The Honda Civic remains one of the most ubiquitous vehicles on Canadian roads and has been a resounding success for the Japanese automaker for decades. The current generation of the Civic was introduced in 2022 and we recently tested the 2024 Touring sedan trim, with an as-tested price of $37,119.40.
It is the top of the four trims (other than the SI or Type R) and comes quite well equipped.
Powertrain: The Touring trim has the smaller yet more powerful engine on the Civic.
Rather than a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine, it is equipped with a turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder engine, with an output of 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. And it is paired to a continuously variable transmission, which is pretty good as far as CVTs go.
Fuel economy is estimated to come in at 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres, but I achieved an average of 8.9 L/100 km.
Exterior: The Civic, really Honda’s entry-level vehicle, looks nothing like the part.
It is stylish and looks much more upscale than one might expect.
Featuring nice lines, a sleek front-end design and really nice wheel options, the look of the Civic is one that has a lot of curb appeal.
Interior: That upgraded feeling extends to the cabin of the Touring, which elevates what is already a nice cabin with leather seating.
The front seats and steering wheel are heated, and the rear outboard seats get the same treatment on this trim.
The cabin layout is very neat and well organized, with a clean look. Controls are clear and easy to understand, and while the centre screen can be used for many functions, there are just enough buttons and a volume dial to make it easy to operate the radio while driving.
And I remain a big fan of the honeycomb treatment reserved for the air vents, which conceals them nicely.
Rear seat head and legroom is pretty generous for a vehicle this size, and the trunk is massive.
Infotainment: The Touring trim has a larger 9-inch screen (up from 7 inches) and features an upgraded BOSE Premium Sound System with 12 speakers, including subwoofer. That is a lot of speaker power for a small sedan.
The system comes with embedded navigation, as well as wired and wireless compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The interface is good and response time of the screen is excellent. As mentioned, I appreciated the fact that you can still use some old-fashioned buttons and dials for simple controls. Overall, a very good setup from Honda.
Drive: Much like the look and cabin feel of the Civic, the driving experience from the turbo engine is quite enjoyable. While perhaps not as sporty as some other variants of the model, the Civic Touring has lots of pep and it handles well.
The CVT is very good – so good, in fact, you really wouldn’t know it was a CVT if it wasn’t on the spec sheet.
The suspension does a good job of keeping the car stable, and the experience for passengers is enjoyable, with minimal noise intrusion as well.
2024 Honda Civic Touring
2024 Honda Civic Touring
2024 Honda Civic Touring
2024 Honda Civic Touring
Conclusion: The Civic is a best-selling car for good reason and this version of it is further proof of why it remains so popular.
The good exterior looks, elevated cabin with leather seating and a host of features like the Bose entertainment system give the Civic lots of appeal for consumers, who continue to flock to the model.
2024 Honda Civic Touring
Price as tested: $37,119.40
Freight: $1,830.00
Configuration: Front engine/Front-wheel drive
Engine/transmission: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo/ CVT
Power/torque: 180 horsepower/ 177 lb-ft of torque
Fuel (capacity): Regular (46.9 L)
Combined fuel economy ratings (L/100 km): 6.9 L/100 km
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 8.9 L/100 km
Warranties: 3-years/60,000 km (basic)
Competitors: Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda3. Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla
Website: Honda Canada