2021 Honda Civic Review

New small sedans come out every year, but none has been able to unseat the Honda Civic as our favorite model car since it was introduced back for the 2016 model year. Things aren't much different for this year's model — not surprising since Honda vehicles change very little year over year. The 2021 Honda Civic continues to offer a compelling mix of performance, comfort and practicality at a price point that is in line with the rest of the class.

The mix outside the core Civic lineup, however, does see a shakeup. The coupe body style and sporty Si have been axed for 2021, while the high-performance Civic Type R hatch adds a new Limited Edition model. The Type R Limited Edition enjoys revised steering and suspension tuning, BBS wheels with more aggressive performance tires, and reduced sound deadening to save weight.

Check out our Expert Rating to get our in-depth review of this year's Civic. We anticipate a new Civic for 2022, so if you're enthralled with the current model, pick one up now before it's gone.

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, but it also 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 2021 model.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan is offered in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L and Touring trims. The LX and Sport are driven by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque on tap. EX and above models come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder (174 hp, 162 lb-ft) that we think is far superior. Both engines drive the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).