New-look 2019 Honda Civic has landed, starts at Php 1,115,000

It was first shown in the US, then we saw it in Thailand. Now, it's here. The 2019 Honda Civic has landed in the Philippines, sporting a refreshed design inside and out. Aside from that, they've added a new variant too, bringing the local Civic range to three. These are the 1.8 S, 1.8 E, and 1.5 RS Turbo.

All 2019 Civics get a new rounded-off front bumper, complemented by a more angular pair of foglight housings. The rear gets a milder makeover, consisting of a new lower valence on the bumper. New wheel designs are also part of the new package, save for one variant. As for the rest of the vehicle's body, it carries over largely unchanged. The 1.8 E has LED headlights, chrome door handles, and new 16-inch alloys. Meanwhile, the range-topping 1.5 RS Turbo adds more gloss black trimmings, as well as new 18-inch wheels, an RS badge on the grill piece, and rear spoiler.

The newest addition to the Civic lineup is the 1.8 S. It now serves as the entry-level model of the range, bumping up the 1.8 E to mid-level status. By the looks of it, the 1.8 S model inherits most of its looks from the current 1.8 E with its 16-inch alloy wheels, and chrome grill. The main difference aside from the familiar wheels is that the base Civic has its chrome pieces stripped off from the door handles. Another key difference of the 1.8 S and the rest of the range are the halogen projector headlights. The 1.8 E and 1.5 RS Turbo get LED units.

Inside, the 2019 Civic 1.8 E and 1.5 RS Turbo get a redesigned infotainment system. There are now buttons on the corners of the screen to improve tactile feel, and the 'slide to adjust' volume control has been changed in favor of a more traditional dial. Both retain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. There's even the redesign climate control which now allows users to adjust the fan speed without going through the touchscreen. In the RS, it gets new sport pedals with extra grip pads, and the red contrast stitching is more prominent that before. Leather and power adjustable seats are also exclusive to the RS.

Meanwhile, in the 1.8 S, it still retains a touchscreen audio system, sans the aforementioned smartphone linking programs. It does keep Bluetooth and auxiliary functions, allowing drivers to keep their hands off the phone and keep it on the steering wheel. Speaking of which, all three variants keep their steering wheel mounted controls, as well as cruise control.

Engines are the same as before meaning the 1.8-liter engine still makes 141 PS and 174 Nm of torque, while the RS sticks to the 1.5-liter turbo good for 173 PS and 220 Nm of torque. All variants shift via a continuously variable transmission. It's also good to know that stability control is still standard across the range.

Prices for the 2019 Honda Civic is as follows:

Civic 1.8 S: Php 1,115,000

Civic 1.8 E: Php 1,185,000

Civic 1.5 RS Turbo: 1,608,000