Although Honda managed to silence most critics of the 2012 redesign of its compact stalwart Civic with a shockingly thorough refresh in 2013, apparently the brand still wasn't satisfied and has made yet still more major changes to the car for 2014. Honda has always been known for having shorter model cycles than other automakers but seriously this is getting ridiculous. Clearly Honda's engineers and manufacturing powers that be can react at the speed of light but what do we think of this updated 2014 model?
First off, let's go over what they did to enhance the 2013 Civic. Honda started by boosting interior materials quality to class leading levels with a sense of perceived quality that is undeniable. Then they continued by enhancing steering feel with changes to where they mounted the rack, interior noise dropped noticeably thanks to sound deadening measures and suspension adjustments made the ride smooth yet still as agile as any Civic owner should rightly expect from this always fun to drive car. You'd think that was enough right? Wrong.
So, for 2014 Honda replaced its five-speed automatic which to our thinking worked perfectly well and replaced it with a new, more efficient CVT automatic similar to but not exactly like the one found in the larger Accord. Then, to quell complaints that its navigation system was antiquated and the stereo face plates which we thought were delightfully straightforward have been replaced by new, state of the art high-resolution 7-inch touch screens on all models even those without navigation. With this new feature also comes a back-up camera and features like the Honda-Link system previously only available on Accord. People also didn't like the fact that last year's model used a key to start it, apparently, so Honda responded by adding a Stop/Start button on the dash. And lastly, on the safety front the Civic also now boasts Honda's Lane Watch System which has a camera in the passenger side mirror so every time you activate your turn signal you can see across the two lanes next two you via the center screen to ensure no one is in your blind spot. Happy now?
The 2014 Honda Civic is available as either a slightly remodeled coupe or a stylish four door sedan and can come equipped with a range of powerplants spanning everything from a hybrid gas/electric, a 1.8 liter 143 horsepower/129 lb. feet of torque 4-cylinder, the Si model's 2.4 liter 201 horsepower/170 lb. feet of torque 4-cylinder on down to even a natural gas powered variant. Prices range from about $18,000 for base LX models all the way to $27,335 for a fully loaded 2014 Honda Civic Hybrid sedan with leather and navigation. And trust us, there are Civic's at every price point in between.
Our test model was a 2014 Honda Civic EX-L coupe equipped with the new CVT automatic transmission but we have tested a 2013 Honda Civic Si, 2013 Honda Civic EX sedan, the hybrid as well as the Natural Gas model so our experience with this model is very broad. We will in this review, however, be focusing mainly on the volume selling 2014 sedan and coupe with the 1.8 liter 4-cylinder and new CVT automatic. If you have any questions about any Civic model, feel free to contact us with questions via the email address team@iseecars.com or send me a direct message on Twitter @jameshamelcaroc. I will respond to all queries.
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