Honda has spent decades refining its image as a manufacturer of affordable, yet reliable and fun-to-drive vehicles. It’s not just marketing speak either, whether you are behind the wheel of a CR-V or Civic Type-R, the driving experience is designed to be engaging and rewarding.
That also applies to its most affordable base models, like the Civic sedan and hatchback. For 2026, the cheapest new Honda you can buy is the Civic LX sedan. It may not have the power or luxury features of its pricier siblings, but it is certainly no bare-bones model either. We look into whether it is all the Civic you need, or whether there is better value to be had slightly higher up the range.
The Honda Civic Sedan
Honda
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Model Years: 2022 on
Rivals:Toyota Corolla, Mazda3
The Civic is one of Honda’s longest running models, having been on sale here for over 50 years. Now in its 11th generation, the latest Civic was introduced in 2022 and it has been subtly refined and updated since them to keep it fresh against newer rivals.
Of those, the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 are arguably its closest competitors. The Corolla offers the promise of traditional Toyota reliability and value for money, while the Mazda3 is dynamically impressive, giving the Civic a run for its money in the driving enjoyment stakes.
A Civic Hatchback is also offered, and we’ll get into its merits in a moment, but the sedan is priced slightly lower, and one can be yours for as little as $24,595. This excludes the $1,195 destination charge and any additional taxes, so the total price will be closer to $26,000. That pricing slots in between the pricier but more powerful Mazda3, and the slightly cheaper Corolla.
The Honda Civic Sedan in Detail
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| Feature | Civic LX | Civic Sport | Civic Sport Hybrid / Sport Touring Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Base MSRP |
$24,595 |
$26,595 |
$29,295 |
|
Engine |
2.0L Naturally Aspirated 4-Cylinder |
2.0L Naturally Aspirated 4-Cylinder |
2.0L 4-Cylinder + 2-Motor Hybrid System |
|
Power |
150 hp |
150 hp |
200 hp (Total System) |
|
Torque |
133 lb-ft |
133 lb-ft |
232 lb-ft (Electric Motor) |
|
0–60 mph |
8.8 sec est |
8.9 sec est |
6.2 sec est |
|
Fuel Economy (City/Hwy/Combined) |
32 / 41 / 36 MPG |
31 / 39 / 34 MPG |
50 / 47 / 49 MPG |
The base Honda Civic comes equipped with a 150-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is profiled for responsive and efficient performance in city driving scenarios. What that means is that it is not the engine to opt for if you have a need for speed, or plan to do long motorway miles with a full complement of passengers.
Its fuel economy is impressive though, and you’ll have to step up to the far pricier hybrid models to do better. The Sport Hybrid adds two electric motors to the base 2.0-liter engine, this pushes power up to a more impressive 200-hp, which makes it appreciably quicker, while also pushing the overall economy figure from 36 mpg to 49 mpg. You’d have to do a lot of miles before you recoup the extra $4,700, though.
The Civic sedan is offered solely with front-wheel drive (FWD), and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) regardless of the trim. While most CVT gearboxes tend to be whiny and unsatisfying to use in enthusiastic driving, Honda’s engineers spent a lot of time refining and perfecting this system, and it is one of the better examples on the market. The ride is also comfortable while still firm enough to offer a sporty drive, and the interior quality is one of the best in class. Unfortunately, if you want wireless smartphone connectivity (instead of the standard wired setup), or the larger infotainment screen, you’ll have to pay up for the top trim level.
Inhouse Rivals
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| Feature | HR-V (LX Base) | Civic Hatchback (Sport Base) | Accord (LX Base) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Base MSRP |
$26,500 |
$27,895 |
$28,395 |
|
Engine |
2.0L Naturally Aspirated 4-Cylinder |
2.0L Naturally Aspirated 4-Cylinder |
1.5L Turbocharged 4-Cylinder |
|
Power |
158 hp |
150 hp |
192 hp |
|
Torque |
138 lb-ft |
133 lb-ft |
192 lb-ft |
|
0–60 mph |
9.4 sec est |
9.0 sec est |
7.2 sec est |
|
Fuel Economy (City/Hwy/Combined) |
26 / 32 / 28 MPG |
30 / 38 / 33 MPG |
29 / 37 / 32 MPG |
The Civic Sedan certainly offers a compelling mix of attributes, but there are several in-house alternatives that may be worth a look at, too. The Civic Hatchback looks to be priced significantly higher at first glance, but that’s because it isn’t offered in the lower LE trim of the sedan. Comparing the Sport trims reveals a difference of a more palatable $1,200 between the two. While the overall spec levels are largely similar, what you are getting for the extra outlay is more cargo space and the convenience of the hatchback body style.
The HR-V is an accomplished subcompact crossover that is available both on FWD and AWD flavors, and has a few more standard features in base spec compared to the Civic Sedan. It is very well priced, but the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is not quite powerful enough in this application, and there are no other engine options to pick from.
For around $4,000 more than the Civic Sedan, you can step up to the base Accord. It is another big seller in Honda’s range, and even the base trim is decently equipped. It offers more passenger and cargo space than the Civic, and the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine provides much better performance while still offering decent fuel economy. If you can stretch to this larger model, then it may be worth it.
Honda
The Honda Civic Sedan remains the value champ in the range, but its lack of a few features that are standard on entry-level stablemates like the Accord and HR-V. If that isn’t a deal-breaker then this is the model to go for, otherwise a few thousand dollars more opens up a few more options across the Honda range.
Data Sources:
- All vehicle data, pricing figures, and technical specifications were sourced from the official manufacturer websites.
- Pricing figures represent the base manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) and exclude destination charges, and taxes.