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The wait is over: the 2022 Honda Civic is finally here. At least the 2022 Civic Sedan is; the Hatchback, Si, and Type R models aren’t quite here yet. But that’s still enough to give reviewers a taste of what the Honda compact car offers. And those initial tastes reveal that the 2022 Civic improves an already well-reviewed car.

The 2022 Honda Civic Sedan packages familiar engines in new interior and exterior packaging

A red 2022 Honda Civic Sedan parked on a mountain road
2022 Honda Civic Sedan | Honda

One place where the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan didn’t receive significant updates was in the engine department. LX and Sport models get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while EX and Touring models have a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. On the plus side, the latter is slightly more powerful and makes 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter engine, though, still makes 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque.

But while the engines are the same, the transmission options aren’t. For 2022, the Honda Civic Sedan drops the manual transmission and goes CVT-only. The 2022 Civic Hatchback will offer a manual, though, as will the Si and Type R.

However, while the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan has ‘carryover’ engines, its interior and exterior design are new. Inspired by the current-gen Accord, the 2022 Civic Sedan is slightly longer overall and has a longer wheelbase, MotorTrend notes. The rear track is also wider, and both the steering and suspension were retuned. And while the new car is 130 pounds heavier, it’s also more rigid, Car and Driver says.

Inside, the 2022 Civic has more rear legroom, wider front seats, and a more minimalist dashboard. A 7” center touchscreen is standard, as are Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. And even the base LX gets a driver-assistance suite with adaptive cruise control, lane-departure and front-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking, Autoweek reports. The EX adds blind-spot detection, heated front seats, and a moonroof.

The range-topping 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring, though, gets even more. Instead of a 7” touchscreen, it has a 9” one. And it comes with a Bose audio system, a digital gauge cluster, a wireless charging pad, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

“Finding a major fault with the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan…is challenging,” MotorTrend says

The black front seats and dashboard of a 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring
2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring front interior | Honda

The 2021 Honda Civic consistently earned high marks in reviews, with Car and Driver saying it “had everything an entry-level shopper could want.” And the 2022 car builds on that solid foundation.

Although it’s not a Type R, the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan handles even better than the equivalent 2021 car, MT says. The suspension delivers a comfortable ride without sacrificing agility, and MT describes the brake and throttle calibration as “Porsche-like.” And while the steering is a bit light, it builds weight well and offers more feedback than before, Roadshow notes.

The 2022 Honda Civic Sedan’s new interior features a similar level of material quality as before. That means solid switches, soft-touch materials, and “robust” hard plastics, Roadshow describes.  But using more textured surfaces instead of piano-black trim means not having to deal with lingering fingerprints. And the interior itself is roomier overall.

These upgrades also come without a significant price increase over the 2021 model. The base 2022 LX trim starts $21,700; the Touring starts at $28,300. As for the EX, it sits right above the $23,100 Sport at $24,700.

Are there any downsides?

Although the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan earns high marks, it’s not perfect.

Arguably the biggest issue stems from the engine selection. While both the 2.0-liter and 1.5-liter have slightly higher EPA estimates for 2021, they don’t exactly deliver significant speed. The turbocharged engine has better real-world acceleration, MT says, but it’s still just “a notch above fine.” And Car and Driver found the 2022 Touring’s 0-60 mph time 0.7 seconds slower than the 2021 car’s time. Though Car and Driver admits those numbers were generated by a low-mileage vehicle.

Apart from that, the biggest drawback to the 2022 car is that some of its features are exclusive to higher trim levels. The EX, for example, can’t get the Touring’s 9” touchscreen even as an option. However, Roadshow notes that the former trim gets most of the latter’s features at a lower price.

But, while the 2022 Civic Sedan isn’t perfect, “as a piece of egalitarian transportation, it’s spectacular,” MT says.

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MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, Producer - Sedans & Coupes

Matthew Skwarczek

Matthew Skwarczek started blogging in 2015 and focuses his writing on motorcycles and engineering science. A graduate of Northwestern University, where he earned his Master’s in Chemical Engineering, Matthew served as an applications engineer for BASF before joining MotorBiscuit in 2019.

In Matthew’s words, the visceral nature of riding requires you to be in the moment. Combined with his fascination in the analytics surrounding the building and designing of cars and bikes, both modern and classic, you’ll find his voice blends functionality and phenomena. He rides motorcycles and bicycles often, photographing them as well.

Matthew has contributed to Oppositelock and is now an alumnus. He plays Dungeons & Dragons and reads sci-fi and fantasy in his spare time, and appreciates the works of Peter Egan, Sam Smith, Brandon Sanderson, and Alex Goy.