Although most Honda buyers will likely care more about how their cars look than drive, they'll still enjoy the Civic's two powertrains. The volume engine is a 2.0-liter I-4 producing 158 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. The optional turbocharged engine is a North American first for Honda cars. The 1.5-liter, turbo I-4 is paired with a CVT and makes 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque.

"The first thing you notice when you start the Honda Civic is the quietness of the engine and its smoothness," observed guest judge Chris Theodore. "The 1.5-liter turbo is a little slow off the line, but it gathers itself up at about 3000 rpm and pulls strongly from there. The CVT has artificial shift points built into it and, at least on acceleration, responded surprisingly well."

The new Civic represents a strong evolution. Although its original designers may not recognize it, buyers sure will. "There's little question," Jason Camissa said, "that this is the best car in its class."

2016 Honda Civic Touring
BASE PRICE	$27,335
PRICE AS TESTED	$27,335
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
ENGINE	1.5L/174-hp/162-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4
TRANSMISSION	Cont. variable automatic
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	182.3 x 70.8 x 55.7 in
WHEELBASE	106.3 in
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	2,925 lb (61/39%)
ACCELERATION, 0-60 MPH	7.2 sec
QUARTER MILE	15.5 sec @ 92.4 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	123 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.83 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	27.5 sec @ 0.62 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	31/42/35 mpg (est)
ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY	109/80 kW-hrs/100 miles (est)
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.55 lb/mile (est)
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	27/45/33