2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Honda Civic

Looking back, the 2021 Honda Civic continued to polarize opinions with its daring design first introduced in 2016. Available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback, and the high-performance Type R variant, the 2021 Civic maintained a standout look that people either loved or hated. The 2021 sedan came in various trims, starting with the LX at $21,250 and topping out with the Touring trim. Our test vehicle was a Civic Touring sedan dressed in Cosmic Blue Metallic paint, with an overall price of $29,690. This hue, coupled with the Civic Touring’s 18-inch wheels, made for an attractive, albeit occasionally controversial, aesthetic.

On the other hand, the 2022 Honda Civic adopted a more conservative and mature look, shedding some of the boldness of its predecessor. This 11th-generation model took design cues from the larger Accord, aiming for a more tailored and grown-up appearance. The design changes included a sleeker silhouette and a reimagined interior that emphasized simplicity and functionality. Our evaluation focused on the Civic Touring in a new Morning Mist Blue color, with a price tag that reached $29,690. This model also saw the return of the five-door hatchback later in the year, continuing the same absence of the two-door coupe.

For the 2021 Honda Civic, starting with LX and Sport trims, you got a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. This setup was sufficient unless you experienced the turbocharged alternative. The preferable 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, standard in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, generated 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm. However, the CVT often detracted from the driving experience, resonating an intrusive drone. Despite this, the fuel economy remained commendable, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile drive.

In comparison, the 2022 Civic refined its engines, presenting the same two options but with improvements. The 2.0-liter engine offered by the LX and Sport trims retained its 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque, while the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine now produced 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, available from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. This increase made the turbocharged engine particularly satisfying. Both engines continued to pair with CVTs, but Honda introduced new Step Shift programming to mimic an automatic transmission better. The upgraded handling and structural rigidity made for a fun driving experience, although the fuel economy underperformed expectations with the Civic Touring returning 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile drive.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low, requiring some physical exertion to get in and out. Inside, the front driver’s seat offered eight-way power adjustment for ease of comfort, but the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster. Rear passengers had reasonable legroom and excellent thigh support, but they missed rear A/C vents, making hotter days uncomfortable. The center console offered significant storage, from numerous trays to a deep bin with a sliding armrest. The trunk size was 15.1 cubic feet, or 14.7 cubic feet for Touring trims due to the premium sound system components.

For 2022, comfort remained a priority, with redesigned front seats reportedly offering better support. The power driver’s seat in the Touring trim enabled an ideal driving position and included heating but lacked ventilation. Although the front passenger’s seat still did not have a height adjuster, its thigh support and overall comfort made up for this. The rear seat offered more legroom than most competitors and added two USB ports for charging. The 2022 model had a conventional center console with reduced storage but better cupholder accessibility. The trunk volume stood at 14.8 cubic feet and 14.4 cubic feet for the Touring trim, still spacious enough for practical use.

In 2021, the Civic’s technology showed its age. The base LX trim offered a 5-inch LCD screen with minimal features. Upgrading to the Sport trim brought a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an enhanced audio system. Higher trims like the EX included HD and SiriusXM radio. The Touring trim's voice recognition system, while useful, required precise commands. The premium audio system in the Touring trim was a nice touch, but the Sport trim’s eight-speaker setup sufficed well enough.

The 2022 Civic showcased significant technological advancements. Every model featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim boasting a 10-inch display offering customization and driving data. Notable was the Vehicle Activity display, which helped drivers understand their car’s lighting status. The base trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen, but the Touring trim upgraded to a 9-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. This setup represented a dramatic upgrade from the previous model and improved the user experience.

The 2021 Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, which included a range of advanced driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. EX trims and above also featured LaneWatch, which used a right-side mirror camera to monitor the lane. Although this system had its drawbacks, including no support for the left side and requiring dual attention spots during lane changes, the 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS for Touring trims and five-star ratings across all crash tests from the NHTSA.

For the 2022 model, Honda Sensing was significantly upgraded with a new front camera and sonar sensors, enhancing the functionality and smoothness of the ADAS features. The Civic ditched the outdated LaneWatch system for a modern blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert in EX and Touring trims. New safety measures, like improved vehicle architecture and additional airbags, made the 2022 Civic a safer choice. Unfortunately, lower trim levels like LX and Sport missed out on these advanced features, which were crucial for younger and less experienced drivers.