Honda Civic

• 1.5 turbo is most powerful in the region
• Turbo engine, Sensing is standard on even base variant
• Pricier than Civic FC and Corolla Altis

Here to build on the successes of its predecessors, the all-new 2022 Honda Civic (FE) has just been launched in Malaysia at an event in MITEC KL. Prices for the C-segment sedan starts from RM 126k to RM 144k, and over 1,200 bookings have been placed since it was first announced.

These numbers are notably higher than the preceding Civic FC, which started from RM 109,327 (1.8 S), to RM 125,081 (1.5 TC) before topping out at RM 134,661 (1.5 TC-P).

Which also means the Toyota Corolla Altis – the Civic’s segment competitor – still holds a price advantage, as prices for that model start from RM 123,972 (1.8 G) and RM 134,505 (1.8 V).

All-new 2022 Honda Civic: Spacious, with more standard kit

Measuring 4,678 mm long, 1,802 mm wide, and 1,415 mm tall, the new Civic is every bit bigger than the last. Wheelbase is 35 mm longer too, coming up at 2,735 mm.

Pop the boot and there’s 497 litres (VDA standard) of storage space in there, which can be further expanded via 60:40 split-folding rear seats.

Regardless of your opinion on its look – and it’s certainly been push-and-pull ever since the prototype broke cover – ours comes with decent exterior kit, considering LED headlights, LED DRLs, and LED combination tail lights are standard fitment.

Wheels-wise you’re looking at 16-inches for the base E variant, 17-inches for the V, but the absolute best ones are on the top-spec RS: its matte-black, 18-inch rollers are just as they are on the North American Civic Si!

Also read: Is the all-new 2022 Honda Civic Si a reborn Type R sedan? – 200 PS, 260 Nm, 6-MT, rev-matching

The rest of the RS-exclusive exterior package matches the Si too: we get black finishes on the grille, antenna, window trims, door handles, side mirrors, and on the horn-shaped boot lid spoiler.

Three colours are carried over from the FC: Platinum White Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, and Crystal Black Pearl. Ignite Red and Meteoroid Grey – both first seen on the Honda City Hatchback – are offered too.

Also read: Launched in Malaysia, 2022 Honda City Hatchback fights Yaris, est. price from RM 76k

As is tradition with recent Honda models, buyers have the option to spruce up their Civics even more with accessory packages that includes Modulo bodykits, door visors, side steps, trunk trays, and the like.

2022 Honda Civic: Interior wins some, loses some

Rear air-conditioning vents with 2 USB-A ports are something all variants get, along with a 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster, ambient lighting, and single-zone air-conditioning.

We know you’re curious about the last item but sadly that’s true, not even the range-topping RS gains dual-zone air-conditioning.

And while we’re ripping the plaster, we might as well go all the way: our Civic FE also misses out on the fancy Smart Key Card of the Thailand-spec car, instead coming with a regular keyfob like one gets with the Honda City.

Also read: The all-new 2022 Honda Civic FE has a clever weight reduction method

The base Civic 1.5 E gets fabric seats (with manual adjustments all-around), and a 7-inch touchscreen headunit which bundles wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Also read: Why your next car should come with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay

Wireless CarPlay is reserved for the 9-inch infotainment systems in the V and RS variants, and those two also gain leather seats with 8-way power adjustability for the driver.

Other goodies in the V and RS variants are 8-speakers (only 4 in the E, but either way, no Bose), paddle shifters, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The Honda Connect telematics system is also available on both of these variants.

2022 Honda Civic: Sharper Sensing

The Honda Sensing ADAS suite has also been suitably updated, and it does away with the radar, instead employing a camera-only setup. The monucular front camera now affords an approximately 100° field-of-view, up from 50° in the FC.

Features in the Civic FE’s Sensing arsenal are as follows:

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Low-Speed Follow (LSF)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
• Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Auto High Beam (AHB)
• Lead Car Departure Notification (LCDN, only on RS)

LCDN basically alerts the driver via audiovisual cues that the car in front has moved, useful in standstill traffic.

Also read: Honda Sensing: all-new 2022 Civic FE is better than Civic FC because of this

Standard items are 6 airbags, as well as a total of 8 front and rear parking sensors. Honda LaneWatch is only offered on the V and RS variants however.

All-new 2022 Honda Civic: Turbo, Sensing as standard

The 10th-gen Civic FC leaves behind a legacy of sales chart domination, and if we’re honest, this new model is poised to continue that – partly due to the healthy list of improvements, and partly due to how nice it is to drive.

Also read: No need for new model, old Honda Civic FC still sells 2x over Corolla Altis

First order of the new model streamlines powertrains: every variant of the locally-assembled Civic (CKD Pegoh, Melaka) now gets a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine – no more 1.8 NA – and the DOHC i-VTEC mill (codename L15B7) makes 182 PS at 6,000 rpm and 240 Nm from 1,700 - 4,500 rpm.

That’s a 9 PS / 20 Nm bump from the FC, giving our FE bragging rights as the most powerful in ASEAN.

Also read: Malaysia’s 2022 Honda Civic FE is the most powerful in the region, here’s why

A CVT automatic remains the sole gearbox, and this too has been tweaked for better response and drivability.

The fancy new transmission software built-in together with it is also able to pull data from the vehicle's steering angle and wheel speed sensors to figure out what kind of driving conditions the car is in, and therefore adjusts accordingly.

All in, Honda quotes a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 8.3 seconds (E), 8.4 seconds (V), and 8.5 seconds (RS).

Claimed fuel economy is 6 litres/100 km for the E and V variants, and 6.3/litres for the RS variant, with the difference down to the bigger wheels on the latter.

Also read: No more S or ECON mode in the all-new 2022 Honda Civic’s CVT? It’s still there, here’s how to find it

Adding to the performance changes is a drive mode selector, which allows drivers to switch between Econ, Normal, and Sport modes.

Powertrain aside, the Honda Sensing active safety (ADAS) suite is now present on even the cheapest Civic, but sans the Lead Car Departure Notification (LCDN) function which is an RS exclusive.

How does it drive – composed and very cohesive

Though seat time was limited, we still managed to put the 2022 Civic FE through its paces on the South Track of Sepang, and compare notes against the previous-generation FC Civic as well as its closest competitor, the Toyota Corolla Altis, for good measure.

First up was the Toyota Corolla Altis – off the bat, and being unbiased, the Corolla Altis feels very planted and easy to get used to. The driving position is good, the brakes are easy to modulate, and overall body control is adequate courtesy of the Corolla’s TNGA platform.

 Also read: Toyota Corolla Altis'TNGA platform, what is it and does it make any difference?

Though you get a sense, the drivetrain doesn’t really want to be driven hard. Push the ‘go’ pedal to the floor, and the CVT starts to groan loudly, body roll also becomes more pronounced in the corners. With just 139 PS and 172 Nm, it simply isn’t as quick as the Civic, which is able to deploy more torque much earlier.

Jumping into the Civic FC, it still proves a decent steer, even on a track, after all these years. Power is adequate, and the chassis still feels nippy.

With that said, where the Civic FC starts to feel slightly out of depth is in the corners. With the rear end loaded up, the Civic FC tends to feel a bit clumsy when transitioning between corners, and when going onto the brakes.

The steering weightage is too light as well, which makes it tad harder to hold a line through a corner.

Note, Honda Malaysia equipped all cars (even the Corolla Altis) with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (PS4), taking the tyre conundrum out of the equation.

Jumping into the Civic FE immediately after gives you a clear sense how well Honda has developed the new vehicle.

The first thing you notice is how well positioned you are within the cockpit, the next highlight is the steering weightage, which is far better calibrated, to offer a sense of fluidity when turning the steering wheel into a corner.

The brakes – though a bit on the light side, offers good feedback and quick response, which inspires confidence when you slow down for a corner.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the powertrain – given that the hardware isn’t much different from before, the Civic FE feels much stronger at mid-to-high speeds than the Civic FC.

The additional 9 PS and 20 Nm feels like more in the real world than it does on paper. The Civic FE is especially stronger between the speeds of 60 km/h and 100 km/h, and it’ll keep accelerating smoothly well into three-figure speeds.

We had a chance to accelerate the FC and FE from a standing start, and whilst both of them are pretty much equal early on, as soon as you get closer towards 90 km/h mark, the Civic FE just walks away from the FC. Almost as if it has an additional gear to play with.

More so than the engine, the CVT transmission is perhaps the biggest improvement in the Civic FE. Though all we know for now is that’s it been remapped for better response and drivability, it has given the Civic FE a dose of agility that just isn’t there in the FC.

For the most part, the CVT is very intuitive in Eco and Normal modes, perfect for the daily grind, but when shifted into Sport mode, the CVT offers up quick, almost conventional auto type gearshifts. It doesn’t feel gimmicky either, dishing out a further sense of interaction between driver and car.

Additionally, the CVT transmission is also far quieter when worked hard.

Though it’s easy to get caught up with talk of handling and dynamics. The key takeaway is that the Civic FE should prove far more composed, refined and powerful on the roads, whilst still offering a very lively driving experience – a cornerstone of any Civic model.

In much the same way as the design, the most impressive aspect of the Civic is the overall cohesiveness of the powertrain and chassis. It feels as though a multitude of components and attributes have come together exactly how it’s supposed to.

In many ways, the overall experience isn’t much different from driving a well-sorted European sedan like the BMW 320i – given the Civic’s balance, poise and surefootedness. In fact, after a while in the Civic FE, you might even question why you need the BMW at all.

Claimed fuel economy is 6 litres/100 km for the E and V variants, and 6.3/litres for the RS variant, with the difference down to the bigger wheels on the latter.

Conclusion: One that continues a legacy

HMSB backs the Civic with a five-year/unlimited mileage warranty and up to 5 times free labour service within 5 years/100,00 km.

In WapCar’s opinion, the new Civic has left us with positive impressions. 

This generation improves on an already easy-to-love formula: it looks good, drives as well as it should, and more importantly, the gap between lower and higher variants are not so distant anymore – ADAS as standard is certainly the right step in making a collision-free society.

Also read: What is ADAS and why do we need them in our cars?

Stay tuned for our detailed review soon but in the meantime, read our first impressions on the model below.

Also read: Review: 2022 Honda Civic FE – Forget baby Accord, it’s on par with the 3 Series