2016 Honda Civic Coupe

A Civic’s Lesson

By Charles Donaldson

I’m not completely sure if the driving force for me to trade my 2-door in for a 4-door was when my daughter, Cayla, had gotten older and began toting her friends around, or if was the daily back-breaking habit of moving the car seat in and out via maneuvering the it through the tight crevasse leading to the back seat! Either way, my 15 years of owning only coupes and convertibles took a hike. The truth is - I did not know how much I missed the sportiness of a coupe until I slipped behind the wheel of the 2016 Honda Civic Touring.

Even though this article focuses on the Coupe model, I should mention that the 2016 Honda Civic comes in both 2 and 4 doors both with LX, EX and Touring trims.

Now in its 10^th generation, the 2016 Honda Civic is a ground-up revision of the 9^th generation, and according to Honda, it’s their most comprehensive and ambitious new-model development ever undertaken.  

The development of the Civic Coupe and Sedan was led by Honda’s North American team; a first for Honda. The Civic is a major part of Honda’s legacy and the first car for  so many kids and young adults. Luckily, the Civic has grown-up in both features and size compared to the original cute tiny box on wheels.

Virtually everything about the 2016 Civic Coupe is new – an all-new vehicle architecture, sporty and sophisticated new interior and exterior styling, a more spacious and high-quality cabin, two advanced new engines, and a host of new premium features and technologies.

Further, with the addition of Honda Sensing™ safety and driver-assistive technologies on the Touring trim and the first application of Honda turbo engine technology applied to Civic on the EX-T and above trims, the 2016 Civic Coupe offers buyers a wider range of options than ever before. Civic models powered by the new 2.0-liter i-VTEC™ engine are designated as the Civic LX and LX-P trims. Civic models powered by the new turbocharged 1.5-liter engine are designated as the EX-T, EX-L (with leather-trimmed interior) and new line-topping Civic Touring, which reaches higher into the upper end of the compact car market than ever before.

Class-leading EPA fuel economy ratings of 31/41/35 mpg (city/highway/combined) for models with a zippy 1.5-liter turbo mated to a CVT and 30/41/34 mpg for models with the 2.0-liter engine tagged with the CVT and 26/38/31mpg for the LX with the 2.0-liter engine and manual transmission. Not bad at all!

Sporty can truly describe the coupe with its swoop-like  sheet metal. The roof has been lowered approximately an inch, while the shoulder line below the rear windows rises up a few inches. The tail and rear overhang have been tucked in another 5 inches. Since the Coupe and Sedan share a wheelbase, the Coupe's shadow becomes more aggressive, with the wheels pushed out to the ends of the car, sports-car style.

The interior feels upscale with techy features throughout. The seats are comfortable and the seating position is low. It has gained more rear legroom now totaling 37.4-inches and the trunk space is 11.9 cubic feet (Coupe). The dash lights up like a video game and the controls are fairly easy to operate. There is no radio volume knob, however, instead, a touch-slide bar. I preferred the old fashion knob for ease of use.

The handling of the 2016 Civic Coupe was very sporty and confident, thanks in part, to the new multi-link independent rear suspension and larger stabilizer bars with bonded bushings for a more refined body control. The Civic Coupe is agile thanks in part to the assist brake torque vectoring for cornering precision and stability. A dual-pinion electric power steering with variable gear ratio helps improved steering feel and maneuverability delivering a fun-to-drive experience.

Cool Features:

·         Push Button Start

·         The Honda LaneWatch feature, which uses a camera on the right-side mirror to put a picture of your right-hand blind spot on the display screen whenever the right turn signal is activated

·         Available Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™

Safety on the 2016 Honda Civic features the Honda Sensing™ safety and driver-assistive technologies, next-generation ACE™ body structure, new crash stroke front frame design, and ultra-rigid high-strength steel floor for enhanced collision performance. Ranked highest-available collision performance safety ratings – a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score in the NHTSA's NCAP, a TOP SAFETY PICK from the IIHS for the LX through EX-L trims and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ from the IIHAS for the Touring trim. Airbags include dual-stage front airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags with rollover sensor.

In Summary – The 2016 Honda Civic Coupe is a blast to drive. Honda set out to prove it could still build a conventional compact vehicle that leaves its competition in its shadow. The touring is loaded with high-tech features, performance and handling, and a beautiful, sporty interior and exterior that is fun to drive. The passenger side seat button creates the easier loading of both children and car seats in the back too!

Specifications

2016 Honda Civic 1.5T Touring Coupe

Base price:                  $26,125 as driven: $26,960 (including destination & optional
                                    features)

Engine:                        1.5-liter Turbocharged DOHC 4-cylinder

Horsepower:               174 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque:                       162 @ 5,500 RPM

Transmission:             CVT automatic

Drive:                          FWD Drive

Seating:                       5-passenger

Turning circle:            35.7 feet

Cargo space:               11.9 cubic feet

Curb weight:               2888 pounds

Fuel capacity:              12.4 gallons      

EPA mileage:              City 30/Hwy 41

Wheel Base:                106.3 inches

Warranty:                    3 years/36,000-miles powertrain limited

Also consider:             Kia Forte Koup, Scion tC, Mini Hardtop 2 Door, and the Fiat 500