2012 Honda Civic

The EX provides the best of what the 2012 Honda Civic has to offer. The extra features that come with the EX-L trim are mainly cosmetic and upholstery. If you are a gear head then the Civic Si trim is the way to go. It has a bigger and more powerful engine coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox. The Si trim also has a few cosmetic changes that make the car look sportier. 

The 2012 Honda Civic is offered in 5 different trim levels apart from the more powerful Civic Si and Civic Natural Gas models. The long list of trims starts at an MSRP of $16,745 with the manual transmission variant of the base DX trim while the automatic will set you back by another $800. The premium 2012 Honda Civic EX & EX-L models along with the frugal HF trim are only available with the automatic transmission. 

The DX trim offers 15-inch steel wheels, auto-off headlights, power windows, and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Stepping up to the Honda Civic 2012 LX trim at $18,795 the buyer is presented with more features including body-colored door handles, keyless entry, cruise control, and more. The highly fuel-efficient HF trim starts at $20,395 and has similar features to the LX trim with a few extra upgrades to deliver maximum MPG.

At $21,445 the 2012 Honda Civic EX-trim brings 16-inch alloy wheels, rear disc Brakes, auto on/off headlights, navigation, and a sunroof, amongst other features. The EX-L trim at $22,895 adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated mirrors, and many more convenience features. The Civic natural gas model is also based on the LX trim and adds 15-inch alloys & Bluetooth to the mix but carries a steep $27,095 price tag. 

The 2012 Honda Civic has one of the best fuel economy figures for a compact car. It is rated to return 28 MPG in the city, 36 MPG on the highways, and 31 MPG combined when equipped with the manual transmission. The automatic transmission does a bit better at offering 28 MPG in the city, 39 MPG on the highway, and 32 MPG combined. 

For better fuel efficiency there is the dedicated 2012 Civic HF trim with fuel economy improvements which return 29/41/33 MPG in city/highway/combined conditions respectively, as per the EPA. The 13.2-gallon fuel tank capacity is standard across the lineup and one can expect a minimum of 410 miles of combined driving range with any model of the Honda Civic 2012. 

The performance-focused Si delivers 22 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highways. The combined figure stands at 25 MPG. In comparison, the Focus and Corolla come close to the 2012 Civic while the Chevy Cruze is again the loser in this competition. That said, it offers a massive gas tank which helps it to offer a class-leading range. The Focus on the other hand employs a smaller gas tank which compromises the range. 

With the 2012 redesign, Honda has freed up a little more space in the 2012 Honda Civic interior without making the vehicle any larger on the outside. Inside the cabin, Honda has the dual-tier dashboard system which now houses the improved infotainment display. However, all is not well inside the car. Even with the redesign, the Honda Civic 2012 interior remains flat and short for tall drivers to be comfortable over long distances. The headroom and legroom feel a little tight compared to the rest of the competition.

The Honda Civic has better outward visibility due to the thinner A-pillars. The EX-L trims come with leather seats which receive mixed opinions in terms of adding comfort. Also, Honda offers only 3 interior upholstery color options for the Honda 2012 Civic which include beige, grey, and stone colors. The 12.5 cu-ft of trunk space isn't much larger than before and most rivals offer more cargo space than the Civic. 

The Chevrolet Cruze has a 15.4-cubic ft trunk which is the largest among the competition. While the Focus offers a trunk marginally larger than the Civic 2012, the legroom on offer for both the front and rear seats is better than the competition by miles. The Toyota Corolla offers a very similar cabin space as that of the Civic. On the positive side for 2012 MY Civic is the new intelligent multi-information display known as the i-MID system. 

The i-MID system integrates Bluetooth, fuel economy data, and trip information. The system also gives Navigation instructions and is relatively easy to use. It also has a 160-watt audio system with 6-speakers and a satellite-linked navigation system with voice recognition. The system has multiple source inputs with AM, FM, CD, MP3, USB, Auxiliary input jack, and Windows Media Audio. The system also features a speed-sensitive volume control which adjusts the volume inside the cabin depending on the speed of the car.

Standout interior features in the 2012 Honda Civic include:

• Heated front seats w/leather upholstery
• One-touch power moonroof
• Keyless entry & ignition and remote trunk release
• i-MID display w/customizable settings
• Honda satellite linked navigation system w/voice recognition & FM traffic
• XM Satellite radio & Bluetooth HandsFreeLink
• 7-speaker 160-Watt audio system w/subwoofer

The 2012 Honda Civic is redesigned from the previous model. Yet the design feels evolutionary rather than new. The front end has a more chiseled look and yet remains instantly identifiable as a Honda Civic. The rear of the car resembles the mid-size Honda Accord with the similarity in tail light design. The roofline looks familiar and the overall footprint is almost the same as existing models. There are now new accent lines that run the length of the car along with new front and rear lights, bumper, and trim details.

The front window pillars are narrower than previous models and the small window between the pillar and side window is bigger providing better visibility. The standard 15-inch wheels look a size small for the sedan but the set of 16-inch alloys available from EX trim onwards enhance the appeal of the car. There 8 paint color options to choose from for the buyers with the Honda Civic 2012 and the 6.7-inch of ground clearance ensure easy passage over curbs and bumps without damaging the payment.

The 2012 Honda Civic dimensions have changed as well and it is now smaller than its competitors and predecessors. The Civic has a better ground clearance than the competition at 6.7 inches. The Focus, on the other hand, rides the lowest to the ground but it is the Cruze that looks the most striking one on the streets. The Honda redesigned the front of the Civic 2012 giving it a larger hood, new headlights, and other small changes but unless parked side to side with an older model the new features are hard to distinguish. 

Standout exterior features in the 2012 Honda Civic include:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Daytime running lights
• Multi-reflector halogen headlights with auto on/off
• Exterior temperature indicator
• Fog lamps
• Low rolling resistance tires – HF model only
• Rear Spoiler

In the federal crash testing the 2012 Honda Civic sedan received a perfect overall 5-star rating which is improvement from the NHTSA crash test ratings from the previous model year. The IIHS also gave the sedan the highest possible good rating in Frontal offset, side, and roof strengths. The Civic 2012 has also been bestowed with the "Top Safety Pick" for the segment. 

With new features and the Advanced compatibility body structure, Honda has optimized the 2012 Civic to absorb crash impact and distribute forces away from occupants. Also, most of the safety features are available as standard across the lineup which adds to the safety quotient of the car. 

Standout safety features in the 2012 Honda Civic are:

• Vehicle Stability Assist 
• Traction control
• Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Brake assist
• Electronic brake distribution

2012 Honda Civic vs 2012 Chevrolet Cruze

While the Chevy Cruze has a higher starting MSRP, it is still slower off the mark and returns lower MPG ratings than the Civic. That said, Chevrolet offers more creature comforts right from its base trim and also has a larger trunk to offer. The Civic on the other hand has a more spacious cabin and is the more safer and reliable of the two. The higher resale value, therefore, tilts the scales towards the Honda. 

2012 Honda Civic vs 2012 Ford Focus

The Ford Focus is another popular offering in the compact sedan segment for the sheer value it offers. It is only marginally pricier than the 2012 Civic, it is quicker off the mark, and is more engaging to drive. Though the Civic is better in terms of frugality, the Ford isn't too far behind and offers class-leading rear-seat space. The larger trunk, good reliability record, and decent resale value make Focus the preferred choice between the two. 

2012 Honda Civic vs 2012 Toyota Corolla

Rivals since almost the inception of the segment, the Corolla and Civic are similar in many ways. Apart from the similar price tag, they both offer similar performance, ride quality, fuel economy figures, and cabin space with one besting the other in either of these aspects. Both are equally safe and reliable in the long run and get great value in the resale market. Therefore it's a matter of personal choice in this comparison, but we prefer the Toyota for its superior comfort and its sharper styling. 

For someone in the compact car segment, the 2012 Honda Civic Sedan is a great pick. The Civic offers a comfortable ride with good handling, good fuel economy, and perfect safety and reliability ratings. But the Honda Civic no longer enjoys the supremacy it used to enjoy. It now faces stiff competition in the compact car segment so much so that its dominance is threatened. Still, the Honda 2012 Civic deserves a top spot on the test-drive list of someone looking to make a purchase in the compact car category before making a final decision.