Production Models

This Car Review takes a look at the 2023 Honda Civic 1.5 RS Turbo CVT.

Aside from the newly launched All-New Civic Type R, there are now only two other Civics in the local lineup of Honda, the Civic 1.5 S Turbo CVT and the Civic 1.5 RS Turbo CVT.

When Honda Philippines finally brought the 11th generation Civic to our shores many loved the way it looked with the longer hood, the sloping roofline, the sharp character lines.

The Honda Civic is now 4678 millimeters long, 1802mm wide, just 1415mm at its highest point, with a 2735mm wheelbase and clearing the ground by 134mm.

It is sleek, sporty, and seemingly more mature that its predecessor but in a good way.

Looking a lot more closely, the Honda Civic RS Turbo CVT has a narrower front tread and rear tread at 1537mm and 1565mm.

It also stands out with RS emblem on the grille, black-painted side mirrors, door handles, shark fin antenna, door sash garnish and trunk spoiler, and 18-inch RS Design Alloy wheels. The dual-exhaust pipes are chromed.

The RS rolls on 235/40ZR18 95Y Tires

The side mirrors have integrated turn signals and power adjust and fold.

The LED headlights feature a Black Ring, automatic headlight adjustment, auto on and off function.

The RS also comes with LED Fog Lamps, Daytime Running Lights, High Mount Stop Light, and Tail Lights.

Smart keyless entry and push button start have ceased to be wow factors in new vehicles as most respectable five-door sedans offer the same. Nonetheless it's very convenient to be able to unlock doors and start the engine of the Honda Civic RS with no need of key. Just the keyfob in pocket.

Especially convenient is the remote engine start function if one wants to get the engine running with aircon on before getting into the Civic.

Once inside the Civic RS, one can see and feel the rich premium materials used for the cabin, seats and trim.

There is premium leather and suede for the seats with the driver enjoying eight-way power adjustable in his. Front passenger makes do with a seat that slides and reclines manually.

The rear seat for three splits and folds 60:40 and feature adjustable headrests.

The dash can be described as high tech minimalist with the 10.2-inch full digital instrumentation display that can be customized, the honeycomb trim that runs across the dash, the rotary knobs and digital display for the dual zone automatic climate control system that also comes with rear air vents.

The steering wheel wrapped in leather provides a good comfortable grip and looks more elegant than sporty. The steering column tilts and telescopes for convenience and comfort. There are intuitive controls for audio, multi-information display, and adaptive cruise control, and voice assistant within easy reach of thumb of hands in the 9 and 3 position.

The center floor console houses the shift knob that is skirted in leather, the electronic parking brake, the toggle switch for the drive mode, and twin cup or beverage holders.

The center armrest is quite comfortable and wide enough for two resting arms.

Ambient lighting, including on the door panels, provides great atmosphere inside the cabin.

The RS also comes with sport pedals.

The Civic RS features a 9-inch floating touchscreen for the infotainment system that comes with Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, Hands-Free Telephone connectivity, USB input.

It also comes with Bose 12-speaker sound system as well as a wireless charger.

Other standard comfort and convenience features include power windows, speed-sensing door locks, 12-volt accessory socket, multiple cup and beverage holders, auto-dimming rear view mirror, sun visors with mirror and ticket holder, four grab rails, and roof console with sun glass holder.

Driving the Civic RS is quite fun powered as it is by a 1.5-liter 4-Cylinder DOHC VTEC Turbo engine that produces 178 PS and 240 Newton-meters of torque and is mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that drives the front wheels.

The fun especially comes when on Sport mode. And when the spirit moves, the paddle shifters come in handy to get the most out of those revs.

For more sedate driving, there's Econ and Normal mode.

Honda also paid a lot of attention to minimize noise, vibration and harshness levels in the 11th generation Civic cabin.

The 11th generation Civic is both stable and agile which is best tested on uphill climbs and downhill corners. The longish wheelbase and wider tread combined with a well-tuned suspension featuring front McPherson struts and Multi-link system in the rear ensure this.

Confident stopping power comes from a brake system using discs on all wheels, ventilated in front.

Confidence driving the 11th generation Civic is all the more enhanced by Honda SENSING, a suite of state of art driving assist and safety technologies aimed at building a collision-free society.

Adaptive Cruise Control makes it easy to comply and maintain proper speeds at highways with speed limits, automatically braking or decelerating when coming behind slower vehicles and accelerating back up to the speed limit when clear.

Low Speed Follow similarly helps in crawling in stop and go traffic.

Other helpful tech in Honda SENSING includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Lead Car Departure Notification.

Honda SENSING can take a little getting used to with the beeps and other alert sounds and icons lighting up on the digital display, and even the steering wheel vibrating, like when the car departs the lane without use of the turn signal.

Also giving confidence and convenience is the Multi-View Reverse Camera with Guidelines to aid with parking.

Other safety features on the Civic RS include Lane Watch Camera, Walk Away Auto Door Lock, Dual Front Airbags, Side and Curtain Airbags, five 3pt ELR Seatbelts with reminder, Child Lock, ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor.

Also standard are Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, G-Con Body Structure, and security alarm and immobilizer.

In rolling out the 11th Generation Civic, Honda aimed to set a high bar for the compact sedan segment. And the Honda Civic RS Turbo CVT Honda SENSING is not far off that target.