2013 Honda Civic LX

The 2013 model adds features like standard Pandora Internet Radio connectivity, Bluetooth audio and phone capability, a rear-view camera, and steering-wheel audio controls. While the Civic has long been the benchmark of the compact segment, the 2013 model is a car that once again looks and feels like one.

Call it a change of course, mid-stream. With just months to go before Honda’s 2012 Civic went on sale, engineers realized that the new car wouldn’t wow critics, so the car went back into the shop for some upgrades. The 2013 Civic is the product of that eleventh-hour work, and it’s better for it. The new Civic keeps all of the 2012’s best attributes, including the smooth 140-hp, 1.8-liter in-line four engine (mated to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission), the optional 201-hp, 2.4-liter in-line four (mated to a six-speed manual), and a clean, simple interior. The Civic still offers plenty of fuel economy (up to 41 mpg in HF form and 44 mpg in hybrid guise), predictable handling, rock-solid reliability, and commendably high resale values. But the interior has better materials and a better build quality; the front end has a more premium look with more chrome; and the rear-end is less bland. The 2013 model also adds features like standard Pandora Internet Radio connectivity, Bluetooth audio and phone capability, a rear-view camera, and steering-wheel audio controls. While the Civic has long been the benchmark of the compact segment, the 2013 model is a car that once again looks and feels like one.