2020 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Manual Walkaround and Thoughts 

I've heard people really like the pearlescent gray. I'm so happy to see Honda putting more complicated three stage colors on the Civic lineup. Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. Hope you keep enjoying the car!

Aaron Choate nice!!!!! How do you like the color after driving it for a bit?

@@TrickshotCreative - I really like it. It wasn't very impressive in pictures on the Honda website but it's amazing in person - has green/purple pearl in it, so it really looks great in the sunlight. Had tons of complements on it so far.

Thanks for the compliment! It's definitely an ongoing project, and so far I'm really happy with how it's turning out. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

What color? I think you'll love it. I'm just as excited about mine now as the day I drove it home. Thanks for watching!

Appreciate the comment! The Hatchback Sport Touring is definitely my favorite all-around car I've ever driven/owned. Thanks for watching!

I totally hear you. I personally love the black, however I did go back and forth on what color to get originally. The blue and red are both totally beautiful in person on the 2020 Civic Hatchback. From a paint maintenance standpoint, the red would definitely be the easiest to take care of since it is less structurally complex than a three-stage paint like the pearlescent black or white. The red looks insanely sharp and vibrant in person, especially with the high gloss finish). The blue is unique, and also really beautiful in person (plus I think it would hide paint swirls fairly well). As for the Polished Metal, I believe that is a recycled color from 2008 (I had a very similar color called Galaxy Gray Metallic on my old Civic). It looks really, really sharp on the lines of the Civic Hatchback and Type R. I've seen a Polished Metal Type R on the highway, and it has a really beautiful, elegant and also industrial look to it. I hope they do well in sales of the manual transmission this year and bring the rest of the color lineup for 2021 (and keep the manual transmission).

Appreciate the comment :). Still loving the car, I think you will too!

@@TrickshotCreative Unfortunately because of the chip shortages, dealers can't get this car, anywhere, so guess we will just dream for a while.

@@Sedonalegendhelenfrye Yeah even before the pandemic it was hard to get. I waited for three years to get this one

@@TrickshotCreative Well, sounds like I will have to continue to drive my 2001 Honda Civic EX Vtec Manual for a while, it has been stellar, still all original, and perfect. That's a Honda!

@@Sedonalegendhelenfrye Yeah that's what I love about Honda. Their designs aren't great every single generation, but if you find one you like, it will last as long as you need it to until your next one. Thanks for watching!

I think it all comes down to what you're looking for in a car. The FK7 and the FK8 both excel in their own ways, so there are things to love about them both. The FK8 is much faster and more composed, and the variable modes are really nice. I'd say overall, the FK7 feels about like the FK8 in Sport Mode. In R mode, the FK8 feels like a track monster. While I really loved the feeling of pushing the Type R in that mode, I will say that it does have some downsides in my opinion. The Type R/FK8 is a little bit heavier than the Sport Touring, and I personally noticed that while driving it. To me, even though the FK7 is not nearly as powerful, it actually feels a lot more rowdy due to the less sophisticated suspension, less stiff chassis, lower weight and smaller wheels. In my experience, the Type R is so incredibly well composed and calm through corners at high speed with such little body roll that it feels slow even when it's actually moving REALLY fast. That kind of composure is amazing for the track, but it's not something I personally want in my daily driver. I want a car that feels fast even when it isn't, rather than a car that's so composed that it feels like you're barely moving when you're going 100+. The FK7 does the trick for me in that regard. Also, since I have a bit of a lead foot, a less powerful car has some upsides from a ticket probability standpoint. The other big thing that contributes to the FK7 feeling like a better driver for me is the interior, and that's not something a lot of FK8 drivers really care about (but I really do). The Sport Touring Hatchback interior feels like a high end luxury car to me, and I love that. That's something I really found myself wanting and missing when I test drove the Type R. Having said all this, I will also say that if Honda somehow came out with a touring version of the Type R with all the interior features of the Sport Touring at the same weight of the Sport Touring, I would absolutely buy it in a heartbeat (because I did really love the unique and adjustable feel of the Type R, and I did enjoy the extra power). In that magical future Type R scenario, I'd also mod it a bit to make it a little bit more rowdy and slightly less composed than it comes from factory since I love the rowdy feel. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

AJ Zoro I think you will have a lot of fun with that. The Hatchback Sport is a little bit lighter than the Sport Touring, so it should be even more responsive in corners. I hope you love it!

@@TrickshotCreative Thanks I'm going to get it next week. I used to hate last year's design, but this new one grew on me after seeing it up close and personal.

AJ Zoro I’m with you on the design improvement. 2020 is a big step forward for Honda on the hatchback variant design language in my opinion.

By the way, I'm working on a top winterization tips video using this car. I'll link it here when done.

I hope things turn around for you. The automatic version of this car should be a good bet!

Trickshot Creative Thanks 😊

I've seen the new one yeah. Personally I prefer the kinda crazy video game look of this one and the current gen Type R. Sounds like you're a true enthusiast! I've driven the Focus ST modded out, and yeah, tons of torque steer. The Fiesta ST looks like a riot. I've always been curious about the Miata. I hear it's a ton of fun.

Aamir 1 If they came out with a 268ish Brake HP version with all the luxury features of the Sport Touring, I would probably buy one. That said, the Coupe SI is an incredibly fun car to drive. I got to test a current black SI Coupe and I really liked it (used to have an ‘08 manual EX Coupe.)

Sadly no. That's the one thing I like better about the CVT version of this car.

WillL The Sport Touring would be a great first manual vehicle due to the Adaptive Cruise Control. I would do that rather than the Sport if I were you for a first manual car. I think you’ll really love it. This is the best car I’ve ever driven, and I’ve driven a ton of cars. Hope you like it if you get it!

@@TrickshotCreative Sweet! Sounds like a good choice. Thanks!

@@TrickshotCreative im picking up my 2020 sport MT this thursday.. first manual vehicle. a little nervous, but the neat anti roll features are nice, like the brake hold etc...

@@afkcpu7762 I'm so glad you mentioned that! I'll say from testing them that the anti-roll feature works VERY well. Here's how it works: when you are at a stop, hold the brake pedal and press Brake Hold. That turns on brake hold, which I believe lasts for 10 minutes. If you are on an incline, it won't let you roll back even if you take your foot off the brake to deal with the clutch. Let me know how you like learning on it please!!

@@TrickshotCreative thanks so much man... very excited

Nope, that was a problem a couple years ago, but not on this one.

Trickshot Creative okay thank you. I’m about buy same one 6 speed manual I was worried about it

@@southpoint5584 Sure thing. The only issue I've had with my car is that someone ran into it in a parking lot. Other than that, it's been an absolute dream. Best car I've ever owned or driven by a long shot. I hope you love it!

Constantin Ursanu yes absolutely. Visual modifications would not void any type of standard warranty to the best of my knowledge, as long as they don’t interfere with the functioning of the vehicle. There are Type R knockoff wings available on Amazon, but be ready for a bit of a tricky installation process. And actually, all the body panels that are on the Type R can be put on the Hatchback if you know where to get them. There are Honda parts retailers, you can also get them in carbon fiber from Seibon. You can actually create a Hatchback that is visually indistinguishable from a Type R because they use the same subframe shape (it’s just really expensive to do the whole thing because there are a lot of different panels).

@@TrickshotCreative Thank you very much for the information. In a couple of months I guess imma get the new Civic. I don't care about others saying that it looks hideous....to me it's just one of the sexiest car around there lol. (especially with the Type-R look = insane!) :xDD

​@@constantinursanu3278 I totally hear you. I love the wild look of the Type R. It's bold, confident, sleek and sexy. Plus, when it really comes down to it, you're buying a car for you, not everyone else and their opinions. So what really matters is that the design speaks to you. Here are a couple links to visual mods you could do to this car to make it aesthetically in line with a Type R (I haven't used these, so I can't say how well they work, but here's a starting point for your research). Type R wing for Civic Hatchback: amzn.to/2TVpF0l. That link is for a carbon fiber version of the wing, however you can also get it in 100% ABS plastic here: amzn.to/2GpBe80. This won't fit the stock drill locations for a wing, so you might want to have it professionally installed if you aren't comfortable drilling into the panel. That said, this will cost a lot less than getting an OEM Type R wing from Honda (which is also an option, and will fit on this car since both cars use the same hatchback with the same drill points as far as I know). You can get a lot of the pieces that are unique to the Type R made in carbon from Seibon here: seiboncarbon.com/products.html?find=2019-honda-civic-460503&make=179&. If you want to add your own aesthetic flair inspired by the design language of the Type R, Seibon is a great way to do it. That's what I hope to do with my car. I will probably eventually swap out my hood for something like this from Seibon: seiboncarbon.com/products/ts-style-carbon-fibre-bonnet-for-2016-2017-honda-civic-coupe-sedan-hatchback.html. Thanks for watching!

@@TrickshotCreative Damn. You are really into it! Wish Honda could let us, buyers, decide what aspect should we get, like a custom option. Many would prefer the aggressive look, others the normal one and so on. It would be really interesting. Anyway, I looked on every link that you've given me and that is really impressive. I will definitely take your advice and custom the Civic XD. Ty once again for the response and for the links. Once imma finish my CIvic (hope in the late June or so) imma give ya some screenshots :D

maestrojo what was the issue?

@@TrickshotCreative The new engines in the 11th generation Hondas and the CR-V dilute the oil with gasoline which is an intentional feature, but drivers have started to notice a smell of gasoline coming in through the vents of the car. Its not covered under warranty and Honda refuses to admit its a problem but it was certainly a HUGE issue in the 2017-2019 line of Honda cars.

maestrojo haha well, my car smells like premium leather so I’d say they’ve fixed it if there was actually an issue and one that they caused.

maestrojo I’ve been following that and it still seems like it was only in the crv and would only be an issue in cold climates

@@robertgraham5486 Cool thanks. 2 weeks ago I got my 6 speed manual 2020 Civic Hatchback Sport and i've been loving it. I'm glad that hasn't been a problem. I wanna drive this thing into the ground.

How are you liking it? I tested the CVT for my fiancé and I found it especially engaging with the paddle shifters. I de-badged both the Civic and the Sport Touring logos because I personally prefer the slightly cleaner look. I also replaced the Honda logo on the back with the red performance version (not in this video). I have a few other visual mods I'll likely be posting an update about soon. The car is in the shop right now since someone ran into it in a ski parking lot.

Trickshot Creative that’s too bad you need body work on your new car. I like it and share your opinions as well. I took the customer survey and suggested a softer and higher armrest. I also suggested this car as an SI would be perfect. I’m leasing it for three years as I was leaning towards gti but the 2020 is coming much later so I ll check in with VW in 3 years!

@@peterscanlon9727 Totally agree with the SI sentiment. I would really love to see Honda come out with 2 additional trim levels above the Sport Touring: Hatchback SI and Type R Touring. I was actually going to buy a Type R, but I test drove one and the lack of luxury features really bothered me. I did really love the extra power though, and even a tune would go a long way in the Sport Touring. Fun fact, the Sport Touring and the SI actually share the exact same engine (the only difference is a boost tune to the turbo in the SI). I would even pay an upgrade fee to take my car in and have Honda reflash the ECU to match the SI boost.

Trickshot Creative one more thing, there is a YT video that shows these being built on the assembly line, interesting. They show black and white ones getting painted and assembled.

Peter Scanlon link?

Agreed. The Type R is definitely a car that sticks out. I love that about the Type R, but it also makes it harder to get away with pushing the envelope. This car blends in a little bit more (although I have gotten a ticket already in it). Thanks for watching!

The rims are OEM

The WRX is a truly great car for a lot of people for sure, and it makes a wonderful tuner car. I've driven the current generation WRX and WRX STI. I loved the way the STI handled, however it felt a bit unrefined to me. It all comes down to what matters most to you. I like the hatchback design of the Civic for practicality with my business and I really love the interior design. I was actually really hoping for a hatchback WRX, but they haven't made that in awhile. If what you're looking for is raw power, the Civic Hatchback Sport Touring is expensive for sure. If what you're looking for is handling, refinement and interior comfort, this car is a bargain. If I didn't care about the hatchback design, and I wanted a track car, I would 100% consider an STI. All that being said, this car actually feels much faster to me than I thought it would checking out the spec sheet. When I bought this car, I was expecting it to be a lot less fun than cars like the STI or the Type R. I'm happy to say that having driven all three, I actually like this the best overall. The Civic Hatchback Sport Touring is definitely not as fast as cars like the STI or the Type R, but I personally have just as much fun driving it. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!

The civic is fun but way too soft for serious tracking

@@jayczyzyk9707 Totally agree on everything up to the Type R. I've driven the Civic Hatchback Sport, the Civic Hatchback Sport Touring, the 2 door Civic SI, the 4 door Civic SI and the Type R. I think it would be fun to take my car to the track sometime (but just for kicks, nothing serious). With the Type R, it depends on the track. I had a cool opportunity to do some mountain/twisty driving with a Type R, and it really holds its own. If you're talking a twisty track without a lot of straightaways, the Type R is a serious contender. That said, the Type R does really suffer from being front wheel drive though if the conditions are not totally optimal. In that regard, the STI has a huge leg up. I'd say to anyone looking for a track car at a price point lower than the Type R or STI that the WRX is pretty damn hard to beat. The whole WRX platform handles like it was made for the track.