The Honda Civic Sedan has a long track record as a practical compact car. Its reputation is well-deserved, with excellent ratings for safety and reliability, good resale value, and great fuel economy.

The Honda Civic model range has a lot of variety. There are sedan and hatchback variants, both of which have performance options. The sporty Civic Si sedan has a 200-hp turbo engine and a manual transmission. The mighty Civic Type R is a hot hatch with 315 hp, an aggressive appearance package, and tons of performance upgrades.

The Civic is one of the most popular cars in its class, so which trim do shoppers choose above the rest?

The Honda Civic Sport is the most popular

The Sport model is the most popular trim level in the Honda Civic Sedan range. It’s the second most affordable trim, offering more standard features than the LX trim at a lower price point than the turbocharged EX model. Pricing starts at $25,550.

It’s not hard to see why the Civic Sport is so popular. Power comes from a fuel-efficient 158-hp four-cylinder engine. According to the EPA, it gets an impressive fuel economy rating of 35 combined mpg. 

Standard features in the Sport trim of the Civic Sedan include 18-inch black alloy wheels, LED headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, cloth seats, remote start, and an eight-speaker audio system. The user-friendly infotainment system has a 7.0-inch screen, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

The standard Honda Sensing safety tech suite bundles driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and a multi-angle backup camera.

A few additional options you can add to the Civic Sport include premium paint options ($455), a different set of 18-inch wheels ($1,708), and a sporty HPD Package ($1,452).

Which trim of the Honda Civic is right for me?

The Honda Civic Sport is the most popular, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best buy for everyone. The base LX trim is excellent if you want the most affordable new Civic, and the EX trim adds some premium features and a more powerful turbo engine while keeping the price well under $30,000. Meanwhile, the top Touring trim, starting at just over $30k, is an appealing alternative to a more expensive compact car from a luxury brand.

Many critics agree that the turbocharged EX model is the best trim to buy in the Civic Sedan lineup. Car and Driver says the EX model “comes with many additional features that easily justify the price increase.” Autotrader also recommends the EX trim because it has “ everything you need and then some, all while keeping the price well under $30,000.”

A Civic for everyone

Which Honda Civic is suitable for you depends on your wants, needs, and budget. However, we’re grateful that there’s so much variety in the Civic model range, ensuring there’s a Civic for everyone in the market for a compact car.