All-New Honda Civic Gets Upscale Makeover

Honda Motor Co.'s 2016 Civic sedan is larger, more fuel efficient and offers more features than its predecessor. The 10th-generation model has been overhauled from top to bottom, yielding swoopy fastback-like styling and a well-appointed interior.

Honda unveiled the all-new compact sedan Wednesday at events in Detroit and Los Angeles. It also is planning new coupe, five-door hatchback and Si models, along with a range-topping Civic Type R. The latter will be available in the U.S. for the first time.

Honda says it benchmarked the Audi A3 and other European small cars in developing the new Civic. The approach is evident in the sedan's upscale styling, which features a sporty front-end with a pronounced chrome bar, and LED headlights and taillights. Honda says the sleek design coupled with new underbody covers improves aerodynamics by 12%.

Built on a new unibody platform, the redesigned sedan has a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, sits one inch lower and is nearly two inches wider than the outgoing model. This results in a roomier interior with an extra 3.7-cu-ft of space and two inches more rear legroom and a larger trunk.

The use of ultra-high-strength steel in the car's body has increased from 1% in the 2015 model to 12% in the new sedan. This helps reduce the car's overall weight by 68 lbs and boosts torsional rigidity by 25%, Honda says.

Other goodies include a new multi-link rear suspension, redesigned front suspension, thicker sway bars and hydraulic bushings. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, as are a new brake-torque vectoring system, electronic parking brake and variable gear ratio steering.

An optional safety package includes automatic braking, lane-departure alerts and adaptive cruise control.

U.S. buyers will have a choice of two 4-cylinder engines: a turbocharged 1.5-liter mill and a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter unit. The smaller engine the first turbo Honda has offered in the American market will be mated with a continuously variable transmission. The 2.0-liter is paired with a 6-speed manual.

The interior gets improved fit and finish, along with a large center console and LED lighting. A new infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen display supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity.