2020 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring Review

Intro

The Civic has been an iconic car for the Honda brand. It is safe, affordable, and surprisingly fun to drive for the price tag. It is no wonder the Honda Civic has been one of the best selling cars in Canada for the past two decades. 

The current 10th generation Civic was first introduced in 2016. It has enjoyed both critical acclaim from journalists and great commercial success since its debut. However, 5 years is a lifetime in the automotive world. Does the 2020 Civic still have what it takes to achieve the same level of success?

Thanks to Honda Canada, I was loaned the 2020 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring for one week to find out. Below is my unbiased review.  

Exterior

Love it or hate it, the Civic hatchback is unmistakable on the road. For people who enjoy a little bit of vintage Japanese charm, the Civic looks sharp, sporty and retrofuturistic. The 2020 hatchback model receives minor styling updates to look more aggressive.  

The slender LED headlights as well as the blacked out center grille give the front fascia a wider stance. Our tester also comes with the available 18” aluminum-alloy wheels that compliment the beefy wheel arches and the fastback silhouette. 

In my opinion, the best view of the Civic hatchback is the rear. The distinctive roofline spoiler is accompanied by another deck spoiler. This combination makes the rear profile extra aggressive. The sporty nature of the car is further emphasized by a layered bumper design, which houses a large air diffuser and dual chrome exhaust tips in its center. 

Interior

The interior of the Civic hasn’t really changed from previous years, but some upgrades can be found. The front passenger seat in the Sport Touring trim is now 4-way power adjustable, and an auto dimming rear view mirror is now included.

The overall atmosphere of the front cabin is clean and functional. A decent amount of soft padded material can be found around the dash, steering wheel, armrests, and door panels. But I wish the center console received the same treatment. The driver seat is 8-way power adjustable and very comfortable. I would prefer the ride height to be slightly higher, but the steering wheel offers great adjustability to accommodate my sitting position. All Civic Hatchbacks benefit from additional sound insulation in the floor, trunk, and fenders. The Sport Touring trim also comes with HomeLink garage door remote controls.

The rear seats offer a surprising amount of head and legroom. While the sedan version gives the rear passenger a little more legroom, the rear cabin of the Civic hatchback is still one of the roomier ones in the segment. You will not find a dedicated air vent in the back, instead, buttons for the two level heated rear seats can be found behind the center console.

Infotainment

The infotainment system of the Civic is centered around the 7” touchscreen display. Honda included physical buttons and a volume/power knob in 2019, and that is still a welcomed change. The touchscreen is sharp and responsive, but the graphic interface is starting to show its age. Both Android Auto and Apple Carplay are standard, and our Sport Touring Trim also comes with a wireless charging pad in the center console. Additional charging ports can be found in the lower deck of the center console, but they might be hard to locate.

The instrument cluster has a digital display in the center and two LED bars on the sides. The left bar shows engine oil temperature, and the right bar shows fuel level. The digital center display has an analog looking tachometer on the outside, and an area to show vehicle information on the inside. You can easily interact with the center portion of the screen via the re-designed buttons on the steering wheel. I find the layout to be intuitive and easy to operate.

The standard audio system in the Civic is not going to blow you away. However, the quieter cabin makes the listening experience more enjoyable.

Safety and Driver Assistance

For the 2020 model year, all Civics come standard with Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assist features. They include:

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Low-Speed Follow (Low-Speed Follow not on MT),
• Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW),
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Automatic high beams

Sport trim and higher also come with Honda LaneWatch, which displays the rear passenger side view on the center display when the right turning signal is activated. The video feed is captured by a rear facing camera that is integrated into the passenger side rear mirror. I find the system to be quite usable, but you will still have to shoulder check to be thorough.

The 2020 Honda Civic earns a 5 star safety rating from NHTSA.

Driving

The Civic hatchback comes standard with a 1.5L Turbocharged inline 4 cylinder engine that produces 180 hp of power and 162 lb.ft. or torque. That is a lot of power for such a small engine. The engine power is delivered to the front wheels through either a CVT or a 6 speed manual transmission. This drivetrain is capable of sending the Civic from 0-100km/hr in about 7.2 seconds, one of the fastest in its class. I am still very impressed with this drivetrain. The throttle response is quick and eager, and the CVT provides more low end torque than I have experienced with other CVTs. 

What really impresses me is how balanced the car behaves in corners. Steering is fast and precise. And the car just feels so responsive to your every input. The engineers at Honda tuned the suspension to be rigid enough to avoid excessive body roll, but soft enough to absorb road disturbances nicely. This is achieved by utilizing independent struts for the front and multi-link suspensions for the rear. I have always praised the Mazda 3 for its handling, but I have to say that the Civic hatchback raises that bar even higher. Now I really wish to test drive the 6-speed manual version of the Civic Hatchback.

The Civic is also very fuel efficient. It is rated at 8L/100km city, 6.7L/100km highway, and 7.4L/100km combined. To get the most performance out of your Civic, Honda recommends you to use premium fuel. 

Cargo Space & Storage

On top of being fun to drive, the Civic hatchback is also very practical. There is 640L of cargo space in the trunk. Folding the 40/60 split rear seats increases the cargo volume to 1308L. The trunk divider does prevent you from laying large objects flat closer to the edges. The rolling trunk cover is very innovative, and can be completely removed without taking too much space. Under the trunk floor is a spare tire and all the necessary tools for a tire change.

Small item storage options in the cabin are plentiful. They include a deep center console storage compartment with a removable sliding cup holder tray, deep size door pockets, and a unique double-deck front center console design that provides additional storage options. The rear door pockets are large enough to handle tall water bottles, and two more cup holders can be found in the rear folding armrest.

Verdict

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback is one of the most fun to drive cars in the segment. On top of that, the Civic is practical, fuel efficient, and loaded with safety features. While the external styling may not be for everyone, and the interior design is starting to show its age, the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback remains one of the best options for budget conscious buyers.

Test Vehicle

2020 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring

MSRP

$32,690 CAD as tested

Color

Crystal Black Pearl