Hey everyone, let me first give you all some hot news! On March 1, the Honda Civic, the "traffic darling" of the car world, came back with a brand-new facelift, with 8 models priced from 129,900 to 177,900 yuan, going directly after old rivals like the Sagitar and Corolla.
Here's the key point: this time both the hatchback and sedan are launched simultaneously, the front face has been redesigned to look like a concept car, and it's also equipped with the Honda Connect 4.0 infotainment system.
However, the spare tire is gone just like that, and the rear row finally gets air vents. This move is truly "you win some, you lose some."
First, looking at the looks, the new Civic has basically stacked all the sporty buffs to the max. The front face directly fills the honeycomb grille, and the fog light area has been changed to a deflector design, looking every bit like a "road warrior."
However, there's a small complaint about this move—the front fog lights have been canceled, so friends in the north should pay attention and be extra careful when driving in rain and fog.
The side hasn't been changed much, with dual five-spoke wheels paired with a fastback profile; this stance is still competitive in its class.
The taillight assembly is indeed more refined after minor adjustments, but to say it's "bursting with tech feel," personally I think it's still a bit lacking.
Sitting inside is a bit puzzling—the interior layout can't be said to have nothing to do with the current model; it's simply identical. How
ever, the configuration upgrades are indeed solid. The newly added Type-C port keeps up with the times, and the rear air vents, this "ancestral shortcoming," have finally been added. Definitely worth praise.
The key thing to praise is this Honda Connect 4.0 system. Wireless CarPlay + Baidu Maps is keeping up with the mainstream, but compared with the smart cockpits in domestic cars that routinely use dual 8155 chips, the operation smoothness is still a bit short.
Seat heating may be useless in the south, but northern users will absolutely call it awesome.
For power, it's still the familiar formula. The gasoline version's 182-horsepower 1.5T + CVT combination has been measured at around 7 seconds from 0 to 100, and the throttle responsiveness is in the top tier of its class. The hybrid version's 203-horsepower figure looks impressive, but actual driving is more oriented toward fuel economy.
A key reminder here: veteran drivers pursuing ultimate handling are advised to choose the hatchback version, while the sedan version is more suitable for family use.
But one thing to complain about is that the entire lineup offers no manual transmission. How are "JDM die-hard fans" supposed to feel about that?
As for purchasing advice, if the budget is limited, go straight for the 129,900 yuan entry version; the safety features it should have are all there. But if you want L2-level driver assistance, you have to choose the mid-level trim or above, which is indeed not generous enough.
If you often drive long distances, it's recommended to spend more on the hybrid version; real-world fuel consumption can be pressed to around 4.8L.
However, pay special attention: although the new model has a 2735mm wheelbase, the rear headroom is not very friendly to people over 1.8 meters tall. It's recommended to bring family members to a 4S store for a real experience.
This Civic facelift is a typical example of "precision knife work"—the visible places are made quite impressive, and the invisible places, well... those in the know understand.
If you're after sporty handling, at the same price you can look at the Integra, whose equipment is even more substantial; if you want peace of mind and durability, the classic Sylphy now has discounts up to 30,000.
But then again, the Civic's brand premium and resale value are right there. For young people buying it as their first car in life, it's indeed hard to go wrong.
