@@the_batmobile0.4 You don't need a lot of hp when the weight of the car is low. Take my truck for example. It makes 220hp and 300lb-ft, but it weighs more than 4000lbs. The Honda makes 174hp and only weighs around 2800lbs. You'll be able to feel that hp more in the honda.
Traded in my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Straight across for the touring model couldn't be happier much funner to drive and has more bells and whistles then the Jeep and hopefully less problems and recalls!
How has your Civic held up so far? I noticed you posted this comment a year ago. And I been thinking of getting the new Civic myself. Has your Civic Touring been good to you with no problems?
Great review, Steve! Thanks for putting this together. I've been watching dozens of reviews to get a handle on what this car has to offer but when I finally did my test drive a few days ago, it still blew my expectations out of the water and I had a silly grin on my face the entire test drive. There's just no comparison between this and my 2006 Civic EX - so much better in every way imaginable! I can't wait to get my Touring in a couple of weeks! :)
Picked up an EX about a week ago to replace my 2006 Si. This is my 7th Honda and I must say that Honda knocked it out of the park on this one. I absolutely love it. By far the best in the price range.
+k domster I test drove a lot of cars in this price range and none of them were as good as this new Civic: handling, smooth CVT, suspension, materials, quiet cabin, gas mileage and the cabin space combined make for a car worth every penny. As for the turbo and CVT...I don't see any logical reason to be concerned with maintenance. The CVT has fewer moving parts than a traditional transmission and can definitely handle more torque than the Civic ( see the six-cylinder Outback).
Hey it is you who drives it , enjoy it....I would never buy it due to reasons in mentioned before, CVT is not smooth , it is disconnected, makes car feel like a vacuum cleaner or drill , gives it less feel of the drivetrain, and least reliable form of auto transmission and for sure least sporty. Golf and Mazda 3 handle better , more direct and linea, and are better cars. Base engines135lbs/ft of torque was a standard 15 years ago not today. Styling is just not my cup of tea either, looks like whoever put it together had too many thoughts on their mind at the same time, and then they just tried too hard... rear is a disaster, front just has too much going on, rear quarter panel has this weird stretched look almost like last minute they wanted to stretch the car for 2 inches of extra leg room :(,result is our of proportion again . New Acura TLX looks much cleaner... why not putting Honda logo on it , and sell it for 3-5K less that Acura , oh well it would than undercut sense for premium brand . There you go, Honda will never put their best tech they put on Honda all over the world , it just would not make business sense with Acura line. So drive CVT, with either torquless base engine or stay with tiny 4 cyl and turbo , where their 2.4 liter from Accord or Acura would be a logical choice for Civic ... instead you get what you get to keep Honda/Acura politics in line , I feel sorry for those who choose Honda product In US for all these reasons.
Mozzie tru but its a cheap upgrade to get led fog lights . Even if u dont have full leds stock u can get cheps led since there halogen PROJECTORS they still look good and dont blind each other
I have to disagree with your negativity about the previous generation. It was never meant to be a "game-changer" as Honda realized that interior and driving technology still had a ways to go before it could be successfully re-produced on the assembly line. Love the video though ...keep up the good work!
Great Review Steve. I am really impressed by this redesign especially in Touring trim. Can't waint to see what the SI and Type R models will improve upon this level.
excellent review as always Steve. I was told by my Honda dealer in Auckland NZ that this is 10th Gen North American Civic will be launching here in July. I'm a little septic but if true I'll trade my beloved Civic Euro Hatch for this as this 10th Gen North American Civic is quite remarkable. 1.5 turbo of course! keep up the great work!
People who complain about the knobs on the radio, clearly don't OWN the new civic. I've never actually had an issue with it.. its extremely responsive, the wheel control is an amazing feature, you can just swipe it up like you normally do on your phone .... It's easy to use ...
+TestDriveNow.com featuring Auto Critic Steve Hammes I am glad. I don't want to keep bringing it up but I'd be remiss if I didn't reach out to check on your family. Faith is what gets us through all trying times. I am glad your faith is unyielding.
+craig doss Damn don't tell me something happened to the family Hammes! He's the boss. His candor in the reviews gives the sense that he could handle anything life throws at him.
The Honda Lane Keeping Assist base on this review of yours Steve definitely improves like what Honda Motor Company did with their Acura brand. And this new Honda Civic would definitely sell like doughnuts. It did raised the bar in its segment and probably would out sell its big brother the Honda Accord even though it has been refreshed. Thanks Steve, been waiting for this review. brief yet still informative. Always looking forward to your next review.
They can not , this design is not set for reliability, this is a car to lease and forget about within warranty.... they already had lot of issues with these CVT that all sponsored media reviews never mention. HONDAs reliability is not where it use to be....
+k domster your info on the CVT reliability is about a decade old. The new generations are more reliable and can easily handle the torque of the turbo Civic.
Fact that these CVTs are far less reliable due to design that does not give it much leeway to break, Honda has issues with these of course Honda sales guy or sponsored article writer will not tell you about. ...even if these were reliable I would not buy it due to it's plain boring , disconnected character.... Yes automatic done right can be fun to drive and CVT is not.
+youngblood23rb Yup, it's not crying, a volume control knob is much simpler and human factors better than touch screen type volume control. From the looks of it, the steering wheel volume control isn't very good either. Yes volume control inter phase would be a factor in my purchase decision.
+C Collins the steering wheel volume actually works crazy good. the touch on the dash isn't as good but one quick tip is your finger isn't limited within where it says volume for scrolling, you just start at the volume section and you can scroll for the full length of the screen. it makes it much quicker compared to how it's perceived where the reviewers try scrolling in that tiny 2 inch area which is awful but they don't know any better
+youngblood23rb back to class leading... after 16 years , I thought they were class leading with Corolla for quite some time :) class leading in boring !
the biggest things that have kept me away from caring at all about the civic since 2006 are 1. digital only speedometer ( why not make it so there is an option to make it analog via a digital display) 2. now they have gone to cvt's. i wouldn't buy any car with a cvt ever, reliability is unproven long term.
I just purchased a 2016 Mazda six because I got a great deal but I almost purchased a 2016 Civic EXT. The 2016 Honda Civic is the best compact car and it's not even close. I only picked the Mazda 6 for slightly larger interior and the price I got for it for But love the turbo civic.
A CVT coupled with a torque converter? Now that is great news, because it is always at slow crawls that a CVT tends to give jerky performance. So that's really great news.
again another wonderfuly thought out review. question though, has anyone ever told you that you sound like captain obvious from hotels.com commercials when you sign off saying your name?
+pedrof830 Especially because of the size. There's one parked in front of my home and I initially thought it was an accord from the front. The stance is so much wider. Honda has done an amazing job with this model. 0-60 in only 6.8 is impressive for this car.
Doesnt it annoy you that those equipped with collision sensors, that the bottom front bumper doesnt look symetric (black plate on right side vs fake vent grill on left)?
HR-V more $$, less room, less features, worse gas milage, worse handling, worse performance. It just doesn't add up. But if that's your thing that's cool. With the Civic you made the smart choice not the emotional one.
Better handling than the Mazda 3? In many other aspects, like value, tech etc., it already seems to match or beat the Mazda 3, but the handling and the power delivery of the 2.5l Mazda Skyactiv?
The LX trim doesn't have a sport mode or turbo...does the CVT still feel better than the 2015 model without these options? Because I can't stand CVTs and am considering switching over to a Mazda 3 for this reason.
Good looking exterior and amazing numbers given in this review. Performance and economy figures are outstanding. I tend to shy away from turbos and prefer a NA engine. Good they got away from the two tier dash, but unfortunately, like some others, now have the Cyclopes and read out dash.
Excuse me..is that your ladies wedding and engagement ring ensemble seen at 4:06? In turns I find it better not to twist your arms in a tangle while steering. Try shuffling the wheel through your hands as they are maintained in the same relative position. Very nice review....good informative piece...thanks!
I really do love this updated civic, but one thing that just bugs me is how Honda never matches the fog lights to its LED headlights. Otherwise I have no other gripes. It seems like a spectacular car!
The civic is great but feels a bit "snug" compared to an accord or any midsize. I think it handily knocks off the Mazda 6 because they aren't too different of cars at very different price points. The small size is a nice advantage in parking lots and in traffic, but you definitely feel it sitting in a Civic then an Accord, that sense of space really changes. Other than that and a few other small issues, it's a winner. I dislike the blind spot monitoring, no cross traffic alerts and no 2 seat memory (that's a huge miss).
j.d. r. Hey dumbass, the civic doesn't compete with the likes of the Accord, Camry, and 6. It's in the same class with the 3, Elantra, Corolla. Jesus christ.
2 major problems AC condenser which they recalled and will fix but the serious dangerous one with the sticky steering they don’t want to recall to expensive but wait till people get into accidents and the attorneys get a hold of the steering issue they’re going to be paying then hopefully 🙏 no one dies frim the steering issue
This car seems really great much how the Mazda 3 took over a few years ago, Honda strike back. Competition is good for consumers. I am debating trading in my 13' Mazdaspeed 3 in for a 2106 Civc not sure which engine. I think both ate good options. I will miss my Speed 3 but it's sits their and my wife and soon to be driving teenager can't drive it.
The new Chevy Cruze will come soon. Know when you'll test it? And I'll agree with you. Honda is back on top with this Civic. Also, not only the Cruze gets a major redesign, so does the Hyundai Elantra for the '17 model year. Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla... you're on notice.
+Billy Sou CVT Transmissions as much as he likes this one are god awful. Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti are the CVT companies. Mechanics hate them and driving enthusiasts as well. Stick with the 17 Elantra. You'll save money on repair bills and get a better drive.
Just my perception but I noticed lots of turbo lag when I test drove the EX-T model, though based on the reviews I was expecting zero like everyone is saying. Guess I'll go lease the non turbo and save myself a few grand. Anyone else have the same thoughts on the turbo model with the CVT?
Good price but I can buy a 2016 Civic EX-T ,3000 miles with leather for $12,500. Looks, runs and drive as new but the down side is that it has "Rebuilt" title.
Honda has reportedly issued a stop-sale order for 2016 Civics equipped with 2.0-liter engines. The company is preparing to recall the vehicles due to a potentially missing or improperly installed piston pin snap ring, which can lead to a stall condition or complete engine failure. "All affected units will require use of a borescope to inspect the four cylinders to confirm correct piston pin snap ring placement," the company wrote in a message to dealers, according to excerpts posted on CivicX forums. "Vehicles exhibiting any concerns with piston pin snap ring placement may require replacement of damaged pistons, piston pins or rings, or other related engine components." Sufficient quantities of replacement parts and inspection borescopes are currently unavailable. American Honda expects to launch its customer notification program by mid-March, sending letters to approximately 34,000 owners. The Japanese automaker has had a few engine problems in recent years. Certain Accord sedans and CR-V crossovers are prone to excessive oil consumption due to worn rings, while separate recalls have addressed engine failures in the Accord, CR-V, Pilot and Odyssey.
Very nice review, Steve, and I will be going for my Civic test drive this spring. Were the seats in the front still comfortable without the lumbar support??? Not sure why Honda did not put that in the higher end Civics. But overall, a car that has more pro's than con's for me. And finally, very sorry to hear about the death of Chris and not easy for you to deal with, esp. since it was so sudden. But he will always be with you in spirit----on and off the road!
+TestDriveNow.com featuring Auto Critic Steve Hammes Good to hear, Steve, esp. since I do a lot of long distance drives on trips. Some people have also complained about the wrinkled leather look in the back seats of Hondas and not sure why some Hondas have that and others do not. Yes, it is a cosmetic eyesore but when I go for my test drive, I will ask about that. Not a deal breaker for me, though, but yes, if I buy a Civic, I would like seats in the back that look as good as the ones in the front.
My Honda 2016 is great in cali but a POS in the snow! It will not drive AT ALL! it goes 8 mph and then the traction control stops the car from driving or going any faster which is actually so dangerous. Same with breaks the breaks will NOT stop in the snow or ice at all! I have the same exact car and it’s Garbage
My opinion is the BEST Cars IN HONDA is the 2000 Civic SI OR EX, S2000 & This great looking 16' Civic Touring. Which is sucks that the new Civic Touring does not go as Fast! It needs one! :)
Goran Jevtic- Type R too! My choice is the SI and the Type R needs to compete with the MINI. Hey, they look better than my favorite Mini. The Civic Coupe.
What are the blank buttons next to the shifter? I've never seen a civic with those buttons being useful! I also hate car makers who leave blank buttons to remind you of the options you didn't get! #fail
Not yet but when I do I'll be putting winter tires on it. I'm sure it will be fine. Don't judge a car how it drives in snow, judge your tires. It's all the difference.
