2022 Honda Civic Trim Levels, Configurations & Comparisons.

Compact cars are popular for a reason. They have the best value for money of any category thanks to their low base prices, excellent fuel economy, and engaging performance, as well as lots of features and options. Compact cars are great for cities because their small size and low gas consumption makes them well-suited to small parking spots and rare gas stations, but those same qualities make them ideal commuter cars and family vehicles as well. It's no surprise that compact cars are one of the most popular category of vehicle on the market.

The 2022 Honda Civic is a total redesign of what was already one of the highest-rated choices in the compact lineup. The Civic was always a jack of all trades that combined great engines, fun handling, and excellent efficiency with a generous feature set. The 2022 edition is even better, with a fully modernized and updated interior, lots of new tech, and all of the same upsides that made the previous generation so enticing.

The 2022 Honda Civic comes in a hatchback and a sedan body style. The sedan has four different trims to choose from. They have a notable variation in feature set, and there is also a different engine offered for the two higher-level trims on the sedan. The base trim is the least expensive, but higher trims offer enough extras to make them worth a look, especially when you consider the low base cost of the Civic in the first place.

Take a look at each of these trims and think about which one is the best fit for your needs, your budget, and what you like in terms of features. The more you know about the trim structure of the 2022 Civic, the better equipped you will be to decide if it is the right car for you, and which configuration is the most value.

Unlike some other cars, the 2022 Honda Civic sedan does not have any options or packages that you can use to change the feature set beyond just the trim choice. This goes a long way to making the decision easier. Options and packages can make it harder to compare trim offerings, especially when the packages partly overlap between trims, and it is harder to determine the value of each trim. When all you have to decide is which trim to choose, it is more straightforward. Additionally, the Honda Civic's trim set is simple and clear, so you know exactly what each trim offers and the role that it plays in the lineup for the vehicle.

Compare the LX vs Sport Trims. What is the difference?

The LX is the base trim of the 2022 Civic for the sedan style. It has the base engine, which is rated for 158 horsepower. That is a bit behind some other compact cars, but still has fine acceleration and power. It is rated for an outstanding 40 MPG on the highway and 31 on city roads. There is a display screen 7 inches across, which is a touchscreen, but there are also knobs if you want more tactile controls. The LX has Apple Car Play and Android Auto as standard features to ensure you can connect your smartphone, plus Bluetooth and a USB port in the front. The interior is comfy with cloth upholstery, and there are nice little extras like automatic climate control, automatic high beams, and LED lighting for the front and rear lamps. In addition to those features, the LX has Honda's Sensing suite. This is a collection of driver assistance and safety tech, like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and more. It's a very generous set of features for a base trim.

The Sport is the second trim of the 2022 Honda Civic sedan. To start with, it has an additional round of exterior elements in its design to punch up the look a little. It has a larger sound system-- eight speakers instead of four-- and several other extras. That includes dual climate zones, leather wrapping for the steering wheel, keyless entry, remote start, and a few more.

The tradeoff between these two trims is that you pay a few thousand more for a small package of extra features, which are a mix between functional and comfortable. Since the base cost of the LX is low, most customers will find this a good trade to make. Take note that both of these have the same engine and drivetrain, so there won't be any major difference in performance. There isn't much pressure to upgrade to the Sport because none of the features are key, but the Sport is good value for a second trim.

Compare the Sport vs EX Trims. What is the difference?

The EX is the third trim of the Honda Civic. There is one major and important difference that needs to be addressed first. It has the upgraded engine-- a 180-horsepower turbo V4. This drivetrain is notably more powerful than the base, and you'll feel the difference when you are going up a hill or merging onto the highway. In addition to the boost in power, the upgrade engine has another improvement-- it is actually a bit more fuel efficient than the base engine. It gets 42 highway MPG and 33 in the city. It's pretty rare for a more powerful engine to consume less fuel. The engine upgrade alone is enough to make the EX worth a close look if you were already inclined to buy the Sport trim.

The EX has other features as well. It gains blind spot monitoring in addition to the existing automated safety features that it already had as part of Honda Sensing. It has heated front seats and heated mirrors, both of which are luxe elements that also give the Civic some more functionality in cold weather. The rear seats get some upgrades too, with a new split fold and a center arm rest. There is also a new moonroof, which is a great addition, especially if you plan to take the EX out on scenic trips.

The choice to move up to the EX will mostly come down to how you feel about the engine. The price increase is fairly small over the Sport, and the other additional features are a good bundle on their own as well. If you are not sure about whether the engine is worth it, consider taking a test drive of a 2022 Civic with the base engine and another with the turbo engine to see how different they feel to you.

Compare the 2022 EX vs Touring Trims. What is the difference?

The Touring is the top trim for the 2022 Honda Civic sedan. It has a notable step up in price and a long list of exclusive features. The touchscreen is expanded to be 9 inches across, it has a bigger and better sound system, and it gets a digital instrument panel over 10 inches across. There's even more tech on tap-- extra USB ports, wireless smartphone connectivity, onboard navigation, wireless charging pads for devices, satellite radio, and even voice controls. The Touring has leather upholstery, power front seat adjustments, parking sensors, rear cross traffic alert, and several more comfort features.

The Touring is there if you want the Civic to be as decked out as possible. It certainly offers a lot more than the EX trim. The lingering question over the Touring trim is whether you should stick with the Civic or just move over to a luxury model's base trim. A luxury compact car won't cost that much more than the Civic Touring and it is likely to offer even more features and amenities. It's a tough decision to make, but if your budget allows for the Touring, then think about comparing it to some luxury models with a similar price range on their base model.

Final Thoughts

The Civic has a very strong lineup of choices. The base trim offers enough value for money that you do not need to feel forced into higher trims, which can happen with some cars when the base trim is not well equipped. The middle trims offer a good amount of additional features, and the price difference between them is small. There is a major breakpoint when it comes to deciding between the Sport and EX because of the engine upgrade.

The best way to figure out which trim is best for you is to take a look at them in person. You can check out how the interior feels and whether the feature set matches up to what you want, then take it out for a test drive and experience the performance firsthand. If you are not sure about which trim is the best fit, a physical visit can be the deciding factor. If you do try out a visit, make sure to ask a lot of questions and get all the details you need to make a decision. The sales representative might be able to offer you a deal or discount on the Civic depending on when you go and what you ask for, so it is a good idea to be prepared to make a decision about whether to buy or not on the spot when you do go.

Regardless of what trim you choose, the Civic gets you the best value of just about any compact car on the market, and in terms of sheer quality, the 2022 edition is very hard to beat. Its revamped look at feature set make it attractive even before you consider its low price and how much you will save on gas when you drive it. When you compare it to other compact cars, you will see just how much you get for your money with the Civic.

It's worth noting that the Civic's trims are not just well-priced. They also provide you with a great selection of features that on other cars are either not present or are limited to the top trim only, like the adaptive cruise control feature. Other cars at this price point often don't come with a touchscreen as part of the base trim, either. So when it comes to value, the 2022 Civic contains plenty of engaging and excellent features at trim levels that mean you can stick with the first or second trim and not feel that you got a stripped-down version of the model. Many people will be fine with the base trim or the second trim and never need to spend more than their price point and they won't miss out on the features that matter most to them and that tick off all their boxes for a vehicle they need.