2017 Honda Civic Type R

Vehicle Overview
Redesigned just a year ago, the Honda Civic has re-established its standing as a no-brainer choice for a small car. Think of it this way: Are you interested in impressive fuel economy and/or class-leading acceleration? Yep, the Civic's got that. What about a comfortable, roomy interior filled with upscale materials? Check. Do you want something livelier than the typical sedan? Well, Honda's got a sporty coupe, a new Civic hatchback, and the performance-focused Civic Si and Type R on the way, too. No matter how you look at it, the 2017 Honda Civic is one of the best cars in its class.

We also think you'll like the way the newest Civic drives. Around turns, you'll feel as if you have great control through the car's steering and grip; it's an entertaining car to drive and have some fun. Out on the highway, the Civic earns high marks, too, with a composed ride quality that doesn't get overly floaty or harsh. Honda has also packed in plenty of the latest technology, from smartphone integration to advanced driver aids that can help you avoid accidents.

Before going all-in on a new Civic, though, there are still some excellent competitors to consider. The 2017 Mazda 3 is also one of our favorites. Like the Civic, it offers a classy interior, excellent fuel economy and sporty driving characteristics. If in-car tech is one of your top priorities, the 2017 Ford Focus with its superior Sync 3 infotainment system is worth a look. And if you want to eschew all those and go with something inexpensive that's packed with value, take a look at the 2017 Kia Forte. Overall, though, the 2017 Honda Civic sits right at the top of our list. No search for a compact car will be complete without it.

Performance and MPG
The front-wheel-drive 2017 Honda Civic comes with a four-cylinder engine, but the exact type varies depending on the trim level you pick. The base engine for the sedan and the coupe is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 158 hp and 138 pound-feet of torque. It's paired to either a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that functions like an automatic.

With the coupe, EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at 32 mpg combined (28 city/39 highway) for the manual, while the CVT gets an estimated 34 mpg combined (30 city/39 highway). In the sedan, when the 2.0-liter engine is paired with the manual, it's rated at 32 mpg combined (28 city/40 highway) and with the CVT it's rated at 34 mpg combined (31 city/40 highway).

Optional for the coupe and sedan but standard for the hatchback is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder paired to either a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. Horsepower and torque vary depending on the transmission pairing and trim level.

In the hatchback, when paired with the CVT in the LX, EX and EX-L, the 1.5-liter engine is rated at 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. With the manual transmission in the LX, horsepower remains the same, but torque goes up to 167 lb-ft. Go with the CVT in the Sport and Sport Touring and the 1.5-liter engine makes 180 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. The Sport hatchback with the six-speed manual transmission is rated at 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque.

In Edmunds testing, a Civic Touring coupe with the 1.5-liter engine (and CVT) sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, while a Touring sedan with the same engine was able to do it in 6.7 seconds. Both times are very quick for a small car in this class.

Fuel economy for the turbocharged Civics is actually slightly better but also varies slightly depending on whether you go with the coupe, sedan or hatchback. There is a different EPA fuel economy estimate for each engine/transmission combo and for every body style (coupe/sedan/hatchback). Generally, though, EPA combined fuel economy estimates range from 30 to 36 mpg combined with the 1.5-liter engine.

Safety
Standard safety equipment on the 2017 Honda Civic includes stability control, antilock disc brakes, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and a rearview camera. Starting with the EX trim, a right-side blind-spot camera (LaneWatch) is also standard, as is the HondaLink system, which also includes emergency crash notification.

Optional safety equipment for the Civic includes the Honda Sensing safety package, which adds adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane departure intervention, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

We've found the forward collision warning system to be a bit oversensitive in real-life driving; it frequently sets off the dashboard "Brake!" alarm in instances where other such systems aren't as prone to react. The adaptive cruise control also feels a bit too quick to react, putting on the brakes, too slow to speed back up again and generally not very good at maintaining a constant speed.

In Edmunds testing, a Civic Touring sedan came to a stop from 60 mph in 117 feet, a few feet shorter than average. A Touring coupe did the same simulated panic stop from 60 mph in just 113 feet, which is much shorter than class averages and closer to the performance of a sports car than a compact economy car.

In government safety testing, all three Civic models (the coupe, sedan and hatchback) received five stars (out of a possible five) for overall crash protection. The Civic coupe received four out of five stars for front-crash protection and five stars for side-crash protection. Both the hatchback and the sedan received five stars for front- and side-crash protection.

When the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Civic, both the sedan and the coupe received top marks for safety. Both models received the IIHS' top score of Good for the small-overlap and moderate-overlap front-impact tests as well as a Good score for the side-impact, roof strength and head restraint/seat (whiplash protection) tests. Notably, the optional safety equipment on the Civic received the IIHS' top score of Superior for front-crash prevention.

Additional Information
Now in the second year of its most recent successful redesign, the 2017 Honda Civic has once again proven that it is a go-to choice among compact sedans. Not only does the Civic offer a roomy cabin, great highway comfort and lots of standard features, it also has class-leading acceleration and excellent EPA fuel economy ratings.

Contrary to what you'd expect in a small car, the 2017 Civic's interior is quite spacious, with plenty of room in the trunk to handle whatever you throw in it. The interior feels more upscale than most compact cars, with excellent cabin construction and high-quality materials, all of which are pleasing to the eye.

Just like the beautiful interior design and build quality, the 2017 Civic's ride quality and handling have also been well thought out. The Civic expertly rides that fine line between a composed ride and superb handling around corners. The steering feedback is great too, allowing for an enjoyable experience when you get it on a winding back road.

True to the brand’s reputation for value, the 2017 Civic returns excellent fuel economy. The six-speed manual and automatic versions of the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine provide an EPA estimated 32 mpg combined (28 mpg city/40 mpg highway) and 34 mpg combined (31 city/40 highway), respectively. The available 1.5-liter turbocharged engine provides more power and boasts even more impressive ratings, with the manual returning 35 mpg combined (31 city/42 highway) and the automatic 36 mpg combined (32 city/42 highway).

On the technology front, Honda has packed in great options, including smartphone integration and the Honda Sensing forward collision warning system. There are some tech quibbles, however. The adaptive cruise control is slow to respond and that forward collision warning system is slightly oversensitive, both of which can be frustrating for drivers. The touchscreen interface proves to be less intuitive than desired and can lag in response to input.

Despite a few minor technological drawbacks on the inside, the 2017 Honda Civic is a great car overall. It's at the top of its class when it comes to acceleration and fuel economy, and the interior comfort, ride and excellent overall build quality more than make up for any downsides the car may have. Any seasoned Honda buyer will consider this a no-brainer.

If you're considering the 2017 Honda Civic and the sedan isn't really your speed, Honda has some great options for you. There’s a sporty coupe, a new Civic hatchback and the performance-oriented Civic Si. And the racy, much anticipated Type R is on its way. Clearly, there is a Civic for everyone.

Aside from the different body styles, the Civic also comes in a few different trim levels depending on personal preference and budget. The LX is the base trim, continuing onward to the EX, EX-T, EX-L and Touring trims. The EX offers more features than the standard base trim, while the EX-L moves toward a more luxury package. Edmunds can help you find the perfect 2017 Honda Civic to suit your needs.