2011 Honda Civic Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Honda Civic overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Civic, and includes Honda Civic safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

As Honda prepares to introduce a completely redesigned Civic for the 2012 model year, the 2011 Civic carries over with no changes. The Civic continues to be offered in coupe and sedan body styles, with a wide range of powertrains and trim levels.

The DX Sedan is the least expensive pathway to Civic ownership, but unless you live in a temperate climate with great radio stations, plan to spend some extra coin. The Civic DX’s standard equipment includes a basic AM/FM stereo, power windows, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a rear defroster, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, an anti-theft system, and 15-inch wheels with plastic wheel covers. Given the dearth of features on the DX, we recommend upgrading to the DX-VP – DX Value Package – at a minimum. This model includes air conditioning, a CD player, and an auxiliary input audio jack.

Most Civic buyers select the LX trim level, offered with both the coupe and sedan body styles. The Civic LX adds cruise control, power side mirrors, power door locks with remote keyless entry, floor mats, and 16-inch wheels with wheel covers. For added flair, Civic buyers can upgrade to the Civic LX-S, which has special sport seats with suede bolsters, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, and a chrome exhaust tip. The natural gas-powered Civic GX is identical to the Civic LX sedan in terms of standard features.

If you’re interested in features like a power sunroof, a better sound system, a split-folding rear seat, ambient interior lighting, and other upgrades, you’ll want to investigate the Civic EX, which is equipped with a unique alloy wheel design. Or you can get the Civic EX-L, which adds leather seats that are heated in front, as well as heated side mirrors.

The performance-oriented Civic Si is the sportiest model, and it comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. The Civic Si includes a more powerful engine, a helical limited-slip differential, a performance suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, and sport bolstered front seats.

On the opposite end of the Civic spectrum lays the fuel-efficient Civic Hybrid. Based on the Civic EX, the Hybrid is not equipped with a power sunroof. It also drops the folding rear seat because the electric assist batteries are stacked between the rear seat and the trunk. Special 15-inch alloy wheels wearing low rolling resistance tires are unique to the Hybrid, and this model also comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), automatic climate control, and signal indicators integrated in the side mirror housings.

All 2011 Honda Civics except the Hybrid, GX, and Si are equipped with a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter iVTEC four-cylinder engine that delivers power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the manual, and 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway with the automatic.

The Civic Si has a high-revving, 2.0-liter iVTEC four-cylinder making 197 horsepower at 7,800 rpm. A six-speed manual transmission with a helical limited-slip differential is the only transmission choice, so if you can’t operate a clutch pedal, you’re out of luck. Fuel economy estimates for the Civic Si are 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway.

A 1.3-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine combined with an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) electric motor generates a combined 110 horsepower in the Honda Civic Hybrid. A CVT transfers power to the front wheels, and a regenerative braking system recharges the battery pack while you drive. With the Civic Hybrid, you can expect to get 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. Also, according to the EPA, the Honda Civic Hybrid receives an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating.

The Civic GX’s 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine makes 113 horsepower, and the Civic GX is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet Tier 2-Bin 2 and ILEV zero evaporative emissions standards, according to Honda. How come? The Civic GX burns compressed natural gas (CNG) and can be refueled at home using “Phill,” a natural gas home refueling appliance. Fuel economy estimates are 24 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.

Honda’s standard safety package for the 2011 Civic is pretty basic: six airbags and ABS with electronic brake-force distribution. If you want traction control, stability control, or brake assist, Honda requests that you kindly pay up, sucker, in the form of EX-L, Si, or Hybrid trim. Let’s hope this is not the case with the redesigned 2012 Civic.

For 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revised its crash-testing program. Under the new testing guidelines, the Civic Sedan receives a 3-Star overall rating. The Civic received either a 4- or a 5-Star rating for all crashworthiness measurements except the side-impact test, measured on the driver’s side. In this new test, the Civic receives a 2-Star rating, which is below average. The Honda Civic Coupe has not been tested using the NHTSA’s new guidelines.

For Civic Coupe crashworthiness ratings, try the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS says the Civic Coupe rates Good in the frontal offset crash test, Acceptable in the side impact crash test, and Good for a rear collision. Results for the Civic Sedan are better, with a Good rating in all three IIHS crash measures: offset frontal, side impact, and rear impact. The IIHS also gives the sedan a Good rating for roof crush strength. As a result, the IIHS calls the 2011 Honda Civic sedan a Top Safety Pick* when equipped with available stability control.

When it comes to predicted reliability, JDPower.com says the 2011 Honda Civic is expected to be among the best in the compact car class. Oddly, J.D. Power’s most recent Vehicle Dependability Study reflects otherwise, showing a rating of slightly better than average. Over at Consumer Reports, the independent testing and research organization gives the 2011 Civic its top score for predicted reliability.

* The IIHS says its crash-test results do not apply to the Si models, so the Top Safety Pick rating applies only to the EX-L and Hybrid sedans.

Driving a Honda Civic is satisfying, if not exciting. There’s the Si model, of course, with its sport-tuned suspension, high-revving engine, marvelous manual transmission, and well-bolstered seats, but most Civic buyers pick the LX, EX or Hybrid models.

We drove a 2011 Civic Sedan in EX-L trim, equipped with leather but not the available navigation system. We found the car to be roomy for four adults, and comfortable thanks to supportive seats and plenty of soft touch surfaces for arms and elbows. The trunk is generously sized and shaped, offering 12 cubic-feet of space, which is plenty for a family of four.

In the Civic’s natural environment – cities, suburbs, and freeways – the car excels, feeling taut but not stiff, responsive but not sporty. The 1.8-liter, 140-horsepower four-cylinder provides lively response at lower speeds, but can feel taxed when climbing hills or when the car is loaded with well-fed bodies. We averaged 30.8 mpg during a week of driving that emphasized highway travel, beating the EPA’s combined rating of 29 mpg.

If we have anything to complain about, the Civic is very loud on the highway on any surface other than fresh, smooth blacktop. You will need to raise your voice on a road trip. We also find the car to be a bit darty at speed, thanks to quick steering and a suspension that can easily lose composure over broken pavement. Honda also needs to make Bluetooth hands-free calling standard on all models, and while they’re at it, stability control ought to be offered to every Civic buyer no matter how much they’re spending.

A new 2012 Civic is right around the corner as this review is written. Nevertheless, the current Civic remains one of the better picks in the compact car market, a smart, affordable but not cheap, and socially responsible choice in daily transportation.

In our opinion, what makes the 2011 Civic lineup most appealing are the specialty models, like the fuel-efficient Civic Hybrid, the natural-gas Civic GX, and the performance-oriented Civic Si. Nevertheless, all Civics have proven themselves crashworthy in tests conducted by the IIHS, are fuel efficient, are likely to deliver dependability over time, and look modern even after six years on the road. From our standpoint, the main problem with the 2011 Civic is that Honda asks buyers to pay for the top trim levels to get increasingly common features such as stability control, a USB port or Bluetooth hands-free calling, the latter an increasingly important safety feature. Let’s hope Honda trickles these important features down to all models with the redesigned 2012 Civic arrives in time for summer of 2011.