The Right Spec: 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback

We’ve covered the Civic sedan on these digital pages in the past, noting improvements in several areas over its predecessor save for one detail – a manual transmission. Honda gets it right with the ’22 hatch variant, offering a six-speed stick in this body style.

Sure, the build-n-price tool isn’t officially live on Honda’s site as of this writing but there’s no lack of information about this model on their media site. Which is the best bang for your Honda hatchback buck?

It goes without saying we’ll be selecting a trim in which the 6MT is available, limiting us to Sport or Sport Touring options. The most obvious difference between these two is under the hood: The former gets a 2.0-liter four-banger good for 158 horsepower while the latter finds a 1.5-liter Turbo capable of belting out 180 ponies between its front fenders. While 22 horses might not seem like much of a boost, torque jumps from 138 to 177 lb-ft of twist, all of which comes online at just 1,700 rpm – about 2,500 rpm sooner than the naturally aspirated mill. In short, the turbo feels a lot sprightlier than its on-paper stats may suggest.

That extra power comes at a cost, with the Sport Touring showing a sticker of $29,400 which is a $5,300 walk from the non-turbo Sport. Interestingly, the six-speed is no less (or more) expensive than the automatic, though the CVT’s ability to game EPA’s fuel economy tests pays off in the form of an extra 3 mpg in town.

Honda gives Sport Touring customers more for their money than just power, of course. The more expensive trim also adds a Bose premium audio system, a bigger infotainment touchscreen, that dandy 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster Honda is starting to install in everything they make, and more USB charging ports for your friends.

Still, it’s not like the non-Turbo has a wasteland interior. Look for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the 7-inch center stack screen, 8-speaker audio system, leather-wrapped touchpoints, and a push-button one can thumb to light the fires. One does give up a couple of safety nannies, like rear cross-traffic alert, but the headlamps remain LED peepers. Besides, you’re supposed to be paying attention while reversing – right? All Civic hatchbacks include features like lane-keeping.

Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go? Every racer in America has that mantra etched into the walls of their shop, or at least scrawled into the top of their toolbox. Five grand is no small consideration at this end of the price spectrum; representing 22 percent of the non-turbo Sport’s price, it’s like adding $12,000 to the price of an F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4×4.

But the allure of speed beckons. And if anyone questions your choice of the turbo, just tell them there’s a better chance of recouping a higher percentage of value at trade-in time.

Please note the prices listed here are in United States dollars and are currently accurate for base prices exclusive of any fees, taxes, or rebates. Your dealer may (and should) sell for less (obscene market conditions notwithstanding). Keep your foot down, bone up on available rebates, and bargain hard.

[Images: Honda]