2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring (Manual) Review

Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Pricing and Rivals: Can it Still Compete?

2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring with manual transmission price at release:

• US: $31,145 (including $1,095 destination charge)
• Canada: $35,000

While cars are losing consumer interest due to absolute SUV domination, the compact car segment remains a highly lucrative one for carmakers. In a typical year, Honda sells, on average, around 225,000 Civics in the US; 50,000 Civics in Canada alone, making it the country’s best-selling car for over two decades.

However, Honda realizes that keeping a head start on the competition isn’t easy. For instance, by the end of 2021, the Civic’s arch nemesis, the Toyota Corolla, almost beat in the sales war. 

That’s because the Corolla, just like most compacts in this class, have gotten very good. Toyota now offers a hybrid Corolla, while Mazda gives you the option of all-wheel drive and turbo power in the 3. Meanwhile, the Subaru Impreza continues to be a formidable weapon during a tough snow blizzard, and while it doesn’t come in a hatchback, the new Nissan Sentra is rather impressive.

To take them all on, Honda significantly overhauled the Civic last summer and gave the hatchback model a bit more flexibility. There are now updated powertrains and a manual transmission option across the board at no extra cost. The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring was priced at around $31,145, including a $1,095 destination charge; in Canada, pricing for a Civic hatchback kicks off at $28,000 before freight and tops off at $35,000 for this top dog Sport Touring trim. 

The Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Interior

On top of a much more mature and – ahem – tamer design language, the new Civic gets a more upscale interior now. Honda cleaned up the dashboard’s design for a more minimalist approach. There’s a nice mesh texture that spans the dashboard from left to right. It not only harmonizes well with the air vents, it also gives this Civic a somewhat retro-modern look.

In typical Honda fashion, the Civic exhibits near-perfect ergonomics. Entering the cabin is easy thanks to a wide door opening, and once seated inside – whether it be upfront or in the back – seats are comfortable, and even the tallest drivers will find plenty of head and leg room.

There’s also fantastic all-around visibility thanks to thin A-pillars and a low windshield and hood. The Civic now comes standard with fully digital readouts. Just like the Accord, their displays can be customized to the driver’s liking, and everything is easy to comprehend and operate via the steering wheel-mounted controls. 

Honda learned a valuable lesson from the last Civic’s touch-operated infotainment controls. There are now large physical buttons and knobs for more straightforward operation. The system’s software (called Display Audio) was also cleaned up. It’s now easier to comprehend and quicker to respond. In our case, wireless Android Auto operated flawlessly.

Where the new Civic’s cabin somewhat disappoints is in overall storage space. For some unknown reason, Honda got rid of the last Civic’s massive and rather ingenious central storage area and replaced it with a much smaller compartment.

Performance and Driving Impressions

• Engine: In-Line 4-Cylinder with Turbocharger
• Transmission: 6-Speed Manual Transmission (6MT)
• Boost Pressure: 16.5 psi
• Horsepower: 180 hp @ 6000 rpm
• Torque: 177 lb-ft @ 1700-4500 rpm
• Redline RPM: 6600 rpm

All Civics, no matter the body style, come with a choice of two four-cylinder engines. Both are carried over from last year with slight technical updates. 

The base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.0L good for 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. This Sport Touring model gets the considerably stronger turbocharged 1.5L unit which now employs VTEC variable valve timing technology on the exhaust valves. When running on 91 octane premium fuel or higher, this engine pumps out 180 horsepower and churns out its 177 lb-ft of torque much sooner in the rev range. Both engines come mated to either a six-speed manual transmission (as tested), or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

In this configuration, the Civic starts to lean towards hot hatchback territory, but not so much as to overlap the Civic Si’s space. It’s a nice compromise between the more rational CVT-equipped Civic sedan and the spiced-up Si. 

Enlarged Civic dimensions have little impact on handling

While longer, wider, and heavier than any Civic before it, this new generation car somehow manages to feel light and agile on its feet. There’s a solid chassis here, with a pleasant, grounded feel and a well-tuned suspension that harmoniously blends daily drivability with weekend canyon carving.

Turn-in is quick, and the steering responds fast, but it always feels a bit dead. The same goes for the otherwise light clutch pedal. There’s also some rev hang, so you’ll need to be patient before dumping the clutch on your next gear. Thankfully, that turbocharged engine churns out massive low-end torque, so there’s no need to be in a hurry like the old Hondas of yore. Meanwhile, the manual gearbox remains one of the most enjoyable sticks to row this side of a Mazda MX-5 roadster.

Takeaway: Is the Civic Hatchback Worth It?

There’s an addictive blend of maturity and playfulness with this Civic hatch that allows it to shine bright among a sea of also exquisite rivals. While it doesn’t do much to evolve the segment like past Civics have managed to do, it improves an already great compact in the areas that matter. 

We believe that yes, the Civic hatchback is worth a shot considering the amount of content you’ll be getting for the price no matter the engine you choose. We just wish it offered some form of electrification and an all-wheel drive option. 

Now let’s hope that 1.5T engine has finally gotten rid of its oil dilution issues. Honda says that it has, but some current Civic, CR-V and Accord owners will tell you otherwise. 

2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring (Manual) Images and Specs