2023 Honda Civic Touring Video, Review, And Pricing

By: Muneeb Khan
December 2, 2023

There’s no arguing that the Civic nameplate has been a monumental success for Honda, not only marking the brand’s foray into the compact car segment but also paving the way for a moniker that has gone on to garner worldwide recognition, all in the name of dependability and longevity. Now, more than half a century later, the Civic has seen eleven generations, each injected with the same fundamental recipe as its predecessors, albeit with a bit more creature comforts.

The 11th-generation Honda Civic continues into the 2023 model year unchanged, following a redesign just a year prior, with Honda Canada being gracious enough to throw us the keys for a week-long evaluation.

Under the hood, the 2023 Honda Civic Touring houses a 1.5-litre turbocharged inline-four, pushing out a modest 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to a continuously variable (CVT) and is solely available in front-wheel drive form. Around town, the turbocharged four-banger has ample power and frugally putters about in a serene manner. Under hard acceleration, it succumbs to a small amount of turbo lag but delivers the goods without a fuss. When driving conservatively, the CVT transmission makes itself scarce, silently working in the background. Enter a highway on-ramp, though, and the CVT makes good use of its simulated gears, reducing the habitual drones typically associated with said transmission.

When it comes to manoeuvrability, the Civic is surprisingly agile, exuding confidence with its sharp steering, minimal body roll, and eagerness to turn in. The ride is compliant, and the Civic does an excellent job of soaking up bumps and keeping vibrations that enter the cabin to a minimum.

Compared to its predecessor, this 11th generation takes a drastically different approach in the styling department, opting for a much more subdued look, which some may consider mundane. For us, however, it’s the perfect blend of style and subtlety without overdoing it. Furthermore, standout features on the exterior include full LED headlights, fog lights, 18-inch two-tone wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a power sunroof, and more. The Civic is also available in a plethora of different colours, though we think our tester’s “Platinum White Pearl” suits it quite well.

Inside, the Civic boasts a no-nonsense cabin approach comprising a slew of physical switchgear, which is a welcome addition to an industry obsessed with capacitive touch buttons and touchscreen-buried controls. The layout is simple yet efficient, making do with knobs and large buttons that are clearly labelled and easy to comprehend, with just the right amount of gloss black trim and textured accents.

In typical Honda fashion, fit and finish are spectacular, and quality materials line the cabin. A 9-inch display sits atop the dash, flanked by a volume knob and a pair of shortcut keys. It also features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Still, though, it can support a wired connection via a set of USB-A ports (two in the front and two in the back), along with a wireless charging pad to further establish the wire-free notion. The Touring also benefits from a 12-speaker Bose audio system, which delivers crisp audio, further enhancing the cabin experience.

The fully digital gauge cluster introduced last year makes a welcome appearance again and displays information in a concise, easy-to-read manner. It’s also customizable to a certain degree and shows a miniature representation of your Civic in the centre, mimicking core exterior vehicle functions like activating turn signals and headlights; it also highlights live traffic in your vicinity.

With a low dashboard and narrow A-pillars, visibility out the front is spectacular. The heated 8-way power-adjustable seats allow ample configurability and offer good support and plushness for those long journeys. Passengers in the back also benefit from creature comforts like heated seats and ample headroom and legroom. The Civic’s trunk is one of the largest in the segment, with a capacity of 419 L. It also has a wide opening, deep passage, and the option to drop the rear seats in a 60/40 split, allowing you to carry longer items.

From a fuel economy perspective, Honda Canada rates the Civic’s turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain to consume 7.6L/100KM in the city and 6.1L/100KM out on the highway, delivering a combined figure of 6.9L/100KM—all possible on 87-grade fuel. Our week-long test consisting of city and highway jaunts saw us average 8.5L/100 KM, which we associated with fluctuating temperatures and our tester’s winter tires.

The Civic also impresses us in the safety department, offering a host of driver-assist features that act as both a safety blanket and a means of reducing the peril associated with driving. Notable features include a forward collision warning system with automatic braking, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, and a traffic sign recognition system, amongst many others.

For 2023, the Civic is available in 7 trim levels, starting with the LX-B at $26,285, LX at $26,835, EX-B at $28,600, EX at $29,150, Sport-B at $29,700, Sport at $30,250, and Touring coming in at $33,350. Our tester painted in Platinum White Pearl (a $300 upcharge) came in at $33,650, approx.

For decades, the Honda Civic has proven to be an efficient, practical, and dependable vehicle that has satisfied a deluge of customers while also building a stout reputation for its robustness and generally zesty driving nature. This 11th-generation Civic builds on these traits while maintaining a future-forward attitude, making it a top pick for us and devotees who have come to expect nothing but the best from the fabled nameplate.