After years of mediocrity, the Honda Civic once again became a compact car worth caring about when the current, 10th-generation model appeared in 2015. As the Civic rolls into the 2019 model year, the coupe and sedan body styles get a handful of updates (Honda didn’t mention any updates for the Civic hatchback) to keep them fresh.
The 2019 Honda Civic sedan and coupe get more standard driver-assist tech, a new Sport trim level, and refreshed styling. That last item is the most subtle, as the changes to the exteriors of both sedan and coupe are relatively minor. Honda claims the front fascia has been significantly updated, but you’d have to park a 2019 Civic next to its 2018 counterpart to spot the differences.
The Honda Sensing suite of driver aids is now standard on all Civic sedan and coupe trim levels. It includes autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, road departure mitigation with lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Honda Sensing is either standard or available as an optional extra on all 2019 Hondas, and Honda plans to make it standard across the board by the 2022 model year.
Honda didn’t mention any mechanical changes, meaning Civic buyers will continue to get a choice of two engines, with a six-speed manual gearbox or continuously variable transmission (CVT). The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. Honda also offers a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as an upgrade. The turbo engine produces 174 hp, as well as 162 lb-ft with the CVT or 167 lb-ft with the manual. The Civic Si and Civic Type R performance models are expected to return as well.
The 2019 Civic also gets a new Sport trim level, which slots between the base LX and the EX. The Sport gets piano black exterior trim, as well as a rear spoiler and Civic Si-like polygonal exhaust tip for the sedan. Available only with the 2.0-liter engine, the Civic Sport rides on 18-inch wheels. It also gets a 7.0-inch Display Audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Pricing starts at $19,450 for a base LX sedan with the six-speed manual. The coupe starts at $20,650, but isn’t available with a manual in base form. The new Sport trim level starts at $21,150 for the sedan, and $21,450 for the coupe. Next up is the EX, priced starting at $23,400 for the sedan and $23,200 for the coupe. An EX-L trim level for the sedan only starts at $24,600. Finally, the top Touring trim level is priced from $26,850 and $27,300 for the coupe and sedan, respectively.
Updated on September 25, 2018: Added pricing information and more photos.
