Honda is without doubt one of the few automakers that also gives an reasonably priced, compact Coupe. The Civic’s sedan and hatchback variants is perhaps the gross sales stars, however the two-door mannequin provides a little bit of character to the in any other case pedestrian (I imply that as a praise) bundle. I imply, simply take a look at that Tonic Yellow Pearl paint job.
For 2019, all Civic fashions get plenty of updates; evaluations editor Jon Wong went over them in his assessment of the 2019 Honda Civic Sedan earlier this yr. Those self same niceties make their technique to the coupe, making this compact two-door even simpler to like.
Tech upgrades
Who knew the deletion of a quantity knob would trigger such an uproar? Definitely not Honda, which initially swapped it out for an annoying slider operate that was gradual to reply and never very exact. Fortunately, the 2019 Civic marks the return of this if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it characteristic, and it is only one extra feather within the Civic’s in-car know-how cap.
The Civic’s normal infotainment setup is a 5-inch touchscreen, however my Touring trim has the bigger, 7-inch possibility, full with embedded navigation. This nav system has one-box entry for point-of-interest search, so you’ll be able to simply sort in “ice cream” to get to your nearest Dairy Queen. Nonetheless, coming into an tackle requires clicking by way of a number of containers, which is annoying. That stated, I like the “exit companies” characteristic, which exhibits what to anticipate off the subsequent freeway exit in the best way of companies like lodging, meals and gas. With out this I am unable to let you know what number of instances I’ve exited the freeway anticipating to see a fuel station, solely to wind up taking a look at Bubba’s Wagon Wheel Diner.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are normal on all however the lowest Civic trim, however integration into Honda’s infotainment system is type of buggy. Whereas dictating texts, CarPlay froze a number of instances, inflicting me to have to drag over and unplug all the pieces to restart. This could possibly be an issue distinctive to this particular check automotive, but it surely nonetheless appears odd.
One other huge tech win is the inclusion of Honda Sensing driver-assistance techniques on all trims. Collision mitigation braking, lane-departure warning, ahead collision warning, highway departure mitigation and adaptive cruise management at the moment are normal on all Civics. By and enormous, these features work as marketed, however the ahead collision warning may be very delicate, even on its least-intrusive setting. What’s extra, although the adaptive cruise management works at low speeds, the bottom velocity it allows you to provoke the system at is 13 miles per hour. So if you end up instantly caught in site visitors, you’ll be able to’t flip it on.
My Civic Touring additionally comes with Honda’s LaneWatch tech, which shows a video of the passenger-side blind spot while you activate the proper flip sign. It is nice for maintaining a tally of wayward cyclists close to Roadshow’s San Francisco headquarters, but it surely additionally interferes with the textual content dictation in Apple CarPlay. End and ship your textual content earlier than you sign, or threat shedding all of it.
Lastly, Honda gives an honest, however not stellar, variety of charging ports within the Civic. The middle console of my tester has a 1.5-Amp Usb Port and a 12-volt outlet, although lesser trims solely get a single 1-amp USB port within the entrance. Rear-seat passengers are out of luck.
The 1.5-liter engine beneath the hood right here is fairly spry and excellent for metropolis driving.
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Stable on-road manners
The Civic’s base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.Zero-liter I4, however my Touring goes for the gold with a turbocharged 1.5-liter I4. This engine is sweet for 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which comes on robust at 1,700 rpm. A six-speed guide is out there on the Sport-trim Civic, however my turbo Touring comes with a repeatedly variable transmission with paddle shifters that allow you to transfer by way of seven simulated gears. The CVT is not dangerous, but it surely’s nothing to put in writing house about, both.
Driving the Civic is a deal with, with exact steering that is fast to answer inputs and has good heft to its motion. Just a few passengers commented in regards to the trip feeling type of harsh, however I believe this automotive provides an amazing compromise between soft and sporty. The Touring’s 18-inch wheels and 235/40-series tires definitely do not assist issues by way of smoothness in contrast with smaller rolling inventory setups.
The Civic is an honest gas sipper, as effectively. The EPA says the 1.5-liter, CVT-equipped Civic will return 30 miles per gallon within the metropolis, 37 mpg freeway and 33 mpg mixed. Throughout my week of testing, I noticed 32 mpg mixed, which is fairly respectable, given my tendency to be a leadfoot.
The Civic has loads of house to stow small gadgets in whereas on the go.
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Snug inside and good styling tweaks
The Civic’s cabin is snug, with loads of storage for smaller gadgets. I just like the pass-through within the entrance console that permits me to cover my cellphone’s charging cords from sight. The seats are good and decently supportive, and total materials high quality is healthier than common for the compact class.
Since it is a coupe, passenger room and cargo house clearly aren’t as strong as within the Civic’s sedan and hatchback physique types, however I discover the trunk’s 12 cubic ft of house fairly satisfactory.
Total, the inside look is way the identical for 2019. Outdoors, nonetheless, you may discover a couple of small tweaks. The Civic will get a brand new entrance fascia with revised LED headlights — it makes the automotive look actually sharp. And for those who do spring for my tester’s Tonic Yellow colour, be ready to seize the eye of everybody round you. Very like an individual carrying a security vest, this Civic completely doesn’t fly beneath the radar.
There aren’t many small, reasonably priced coupes left within the US.
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Competent coupe
The 2019 Honda Civic Coupe begins at a really reasonably priced $21,680, together with $930 for vacation spot. My top-end Touring provides $6,100 to that base value, however there are positively methods to get into a pleasant Civic Coupe for much less cash. Personally, I would go for the Civic Sport, which prices $22,480, together with vacation spot. Certain, I would should make do with the 158-horsepower, 2.Zero-liter engine, however I can get the six-speed guide right here, and a very nice set of normal gear.
Honda’s stalwart Civic stays a high decide within the class, and one of many solely methods you may get a two-door on a budget. The closest rivals are the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins, each of which supply a greater driving expertise, however price much more cash.
The very best factor in regards to the Civic Coupe is that it is as candy and stable as some other Civic mannequin. In case you solely want two doorways, it is a well-rounded possibility that is loaded with options and tech.
