly entry audio, cellphone and embedded navigation screens. A legit quantity knob has additionally been added, changing the outdated Civic’s irritating contact/slide adjustment perform. For people who aren’t followers of Display Audio, each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are customary. Sadly, there are a few issues that Honda did not tackle on this replace. First, the system takes a noticeable second or two to change between varied screens. And second, the Civic’s charging port sport continues to be weak. There’s a 1.5-amp USB port and 12-volt outlet on the decrease tier of the middle stack, and you’ll neatly run cords by means of a pass-through. There’s one other 1.0-amp USB outlet underneath the cup holder, however that is it. Back seat passengers have no quick access to plain energy ports. If you wish to add some, Honda fees $145 for the privilege, which admittedly is not a lot, however actually, these ought to simply be customary — particularly on my top-level Touring.
No matter the trim stage, all 2019 Civics come customary with the Honda Sensing group of applied sciences, which provides adaptive cruise management, ahead collision warning with computerized emergency braking and computerized excessive beams. A really well-tuned lane-departure warning system with lane-keeping help can also be a part of the bundle, and it makes light steering corrections mechanically when the automobile veers from the middle of a lane. A multiangle rearview digital camera with satisfactory picture decision is supplied on all Civics, whereas the Touring will get a nifty LaneWatch system that shows a picture of the suitable blind spot when the suitable flip sign is activated. Mirrors or a great, old school shoulder test for the left blind spot should suffice, as a result of Honda autos geared up with LaneWatch aren’t accessible with a full blind-spot monitoring system. The turbo 4 presents sufficient energy and powerful gas financial system.
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Solid driver As for the Civic’s drivetrains, they carry over unchanged for 2019. LX and Sport fashions are powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated I4 with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, and you’ll nonetheless get the Sport with a handbook transmission. The remainder of the lineup packs a punchier 1.5-liter turbocharged I4 with 174 horses and 162 pound-feet, which working with a constantly variable transmission. Together, the pair returns an EPA-estimated 30 miles per gallon within the metropolis and 38 mpg on the freeway. I noticed 35.8 mpg, which is nice for my lead-foot driving fashion.

The turbo engine’s energy will not blow you away, however the four-cylinder is responsive round city, and presents loads of oomph for merging onto the freeway. I haven’t got any complaints in regards to the CVT, both. Honda is aware of easy methods to finely tune a CVT, with properly simulated gear modifications — that is one constantly variable unit that performs extra like a standard computerized. In Sport mode, revised transmission mapping retains the engine turning at increased revs if you wish to have a little bit enjoyable. Paddle shifters are a part of the Touring bundle, too, however shift response is lazy and actually no enjoyable. It’s higher to let the pc do all of the work and simply be accomplished with it. Suspension tuning offers tighter cornering and respectable experience consolation.
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Finally, the Civic impresses with strong chassis tuning. The steering is weighty and conscious of inputs, the suspension completely balanced to ship composed cornering on the 235/40R18 Continental ContiProContact tires. Brake efficiency can also be robust with a grabby preliminary chunk and agency pedal really feel. Overall, the Civic is a well-sorted bundle that is comfy on the each day, and will not collapse if you happen to push it a little bit more durable on winding roads. How I might spec it The 2019 Civic Sedan begins at $19,450 for a base LX mannequin, and tops out at slightly below $30,000 for a Touring. When constructing a Civic sedan, I will start with an EX mannequin painted Molten Lava, which begins at $23,400, not together with $920 for vacation spot. That will get me the turbo engine, LaneWatch and the all-important heated entrance seats and distant engine begin, as a result of Midwest winters will be brutal. To make up for the dearth of cost factors inside, I will add the $305 wi-fi cost pad and $145 rear USB chargers. All in, my Civic wears a $24,770 price ticket, to undercut my $28,220 tester by truthful quantity.
A prime compact Prior to its 2019 replace, the Honda Civic already stood out as an amazing compact sedan with attention-grabbing styling, a comfortable cabin, highly effective and environment friendly drivetrains and balanced dealing with dynamics. Along with the Mazda3, it continues to be one of many better-driving entries within the section, as effectively. While the 2019 mannequin yr’s small visible modifications give it a meaner look, the tech upgrades go the furthest in serving to the Civic keep its spot on the head of the category. It’s not with out faults, however is the strongest and most full compact sedan bundle available on the market at the moment.