2013 Honda Civic Coupe

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The Honda Civic Coupe offers the same blend of value and efficiency as the Civic Sedan, albeit in a more stylish and slightly less practical wrapper. As with its four-door counterpart, the Coupe received a comprehensive update for the latest model year, with revisions including a more expensive-feeling cabin, more standard features and a number of handling-focused suspension tweaks.

Unlike the sedan, the Coupe's changes didn't extend to the sheetmetal, which remains moderately sporty and wholly inoffensive. What was reworked is the suspension, which received stiffer springs and rear bushings along with thicker roll bars front and rear, while the body structure benefits from a number of strengthened components. A retuned electric steering setup is also among the changes, as are upsized 11.1-inch brake rotors.

The biggest changes come inside, however. A newly squared-off center stack and redesigned air vents lend the dashboard a much more cohesive feel, and upscale soft-touch materials now reside atop the instrument panels. The door panels have also been revised and are covered in similarly upgraded trim. The interior is now quieter than before thanks to a raft of NVH-related tweaks, including thicker windshield and front-side window glass, a stiffer subframe and more sound-deading materials in the trunk, doors and floor.

The Civic coupe's powertrain carries over the latest model year. The motor - a SOHC 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 140 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque - is slightly underpowered relative to the competition. It does return excellent fuel economy, however - teamed with the optional five-speed automatic, the 1.8-liter is rated for 28/39 city/highway mpg. The standard gearbox, a snick-snick five-speed manual, helps unlock extra acceleration but reduces efficiency to 28/36 mpg.

Standard and Optional Features
Previously characterized by a dearth of standard kit, the Civic received a number of new standard features for the latest model year and is now one of the better-equipped rides in the compact segment. The Civic is available in LX, EX and EX-L trim levels (the latter of which offer navigation system-equipped sub-trims).

The LX comes standard with A/C, power windows and locks, a four-speaker, 160-watt AM/FM/CD sound system with USB and AUX inputs, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity with Pandora radio compatibility and 15-inch wheels with hubcaps. Notable upscale standard features include a rearview camera and a five-inch LCD information screen mounted atop the center stack.

Stepping up to the EX brings a standard automatic transmission, a sunroof, automatic climate control, two additional speakers for the sound system and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The top-shelf EX-L adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lights, auto on/off headlights and heated power side mirrors.

Both EX and EX-L models can be had with a satellite-linked navigation system with voice recognition.

Occupant Safety
The Civic Coupe's safety features include two-row side curtain airbags, dual-stage, multiple-threshold driver's and front passenger's airbags, driver's and front passenger's side airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and anti-lock braking (ABS) with Brake Assist.

Key Competitors
Those looking for a frugal yet sporty two-door like the Civic Coupe should also consider the Kia Forte Koup, the Hyundai the Scion tC and the Volkswagen Golf.

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