The Honda Civic has made a name for itself worldwide, and for a good reason. It’s an attainable, easy-to-drive, and reliable compact car that has been around for decades. The Civic also tends to an incredibly wide age demographic, and it does this thanks to its neutral but fun characteristics. It’s these likable qualities that have helped it assert a certain amount of dominance over its competition in the compact car segment.

The popular Japanese offering is now in its eleventh generation, which we’ll touch upon later. This buyer’s guide, however, is for the tenth generation or 2021 Honda Civic. The tenth generation was first introduced in late 2015 for 2016 and has remained largely the same, aside from a minor facelift for 2019. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2021 Honda Civic from a buyer’s perspective.

Tenth Generation Honda Civic Body Styles

The tenth gen Honda Civic was originally available in three body styles – sedan, coupe, and hatchback – like most Civic generations before it. However, the 2020 model year was the coupe’s last as Honda only carried over the sedan and hatchback body styles into 2021. 

According to Honda, the tenth gen Civic coupe made up around 16 percent of sales in its first year, but that number dropped to a mere 6 percent in 2020. While the contribution of the hatchback has grown over the years, it’s the sedan that remains the most sought-after.

Trim and Pricing 

Finding the right variant of the 2021 Honda Civic surely requires a bit of research. This is because it doesn’t just come down to choosing between the sedan and hatchback body style, but also the perfect trim for your needs.

2021 Honda Civic Sedan

In 2021, Honda’s Civic was sold in five trim levels – LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and the top-spec Touring variant. Prices for the entry-level trim i.e. LX started at around $22,000. This trim level along with the one that sits just above it (Sport) comes equipped with the 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated engine. 

The higher-spec trim levels, namely EX, EX-L, and Touring, are powered by a slightly more-powerful turbocharged 1.5-liter motor. Interestingly, all five trim levels are only available with a CVT. There was no manual transmission option for the 2021 Honda Civic sedan.

It’s not only engine configurations that separate the different trim levels. The top-of-the-line Touring variant that was priced at around $29,000 is also equipped with a bunch of features and additional equipment. 

For example, the Touring trim level was the only one kitted out with the 10 speaker audio system and front and rear heated seats. The complete breakdown of the 2021 Honda Civic sedan trim levels reveals just how far Honda went to cater the Civic to different tastes. Figuring out which option works best for you takes some research, that’s for sure. 

2021 Honda Civic Hatchback

As for the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback, it was available in a total of four trim levels – LX, Sport, EX, and Sport Touring. However, unlike with the sedan, the Sport and Sport Touring variants of the hatch could be optioned with a six-speed manual transmission. Expectedly, the manual-transmission-equipped counterparts brought a slight reduction in the price tag.

Speaking of price tags, the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback had a slightly higher entry point than the sedan as it only came equipped with the more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged motor. The 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated engine was reserved for the sedan. As a result, the LX trim level of the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback would set one back by around $23,000. The top-spec Sport Touring trim level, meanwhile, was priced close to $30,100 (CVT) and $29,300 (6MT).

Just like the sedan, there are numerous differences when it comes to features and equipment between the four trim levels. 

Let’s Talk Engines

Powering the 2021 Honda Civic sold in North America is done by the aforementioned 2.0-liter or 1.5-liter engines. In typical Honda fashion, both engines use inline-four-cylinder configurations. 

The 2.0-liter unit that’s only available with the sedan body style makes a claimed 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. Despite being the more affordable engine, it’s not completely bare bones, as it uses Honda’s popular VTEC system. By the EPA’s measure, the LX’s fuel economy stands at 30 MPG (city) 38 MPG (highway), and 33 MPG (combined). The slightly-heavier Sport trim returns marginally lower figures.

Power and torque numbers are bumped up to 174 hp and 162 lb-ft with the 1.5-liter, turbocharged, inline-four-cylinder engine option. These numbers go up to 180 hp and 177 lb-ft when paired with the optional six-speed manual transmission available with the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback. 

Like the 2.0 liter unit, this one also uses a 16 valve DOHC set-up. Both engines also run on regular unleaded fuel. While the fuel economy varies according to the trim level, it can deliver EPA mileage ratings of up to 32 MPG (city) 42 MPG (highway), and 36 MPG (combined) in the sedan. The corresponding numbers for the hatchback, on the other hand, stand at 31, 40, and 34 MPG.

These numbers go to show that the 2021 Honda Civic equipped with a 1.5-liter engine has an advantage when it comes to performance and fuel economy. While the difference isn’t that significant, it is certainly noticeable. 

Neither of these engines is really for the enthusiast, but if you are someone looking for slightly more peppy performance, the turbocharged unit is the one to go for. However, if it’s just straightforward commuting on your itinerary, the 2.0-liter unit will suffice. While you can save a bit of cash with the 2.0-liter motor, keep in mind that it’s only available with the sedan in the lower trim levels.

Chassis and Safety

The tenth-generation Honda Civic brought some big changes to the table when compared to its predecessor. Here are some highlights of the chassis and safety features.

Chassis

With the tenth gen Civic, Honda made sure to keep the center of gravity as low as possible. This combined with the more aerodynamic design has helped in a big way with the dynamics of the car. That’s not all, this version of the Civic also rides on independent suspension at all four ends, a feature that many of its predecessor missed out on. 

This suspension setup, combined well tailored stock springs and shocks, offers a good balance when it comes to ride and handling characteristics. While the electric power steering was reworked to offer an improved feel, it’s still quite light. However, that’s not exactly a downside given its target audience. Overall, the chassis doesn’t feel like it’s lacking in any way and offers a well-balanced experience.

Safety

The 2021 Honda Civic also delivers when it comes to safety. It managed to get high scores in all the crash test categories put together by the NHTSA and the IIHS. Honda has also paid special attention to features that improve safety. 

The ‘Honda Sensing’ feature for example consists of tech that ensures to keep you as safe as possible. It won’t just warn you if your car were to veer out of its lane, but also automatically apply the brakes if there is an impending frontal collision. These safety features are in addition to standard equipment like traction control, ABS, and multiple airbags.

What’s the difference between the 2021 and 2022 Honda Civic?

Since the 2022 Honda Civic is a completely new generation model, it features some significant changes. Firstly, it has undergone a styling makeover and has been on the receiving end of what looks like a more mature design.

Honda has played it safe with smoother lines and a more conventional approach, especially towards the rear. That being said, it remains low and sleek like the Civics before it. As far as the interior is concerned, the eleventh generation Civic tidies things up with a rather clean and uncluttered approach. The unique honeycomb pattern strip which hides the air-con vents is a neat touch.

According to Honda, the chassis for the 2022 Civic is more rigid than the tenth generation model. The wheelbase is longer and the rear track has been widened. This is said to improve stability. Other mechanical changes include revisions to the suspension and steering. The 2022 Civic also gets notable updates when it comes to safety. 

The compact car now gets new front airbags – the driver unit features a donut-shaped structure to help better cradle the head and reduce rotation while the passenger gets a three-chamber design unit for the same purpose. Other safety additions include more features as part of the Honda Sensing system. While the two engine options remain the same, the CVT has been re-tuned to improve responsiveness and fuel economy. 

How good is the 2021 Honda Civic?

As we mentioned at the beginning of this guide, the Honda Civic is a staple bestseller because it delivers where it counts. The tenth-generation Civic sold from 2019 also underwent a facelift that brought refreshed styling bits. 

This update also took note of customer feedback and added physical knobs for the infotainment system and buttons to control air conditioning settings. Another benefit of having a car from the last year of its life cycle is that it doesn’t suffer from any issue the model was plagued with early on. The tenth generation suffered from fuel pump failure, oil dilution issue (1.5-liter engine), and some other minor problems, which were fixed via recalls. 

Overall, the differences between the 2021 Honda Civic and the model it’s been replaced by are more evolutionary than revolutionary. That means, there’s not much you are missing out on with the 2021 Honda Civic while getting a top-notch compact car that has been tried and tested.