Though the 2012 Honda Civic LX was panned earlier this month by
Consumer Reports, editors with Kelley Blue Book were singing a different tune when reviewing another trim line of the 2012 Civic.
Kbb.com unveiled the winners of the 2011/2012 Compact Sedan Comparison Test this morning and tied atop the test group was the 2012 Civic EX-L Navi, which shared the spot with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited.
Editors gave both vehicles a score of 7.5 out of 10. The four models in the group received overall scores in addition to the categorical scores for interior, exterior, performance, comfort/convenience and value.
Interestingly enough, the Civic and Hyundai were each praised for different reasons and also had different “weak spots,” KBB noted.
The Civic was strongest in performance and value, while the Elantra was tops in style and design. Coming in third overall was the 2012 Ford Focus SEL, scoring a 6.9 rating, with the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze placing fourth (6.7).
Sharing some more commentary on the Civic, KBB said in listing its strengths that the Civic is “the Mercedes-Benz of compact sedans,” with its weakness being that it is “no longer a class style leader.”
KBB’s synopsis of the Civic stated that it is a “superb example of balance, value and pedigree.”
“To understand why the 2012 Honda Civic EX-L Navi shares the top honors with the Hyundai Elantra Limited in this comparison test, you need to understand what made Mercedes-Benz great. Once, in an era when luxury cars were great and the competition was strong, Mercedes-Benz was the greatest luxury carmaker in the world,” editors commented.
“Now, other automakers build faster cars than Mercedes-Benz, and prettier cars than Mercedes, and more reliable cars, more comfortable cars, better-handling cars, more value-laden cars than Mercedes … but not all at once,” they added. “That ‘nobody does it better all at once’ territory is prime Honda real estate, and the all-new Civic still rules that land. How the Civic does it, however, is a bit of a mystery.”
Explaining that sentiment in more detail, editors said the model “tanked” when it came to exterior style training and was the lowest on the totem pole for interior styling and trunk space.
KBB said the 1.8-liter engine stacked up well when it came to fuel efficiency, editors said the power output was lacking, also suggesting that the “five-speed automatic transmission seems iffy at best in a class where six forward gears is now the norm.”
“Yet somehow, the 2012 Honda Civic EX-L Navi pulls it off. The underpowered engine and under-geared transmission work together beautifully, seamlessly to make certain that you're never stranded at the deep end of the onramp,” they shared. “Like most Honda engines, the Civic's 1.8 really shines at higher revs. The four-wheel disc brakes do a superb job of nestling the Civic to a stop, and while the ride/handling balance places ride far above handling, the steering feel and response belong in a ‘How to Do Everything Right’ textbook.”
Moving along to discuss all four models in the group in more detail, editors said they were fairly pleased with each of them, calling them a “fresh-foot forward for their manufacturers.”
“At some point in time, most everyone drives a compact sedan, whether it is a commuter car, second car, empty nester car or even a rental car,” stated Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kbb.com.
“Because this vehicle class is an inevitable part of most American drivers’ lives, we wanted to put the top new models up against each other head-to-head to see how they would fare,” he continued.
“While the caliber of vehicles is better than ever in the compact sedan category across the board, each model proved to have different strengths and weaknesses that potential buyers should know about before they make their final decision,” Nerad added. “The cars are in the same segment, but they certainly aren’t the same, and we found that each meets the needs of a particular set of consumers.”
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