How does the 2022 Honda Civic fare against the much-loved 10th-gen?
10th vs 11th-generation Honda Civic: Is newer always better?
By this time, Honda fans might have noticed a pattern when it comes to the Civic. A revolutionary model is usually followed by a rather conservative successor. It has been that way for nearly 25 years now.
But it seems that Honda wants to break that pattern with the eleventh-generation model. After the radical redesign of the tenth generation, many were expecting the new one to be more of the same. But one look at the all-new Civic should quell any doubts. That said, there have been mixed reactions, but we'll reserve judgment once we see the car in the metal. Regardless, the 2022 Civic is just as revolutionary as its predecessor, and it's not just in terms of design.
How much bigger?
The Civic has grown a lot over the years. This latest model is the biggest one yet, albeit not by much. The eleventh-generation measures 4,674 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and 1,415 mm tall. By comparison, the outgoing model is 4,649 mm long, 1,799 mm wide, and 1,416 mm tall. That means the redesigned sedan is 25 mm longer, 1 mm wider than before, and 1 mm shorter in height. Surprised? So were we. Despite looking a lot larger than before, the tale of the tape tells a different story.
Accord Jr.
It might only be slightly bigger than before, but the all-new Civic is more like a mini-Accord these days. With its long hood and more upright roofline, the car looks more mature compared to the rakish and sporty-looking predecessor. The elongated headlights and the slim grille that connects them draw some inspiration from its big brother. Meanwhile, the kink by the third side window is a cue from the executive sedan. Interestingly, its length makes it just as long as the Accord sold from 1993 to 1998, so you can really call this a junior Accord.
Minimalism inside
Whereas the tenth-generation Civic features a radical and sporty interior, the eleventh-generation takes a different approach. The swooping lines and wraparound theme makes way for a minimalist ambiance. Honda calls it the “Simplicity and Something” concept. It's their way of minimizing clutter around the dashboard while keeping often-used switches within easy reach. Some will argue that it looks a little less sporty, but you have to admit, it's less busy to look at than before.
Stuff in the trunk
Honda is renowned for offering generous cargo space that defies its dimensions. The all-new Civic is no different. However, the 2022 model loses a few liters, likely to provide more space for the passenger. Before we continue, we are using the North American figures that appear smaller than the local-spec model. That is because their market has a different way of measuring cargo space. With that out of the way, the 2022 Civic has a cargo capacity of 419 liters, down from 428 liters. That said, it might still be over 500 liters when measured through the VDA method, which is what Honda Cars Philippines uses to measure cargo capacity.
Under the hood
We are glad to report that the all-new Civic packs more power under the hood. It still uses the same 1.5-liter turbo, but Honda eked out a few more horses out of it. From 173 PS, the re-tuned mill now puts out 180 PS, an increase of 7 PS. Even more impressive is the new torque figure. The outgoing model already made 220 Nm, but the upcoming 2022 Civic pushes 240 Nm. Having gained less than 30 kilograms over the previous version, we can expect the new model to be a bit quicker than before.
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Given how impressed we were (and still are) with the present Civic, we have high expectations for the eleventh-generation model. We're also keeping our fingers crossed that this one will break the chain of conservative Civics following a radical-looking predecessor. The last time that happened, Honda blessed us with the EK Civic.
