ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The 2022 Honda Civic is the latest generation of a car that’s been around for decades, and that now enters its 11th generation. Like all those that came before, the idea is simple: an affordable, practical car should not just be endured, but enjoyed, and while some updates have been revolutionary for the Civic, each has brought, at the very least, some refinement. For the 11th iteration, Honda brings simple, thoughtful revisions to an already solid foundation without introducing any apparent setbacks.
The new model’s exterior design is cleaned up a bit, but not in any sort of major divergence from the styling of the Civic it replaces. Honda has tweaked the proportions subtly — 1.4 additional inches in wheelbase, a rear track 0.5 inches wider, A-pillars moved about 2 inches rearward, fender height lowered an inch, a rear beltline lowered by 1.2 inches — that make the Civic look longer and more muscular. The glasshouse is taller, and rests atop a more horizontal beltline that makes the cabin look more inviting from the outside. Straighter character lines and fewer unnecessary accents tidy up the exterior, including door handle lock cylinders now hidden from view.
The interior is a place of serenity, and it almost feels like there’s more room to breathe. The flat, low dash and taller windows give a confidence-inspiring view of the world outside. Materials in our Touring model were nice, including the leather upholstery, steering wheel and shift lever. The metal honeycomb mesh across the dash is the centerpiece of the interior, and it looks retro, fresh, simple and interesting all at once. It also neatly obscures the air vents, which can be manipulated with tactile knobs that fall into place with a nice detent when pointed in the dead forward position. The Bose speakers in our Touring tester are cleanly integrated, rather than emphasized. Honda even chose materials that would better resist fingerprints and reflections in order to keep the interior looking as tidy as possible.
