The Honda Civic has been a long-standing favorite among many different types of drivers. As a daily driver for those less enthusiastic about cars, the Civic offers reliability at an affordable price. For car enthusiasts, variations of the Honda Civic have become great options for customizations, and you can often find them on the used car market for quite a bargain without being concerned about repair and maintenance costs. For the 2021 Honda Civic, there are several variations and body styles, the most common of which is the four-door sedan option that provides drivers with plenty of space and practicality. Among the trim level options for the 2021 Honda Civic, two stand out from the crowd — and they might surprise you.

The 2021 Honda Civic Sport

While it would be easy to say that the most expensive, highest trim level of the 2021 Honda Civic is the best option because it offers the most, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best bang for your buck. In fact, many of the trim levels have plenty to offer for the price, and the 2021 Honda Civic Sport is quite the bargain for a new car.

The 2021 Honda Civic Sport is only the second trim level option, making it one of the more affordable choices with an MSRP of $23,845. It comes with all of the standard safety features that you’ll find in the base model Civic, with a few additions that make it worth the small jump in price. For one, the Sport trim offers an updated and more aggressive styling that appeals to many buyers, but it also comes with plenty of creature comforts and features for those more focused on practical, usable options rather than cosmetics.

Along with keyless entry and ignition, the 2021 Honda Civic Sport offers remote engine start — a big bonus in insanely hot and miserably cold climates. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it an overall tech-savvy option.

The Honda Civic EX

Upgrading to the next highest trim level, the 2021 Honda Civic EX, definitely won’t leave you disappointed, either. The EX only comes with a slight bump in price to an MSRP of $25,195 and offers a few additional features that make it worth upgrading from the Sport.

The Civic EX comes with all of the same standard safety features but gives buyers a few more, like a blind-spot camera and heated mirrors. Besides that, it also adds a dash of luxury, giving buyers heated front seats, a sunroof, and a sportier turbocharged engine.

Other body styles and options

Of course, with these options, Edmunds is looking mostly towards the most common 2021 Honda Civic option, the sedan, but you can upgrade to the Type R variation if you’re looking for something that balances comfort and practicality with a sporty and exhilarating driving experience. The MSRP for the standard Type R ranges upwards of almost $40,000, but it is still a great hot hatch for the price, giving drivers the opportunity to own a responsible car that’s a good daily driver while still offering snappy handling and steering with enjoyable sports-car level acceleration.

Overall, the 2021 Honda Civic is a rather versatile car, with several body styles ranging from the more standard sedan, to even offering a sports car variation and a hot hatch for hatchback enthusiasts. If you want to keep things basic and affordable, however, the sedan trim level options offer you a great bang for your buck, with standard safety features, a quality driving experience, and even a dash of luxury.