Many automotive critics have ranked the 2022 Honda Civic as the best new compact car you can buy. However, Consumer Reports strongly disagrees, ranking the 2022 Honda Civic as the sixth-best compact car on the market. With such strong opinions in opposite directions, here is how critics differ on the 2022 Honda Civic.

The high-ranking 2022 Honda Civic

For 2022, the Honda Civic got a fresh and very welcome redesign, and many critics agree that this new Civic is a beautiful choice for any compact sedan buyer. Kelly Blue Book named this car The Compact Car Best Buy for 2022, praising the car’s increased cabin room from the previous model, better-than-average fuel economy, and a vast increase in available technology of the prior year.

Edmunds ranked the Civic as the best compact sedan of 2022 as well, praising its sharp handling and exotic technology options such as wireless charging, a digital instrument panel, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

In addition to these glowing reviews, U.S. News ranked the Honda Civic number one while praising the car’s perfect safety rating. Not only did the Civic receive good grades on its crash tests, but it also comes equipped with many standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rearview camera. MotorTrend also ranked the 2022 Civic at the top of its class, praising its impressive engine options.

Consumer Reports disagrees with critics on the best compact sedan

While many critics agree that the Honda Civic is the top-ranking compact sedan of 2022, not everyone is on board with that statement. Consumer Reports praises the Honda Civic’s positive handling, braking, and fuel economy but disagrees on just about every other attribute.

Consumer Reports found that the Honda Civic had excessive road noise while driving, so passengers would have to raise their voices in the cabin to be heard over the noise while driving at regular road speeds. During their road test, Consumer Reports also found the low-sitting cabin tough to get in and out of, which is surprising for a compact economy sedan in 2022.

Regarding technology, Consumer Reports also found the Civic lacking in the lower trim levels. With the Civic sport, buyers only get one USB port and, surprisingly, no intermittent windshield wipers. It is surprising to see a brand new car in 2022 with intermittent windshield wipers only offered as a more expensive option, but for the 2022 Honda Civic, it is. All these factors make Consumer Reports list the Civic as the sixth-best compact car of 2022.

The 2022 Subaru Impreza outranks the 2022 Honda Civic

While the Honda Civic blew some critics away, Consumer Reports has proudly placed the 2022 Subaru Impreza at the top of their compact car list for 2022. The Honda Civic did offer solid handling, braking, and fuel economy, but the Subaru Impreza excels in nearly every category for a lower price.

The Subaru Impreza starts at just $19,295, less than the Honda Civic’s starting price of $22,550. With this low starting price, Consumer Reports raved about the ride comfort that rivals some luxury cars on the market today. This Subaru also is offered with the Subaru EyeSight, giving drivers a wide array of safety and convenience options through the onboard camera.

With the Subaru Impreza, drivers are also given a stylish interior design. With large, wide-opening doors, this is not only a car that looks sporty but also a car that can be used as a convenient daily driver.

While the Honda Civic was not Consumer Reports’ top choice for 2022, it still may be a great choice. If you test drive a Honda Civic and find it falling short of your expectations, you might give the new 2022 Subaru Impreza a chance.