2016 Honda Civic Coupe – Test Drive, Review, Ratings, Spec

The Honda Civic Coupe is a Sex Appeal

The Honda Civic Coupe doesn’t have all the balls in the bag to place itself into the performance category. Still, its all-new 10th generation Honda Civic Coupe’s looks and rev happy i-VTEC engine certainly brings some form of a sex appeal with its magnificently body styling and intricate design elements borrowed from its super-car Acura NSX family genetics

Promiscuous Styling

And no, I’m not kidding, the front end really does look that good. Its LED front headlights resemble that of super-car prestige while its rear sculpting is completely revamped to offer an even more bold and sportier look compared to older generations. Combined with a lowered stance, flat-line hood profile and sharp lines, the all new 2016 Honda Civic Coupe really is a captivating piece.

There isn’t as much to rave about the interior, but it still holds up to its own will. Overall scheme is homogeneous black with a highly decorated digitized instrument cluster that’s always been a Civic thing. With that said, the Civic has always offered a spacious cabin, and this year’s makes it even better by increasing the front row headroom by 0.1″ and the rear by up to a 0.3″.

Driving position fits the bill well with its bucket seats that provide good lateral support while offering good comfort thanks to the fact that it’s not mounted extremely low. Rear seating arrangement is tight but that’s to be expected from any 2 seater. Nevertheless, back row can fit two average size adults without too much fuss.

Performance Metrics and Road Practice

Improvements have been made to its powertrain with two engine configurations to choose from. The base engine is a 2.0-liter 16-Valve DOHC i-VTEC produces ore horsepower and torque than any previous base Civic engine in the U.S. with specs rated at 158 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 138 lb-ft of torque. The more performance inspired configuration is the 1.5-liter 16-valve DOHC direct-injected turbocharged engine, upping its spec to 174 horsepower and and 162 lbs. of torque.

Manual transmission are slow dying commodity, but the Honda Civic has been one of the few to keep the flickering flame alive. With that said, choice of gearbox is made available in either a 6-speed manual, or a CVT. While our tester was unfavorably equipped with the latter with the 1.5L turbo, acceleration still felt capable off the line. Turbo lag is still felt, but its boost is subtle enough that won’t deprecate driving comfort too much.

All said and done, fuel economy scores in at an impressive 31/35/41 mpg in the city, combined and highway with the 1.5L engine while the 2.0L CVT score in slightly less at 30/41/34 mpg.

Steering and handling doesn’t quite make it into the proper sports car domain, and the body roll felt around hard cornering is a sign. But even with that said, its low center of gravity, and quick turn radius still gives a tease of driving enticement. The 6 speed manual transmission would have scored a few more points in the driving enjoyment category.

Final Thoughts

Another plus note not yet mentioned is that the Honda Civic Coupe is an ultra affordable car. The base model can be had for as little as 20k with the LX model equipped with the lower 2.0L engine. The EX-T trim gets you into the bigger league by offering the 1.5L engine and CVT transmission priced in at $24,555. Finally, the highest Touring model comes with all the bells and whistles with Honda-Sense safety features including a backup-camera, lane change warning system and collision braking mitigation system for $27,555.

It’s definitely disappointing that the 6 speed manual transmission is, for whatever reason, not offered with a trim equipped with the more powerful 1.5L turbo charged engine and only offered in the lowest LX model. But even with that said, the Honda Civic Coupe is offered with a very enticing price tag for the frugal buyers. And with that said, it’s not fair to expect sports performance from the bargain shopping lane. But what you get a bargain for is an awesome exterior look that rivals those with a much bigger price tag, and a short tease of driving enjoyment.

Specifications

Vehicle : 2016 Honda Civic Coupe
Model : Honda Civic Coupe (Touring)
Price as Tested : $29, 555
Vehicle Type : Coupe
Seating Capacity : 2 + 2
Powertrain Configuration : FWD
Engine : 1.5L V4 i-VTEC Turbo Charged
Transmission : CVT
Fuel Economy:31/41/35 mpg City/Highway/Combined

Pros

Exquisite exterior styling
Ultra-affordable pricetag for lower end base model
Impressive fuel economy

Cons

6-speed manual transmission only offered in LX base model
Not much driving enthusiasm to be had here especially given the fact that it’s a stunning looking coupe