The 2023 Honda Civic is a compact car offered in sedan and hatchback body styles. The Civic has set a standard for compact cars, becoming the top choice of many driving enthusiasts looking for an affordable and fun car. This sedan received the 2023 Best Compact Car for the Money award from U.S. News; what else should we know about it?

What makes the 2023 Honda Civic the best compact car?

U.S. News & World Report loves the Honda Civic. This organization has the Civic rated as:

• #1 in Compact Cars
• #1 in Hatchbacks
• #2 in Small Cars (2023 Acura Integra is #1)
• Winner 2023 Best Compact Car for the Money

Using 27 research and data elements, U.S. News has the Civic near the top of every category in which it competes. We also learn this small Honda brings the pros and cons most drivers desire. These are:

Pros

• Great fuel economy
• Poised ride and handling
• Comfy, upscale interior
• A long list of standard features

Cons

• Underpowered base engine

For the 2023 model year, a new Type R enters the lineup, giving us an exciting hot hatch version, and the LX base trim has been discontinued.

Does Consumer Reports agree with U.S. News?

Although U.S. News has the 2023 Civic at the top of the pile, Consumer Reports places this compact sedan in the fifth spot in this class. For CR, the top compact sedan is the 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Consumer Reports’ top five compact sedans are:

• Toyota Corolla Hybrid
• Subaru Impreza
• Toyota Corolla
•  Mazda3
• Honda Civic

What’s new for the 2023 Honda Civic?

With the LX trim cut from the lineup, the Sport model becomes the base version of the Honda Civic. This means an increased starting price compared to the 2022 version. The new Civic Type R brings the heat for those looking for an exciting new hot hatch. This new model offers a sleeker design than the previous version adding a nine-horsepower increase for your driving pleasure.

Honda Civic powertrain and fuel economy

Although the base powertrain is considered underpowered, it still gets the job done for most owners. This powertrain gives you a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to either a CVT or 6-speed manual transmission. The power offered is 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. For CVT models, fuel economy numbers reach 30 city/37 hwy mpg while the manual transmission changes the fuel mileage to 29 city/37 hwy mpg.

If you want more power, there’s a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is available. This engine delivers 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. The fuel economy maxes out in the EX Sedan, which returns 33 city/42 hwy mpg and uses the CVT.

Under the Honda Civic Type R hood, you’ll find a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. This car is only set up in FWD, which follows the same formula as the previous model. The power of this high-performance Civic is 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

How much does the latest Civic cost?

The 2023 Honda Civic lineup is reduced to four main trims and two high-performance models. The starting prices of these trims are:

• Sport – $24,650
• EX – $26,050
• EX-L – $28,150
• Touring – $29,650
• Si – $28,100
• Type R – $40,000 expected

Is the 2023 Honda Civic a good car?

The latest version of the Honda Civic offers the best combination of quality and value in its class. This car is available in sedan and hatchback body styles. You’ll find an upscale cabin with comfortable seats and a useful infotainment system in this impressive sedan.

Next, check out six cars that passed 1,000,000 miles, or learn more about the 2023 Honda Civic in this video below: