2023 Honda Civic Sedan

Motoring doesn't get much more sensible than the latest Honda Civic Sedan. It scores high marks for efficiency, practicality, comfort, safety, and value. If all of that sounds boring, think again, because the Civic also brings sparkling handling to a segment not known for emphasizing driving enjoyment. The Civic Sedan would be even more enjoyable with the option of a manual gearbox, but this is reserved for the more sportily styled Civic Hatchback or the Civic Si sedan that we review separately. The Volkswagen Jetta may be a little more comfortable and refined, while the Mazda 3 still has the most upscale cabin in this segment, but the Civic - especially with its 180-hp turbocharged engine - is far more fun to drive than the former and more spacious than the latter. In short, the Honda's spread of abilities without any glaring downsides sets it apart, but is its sheer competence alluring enough to send it to the top of its segment?

The price of the new 2023 Honda Civic Sedan begins at $23,750 for the LX. From there, the MSRP of the Honda Civic Sedan increases to $25,350 for the Sport, $26,200 for the EX, and $30,350 for the Touring. These starting prices in the USA exclude any options as well as the destination fee of $1,095.

Honda's ability to imbue even the humble Civic with sharp handling and sporty responses should be lauded. The steering is pretty quick and has some welcome feel, so the driver always has a good idea of what the front wheels are doing. Grip levels are decent, changes of direction are well controlled, and the Civic is hardly overpowered so can be pushed quite hard without its balance being affected.

In terms of comfort and refinement, the new Honda Civic Sedan is good rather than great. It deals with bumps in an acceptable fashion but doesn't quite ride as comfortably as some other contenders in this segment, while road and tire noise become noticeable as the speeds rise. Again, though, it's good enough considering the segment it occupies, and the above-average handling shines in this class.

The CVT transmission equipped to every Civic Sedan aids efficiency but also contributes to higher noise levels, but for commuting around town, it's perfectly adequate, especially when paired with the more powerful 180-hp turbocharged engine.

Its styling may have matured a bit too much compared with its predecessor, but the 11th generation of the Civic still has a level of driver appeal that endears it to sensibly-minded enthusiasts. This is Honda showing us that modest powertrains and accessible prices don't always lead to a soulless car. This great sedan also has a smart and practical cabin, plenty of standard safety features, and efficient powertrains. It's disappointing that a manual is no longer available, especially when less dynamic competitors like the Jetta still offer a stick shift, and the base engine isn't very powerful. A touch of extra refinement on the highway would also improve the Civic's appeal, but none of these issues emerge as true dealbreakers. Following our review of the Honda Civic Sedan, it achieved a higher overall BuzzScore than all its rivals - need we say more?

Our preferred choice of trim is the EX which is the cheapest model with the turbocharged engine. It's also only $2,450 more than the base LX, but comes with many additional features like alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, double the speaker count for the sound system, and higher-quality interior fittings such as the leather-wrapped steering wheel. We'd have ours in the striking Aegean Blue Metallic paint, but since Honda offers hardly any options, there isn't anything else we'd add to it.