The Civic has been Canada’s best-selling car for 24 years. Last year, it was dethroned by the Toyota Corolla – but Honda didn’t drop the ball. The Civic 2023 continues to impress, with premium interior appointments, a handsome exterior, fine dynamics, and a sense of overall refinement that puts it at the top of its class.
After a thorough redesign for 2022, this version of the Civic is available in both sedan and hatchback body styles with room for five. Compared to its predecessor, this latest Civic is longer and wider, which gives it a sportier look and more cabin space. In addition, Honda has toned down the previous Civic’s busy design for a more mature interpretation that looks great.
The Civic’s 2023 lineup Honda Civic 2023 includes the Sport sedan and EX sedan, the Si sedan and EX-L hatchback, and the Type R hatchback. The Civic Sedan has a cargo trunk that offers 14.8 cubic feet of capacity behind the rear seats, with more room when they’re folded down. The hatchback has 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space, which is even more when the rear seat is folded.
While the 2023 Civic is a bit more expensive than its predecessor, it also features a better engine and more standard amenities. The base LX model is powered by a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. This combination delivers a smooth ride and fuel economy of up to 9.0 L/100 km (city). The EX and Touring have a 180-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that’s paired with an all-new CVT, which provides a sportier feel and more engaging driving dynamics.
Honda isn’t the only brand to put comfort first in a subcompact, but its Civic interior is among the best in its class. The 2023 Honda Civic offers a large cabin with room for five, plus ample tech to keep passengers connected. Its 10.2-inch driver-configurable instrument display is easy to read with intuitive menus that are easy to navigate. It also has a +R display theme that brings out more performance-oriented data, such as a racing-inspired tachometer and shift indicator lights.
The Civic has excellent visibility thanks to narrow front roof pillars and well-positioned door mirrors. A rearview camera is standard, while blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert comes in most trim levels. The Civic also gets a wide array of advanced safety features that include lane-departure warning and keeping assist, forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and traffic jam assist.
The Civic is one of the only cars in its class to offer both a rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive option. The rear-wheel-drive version is more fun to drive than the all-wheel-drive version, thanks to its sharper handling and more direct steering. It’s also more comfortable on the road, as it rides well over bumps and is less likely to bob and weave when you go over them at high speeds.