2022 Honda Civic: What Are The Critics Saying? (*Hint: They Love It)

Roughly twice per decade, Honda releases an all-new Civic. 

As of June 16, 2021, there's an all-new 2022 Honda Civic in showrooms across Canada. There last was a brand new 10th-generation Civic in 2016, prior to which new models appeared for model year 2006, 2001, 1996, 1992... well, you get the picture.

Time after time after time, a new Civic arrives and critics label it as the best car in its class. As the best vehicle in its class, the Civic consequently becomes the best-selling car in its class. In fact, in each of the last 23 years, the Civic has been Canada's overall best-selling car. 

Will 2022 be any different?

Probably not. We've surveyed a massie group of automotive journalists to determine the critical consensus, and it turns out the 11th iteration of the Honda Civic is, yet again, the class leader. Here are reports from a dozen automotive critics.

Motor Trend: "Inputs are Porsche-like in their weight and mapping, with a firm brake pedal and a reasonably snappy throttle. The electric steering is understandably light, but it's neither overly quick nor artificial, with predictable load-up. Damping is almost hot-hatch tight and impressively smooth over broken pavement and regular surface streets."

Car And Driver: "Inside, the new Civic is comfortable and well thought out. A 1.4-inch longer wheelbase goes primarily toward the comfort of rear-seat passengers. Front seats are wider in the shoulders to fit bigger people more comfortably, and after several hours in them we emerged happy."

Driving.ca: "What really surprised me during the drive was the fact a large road ripple encountered mid-corner did not upset the Civic’s planted feel — it rode the ripple out without making it feel like the back-end was about to step out of line. Not many entry-level cars feel as composed under these conditions."

Motor1: "It’s a home run in the cabin. We love the main design element, a large horizontal stretch of metal with neat honeycomb detailing that hides the HVAC vents. Directly below that sits a trio of metallic knobs that offer a satisfying click when you turn them left and right."

The Car Connection: "A nice side effect of dropping the hood and moving the A-pillars back is that the driver has a large and obstructed forward view. The sightlines looking forward are now excellent, almost SUV-esque, but from a lower seating position."

Autoblog: "Steering is precise and low effort, but not overly light. It makes for smooth transitioning between corners on a curvy road, and the body feels planted as the load shifts from one side to the other. We were able to flog the Civic pretty hard on some of our favorite dynamic roads, and it remained confidently stable and neutral."

Wheels: "There’s less road, wind, and tire noise making this feel more like an Acura product. The engineers have used urethane spray foam to fill voids and other sound-absorbing materials on the underbody and throughout the chassis. It’s the stiffest Civic too, with 10 times more structural adhesive and increased use of aluminum and other lightweight materials."

AutoGuide: "The steering is clean and consistent, building driver confidence early. Body roll is minimal as well, and the Civic feels resolutely planted on the highway."

Edmunds: "The Civic earns its rank as our No. 1 small sedan thanks to its fun-to-drive nature, roominess and high fuel efficiency."

AutoTrader: "The outgoing car was already a decent handler, but this version buttons this compact down even more. The steering feels markedly quicker, more precise, and exhibits a delicacy reminiscent of cars way more expensive and athletic. The stiffer chassis feels lower, tighter, and more compact, though there’s reason to believe the psychological effects of the minimalist interior and big greenhouse had a little bit to do with it, too. As a result, the entire car feels nimbler and lighter than before despite weighing marginally more."

Cars.com: "Overall, there are only as many buttons as are needed, nothing extra, nothing confusing. Everything is arranged within the driver’s sightlines. I can even see the buttons that Honda likes to mount low and to the left of the driver’s knee without a problem now. You feel like you’re sitting low in the Civic thanks to the plentiful headroom, but the windshield feels upright and the dash and beltline feel low, improving the outward visibility considerably over the past Civic. The steering wheel feels substantial, and the shifter position (note that it’s not a push-button affair) is perfectly located for resting your hand."

The Detroit Bureau: "The 2022 Honda Civic offers even more of what buyers are likely to look for. It’s attractive, sporty, fun to drive, and loaded with creature comforts and high-tech features. And, as always, we expect it to deliver rock-solid reliability."