What the experts say about the 2017 Honda Civic
An editor, a dealership general manager, and a safety official weigh in.
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2017 Honda Civic
Perennially one of the top three selling sedans in the U.S., the Honda Civic is the car of choice for more than a quarter-million people each year looking for a dependable daily driver with flair. Redesigned for 2016, its styling and performance puts it ahead of the typical staid sedan. It is also available as a coupe, hybrid, and a-new-for-2017 hatchback.
The five-passenger Civic sedan is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that drivers say is sufficient for a compact car, but the optional turbocharged, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine provides extra performance. The Civic’s standard transmission is a six-speed manual, with an option for a CVT (continuously variable transmission) that cycles through an infinite number of gear ratios to deliver optimal fuel economy.
The Civic earns strong ratings from most automotive groups for its mix of performance dynamics, interior space, and cabin styling. The 2017 Civic sedan has earned perfect scores for crashworthiness from the country’s two important ratings agencies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Honda Civic sedan’s base model delivers an excellent 28 miles to the gallon around town and 40 on the highway. It starts at $18,740.
What the experts are saying
Head of the class
“I so often find myself recommending the Honda Civic to friends, and it’s easy to see why. The 10th-generation compact sedan brings its A-game, with great driving dynamics, clever interior packaging, and chic style. Plus, with tons of available technology, luxury, and safety features, the Civic proves ‘premium’ and ‘affordable’ are no longer mutually exclusive. What’s more, with sedan, coupe, and hatchback body styles, there’s something for everyone. As far as well-rounded compact cars go, for my money, there’s no better choice in the segment.” – Steven Ewing, managing editor at Motor1
More power than before
“Right now is an exciting time to be selling Hondas with the arrival of the 2017 Honda Civics. The Civic is the best-selling car with American car buyers. We’re looking forward to the upcoming Civic Si and the powerful Civic Type R in 2017. Our customers love the connectivity with Apple Car Play, Android Auto and Pandora and how much fun the Civic is to drive. With the addition of a turbocharged engine in the new (2016) Civic, Honda will be launching models with higher standard horsepower than ever.” – Scott Birtles, general manager at Herb Chambers Honda
Excellent safety scores but poor headlights
“The 2017 Honda Civic is an IIHS Top Safety Pick with its optional front crash prevention system. The Civic has long excelled for safety performance in our tests. However, we tightened the criteria for 2017 to include good or acceptable headlight performance in order to achieve the Top Safety Pick+ level award. That’s where the Civic falls short for 2017 with its best available headlights rating only poor. Headlights are an important crash avoidance system. If headlights earn a poor rating, it means drivers are less likely to see trouble in the road ahead in time to avoid a collision.” – Russ Rader, senior vice president of communications at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
For more information on the 2017 Honda Civic, visit a Honda dealership near you.
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