Used 2019 Honda Civic Sport Sedan Review

Honestly, Honda could have sent its engineers on a yearlong vacation to Tahiti rather than task them with updating the 2019 Civic. We've been giving this generation Civic top marks since its debut three years ago, and there's nothing else out this year that's going to steal the car's title belt. But here we are anyway with an even better Civic.

For starters, the 2019 Honda Civic gets a restyled front end. The new look is subtle and helps the car look a little sleeker and less imposing. Inside, you get an updated infotainment interface that brings with it the return of a volume knob for the Civic. This small addition addresses one of the biggest complaints we had with the Civic last year.

What's more, all Civic trims also get additional features from the Honda Sensing bundle, which is now standard. It includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and lane departure warning with lane keeping assist. The Civic already had several advantages over competitors, and this addition of safety equipment is yet another.

As always, there are a few notable competitors that you might want to also look at. These include the sporty Mazda 3, the weather-beating Subaru Impreza and the value-packed Kia Forte. But really, the 2019 Honda Civic is the one to beat. It has the most comprehensive combination of feature content, comfort and driving entertainment you'll find in a small sedan today.

What's it like to live with?

The Honda Civic has long been one of the better compact cars, but its 2016 redesign was nothing short of game-changing. Not only did it help revitalize the Civic nameplate, it shifted our expectations of what a compact car could be. This generation Civic is well-regarded for its spacious cabin, excellent ride quality, upscale interior materials and superb handling. We're also smitten with its powerful and efficient turbocharged engine. We liked it so much, in fact, that we plunked down our own money to buy one. To read about our experiences with a top-of-the-line Touring sedan, read our long-term Civic test. Note that while we tested a 2016 Civic, all of our observations still apply to the 2019 model.

The 2019 Honda Civic is offered as a sedan, coupe or hatchback. Depending on which body style you choose, there are different trim levels: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, EX-L with Navigation, Touring, Sport Touring, and the high-performance trims, Si and Type R.

Honda Civic LX

Though it may be the base trim, the standard Civic LX sedan comes with a lot of equipment for the money. In the sedan and the coupe, the LX gets the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (158 horsepower, 138 pound-feet of torque) and a six-speed manual transmission. (A continuously variable automatic transmission is optional.) In the hatchback, the LX gets the upgraded turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (174 hp, 162 lb-ft) as standard.

Other standard LX equipment includes 16-inch wheels (steel wheels for the sedan, alloys for the coupe and hatchback), LED running lights, automatic climate control, and a height-adjustable driver's seat. Electronics features include a 5-inch central display screen, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and a four-speaker sound system with a USB port. Also standard is the Honda Sensing safety package. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and keeping assist, road departure mitigation, automatic high beams, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

Honda Civic Sport

The Sport builds on the base LX equipment. In the sedan and the coupe, that means the same 2.0-liter standard engine, but in the hatchback you get a bit more horsepower from the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder — 180 hp and 177 lb-ft with the manual, 180 hp and 162 lb-ft with the CVT automatic.

Otherwise, the Sport adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a center-outlet dual exhaust, aerodynamic bodywork, 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, a rear center armrest with cupholders, sport pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera, keyless ignition and entry with remote start, a 7-inch touchscreen interface with HondaLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and an eight-speaker audio system with dual USB ports.

Honda Civic EX

Stepping up to the EX gets the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine in the coupe and sedan (it's already standard in the hatchback). You also get most of the Sport's tech equipment, including the 7-inch touchscreen. It adds the CVT automatic as standard along with a sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, Honda's LaneWatch blind-spot camera, heated side mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat and satellite radio.

Honda Civic EX-L, Touring, Sport Touring

If you want a few more creature comforts, there's the EX-L, which gets leather upholstery, a power-adjustable passenger seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Instead of EX-L, the hatchback offers a trim called EX-L with Navigation that adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob as well as navigation. The Touring and Sport Touring trim levels essentially build off the EX-L and add 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, paddle shifters, heated rear seats, and a 10-speaker audio system (12 speakers in the Sport Touring hatchback). Also standard is an integrated navigation system.

Honda Civic SI

The Si is only available in coupe and sedan body styles. It comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 205 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. It's similar in standard equipment to the EX-T trim, but you also get a sport-tuned suspension with adaptive dampers, bigger front brakes, a unique rear spoiler, Si-branded sport seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, the 10-speaker stereo and a unique instrument panel.

Honda Civic Type R

At the top of the Civic performance heap is the Type R. It is equipped much like the Sport Touring trim level, but it gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (306 hp, 285 lb-ft). Like the Si, it is only available with a six-speed manual transmission, but this one includes adjustable automatic rev-matching and a lightweight flywheel. Other additions include 20-inch wheels with high-performance tires, bigger front and rear brakes, a massive rear wing, a Type R-specific suspension with adaptive dampers, and special interior and exterior styling enhancements.