2019 Honda Civic Sport Full Review

The compact car segment is fiercely competitive, but few vehicles manage to strike the perfect balance between practicality, style, and a genuinely engaging driving experience quite like the Honda Civic. For the 2019 model year, Honda introduced the Sport trim, aiming to deliver an even more dynamic package to a broader audience. But does the 2019 Honda Civic Sport truly live up to its name?

If you're considering a compact car that offers more than just basic transportation – perhaps you're seeking a daily driver with a hint of athleticism, modern technology, and renowned Honda reliability – then you've landed in the right place. This comprehensive 2019 Honda Civic Sport Full Review will dive deep into every aspect of this popular trim, helping you decide if it's the ideal vehicle to inject some excitement into your commute.

Unmistakable Style: The 2019 Honda Civic Sport's Exterior

The 2019 Honda Civic Sport immediately stands out with its more aggressive and distinctive styling cues, setting it apart from the more subdued LX and EX trims. Honda aimed for a "blacked-out concept" on the Sport, which includes a new front end with a thin black surround replacing the chrome grille, projector beam headlights with blacked-out inners, and standard LED daytime running lights.

Key exterior features that define the Sport trim include:

18-inch Alloy Wheels: These striking wheels, shared in concept with the Civic hatchback Sport and Si models, significantly contribute to the car's sporty stance.
Aggressive Bodywork: The Sport features a resculpted bottom bumper that looks wider, along with a black decklid spoiler (on the sedan).
Center-Mounted Rear Exhaust: A design cue often seen on sportier vehicles like the Civic Si, this adds to the Sport's athletic appeal and can even produce a "cool sport sound".

Available in sedan, coupe, and hatchback body styles, the Sport trim ensures that regardless of your preferred form factor, you get the same dark exterior trimming and sharper handling that optimize the fun factor. New exterior colors for 2019 also included Platinum White Pearl, Lava Pearl, and Tonic Yellow Pearl.

Step Inside: Comfort and Connectivity in the 2019 Civic Sport Interior

Step inside the 2019 Honda Civic Sport, and you'll find a cabin that balances practicality with a modern, driver-focused design. Honda made several interior upgrades across the 2019 Civic lineup, including better sound insulation and redesigned steering wheel controls. Perhaps the most welcomed update was the addition of a long-awaited volume knob and hard buttons to the touchscreen infotainment system, addressing a common point of frustration from previous models.

Key interior and infotainment highlights include:

Sport Combination Seats: The Sport trim features unique seating with leather bolstering and cloth accents, offering a blend of comfort and sporty aesthetics.
Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel and Shift Knob: These touches enhance the tactile experience, contributing to a more premium feel.
7-inch Display Audio System: This high-resolution electrostatic touchscreen comes standard on the Sport trim and above, offering Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration. This means seamless smartphone connectivity for navigation, music, and messaging.
Sport Pedals: Aluminum sport pedals further reinforce the trim's athletic intentions.
Spacious Cabin: The Civic's interior is roomy, providing ample space for passengers. The sedan offers generous front and rear headroom and legroom, contributing to a comfortable ride for everyone.
Cargo Versatility: The sedan variant boasts an impressive 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, which is competitive within its class. The hatchback model, known for its superior utility, offers even more: 25.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up and a generous 46.2 cubic feet with the seats folded flat. All Sport models also come with a 60/40 split fold-down rear seatback for added cargo flexibility.

The interior of the 2019 Civic Sport is designed to be both functional and engaging, with thoughtful touches that enhance the overall driving and passenger experience.

Under the Hood: Performance and Driving Dynamics of the 2019 Honda Civic Sport

The "Sport" in 2019 Honda Civic Sport isn't just about looks; it also translates to a more engaging driving experience, though with a notable distinction in engine choice depending on the body style.

Engine Options:

Sedan and Coupe: These Sport models come standard with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. While some reviewers note this engine can feel a bit "tepid" and requires higher revs to feel truly peppy, it offers reliable power for daily commuting.
Hatchback: The 2019 Civic Sport hatchback gets a more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, delivering 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque with the manual transmission, or 162 lb-ft with the CVT automatic. This turbocharged option provides more brisk acceleration and is generally preferred for its stronger performance.

Transmission Choices:

The 2019 Civic Sport offers a choice between two transmissions:

6-Speed Manual Transmission (6MT): Standard on the Sport trim for all body styles, this manual transmission is praised for its "crisp-shifting" action, easy and consistent clutch, and a "nice mechanical feeling to the shifts". Many enthusiasts consider Honda's manual shifters among the best.
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT): Available as an option, the CVT is tuned for smoothness and fuel efficiency. While some suggest it can make the base engine feel "bogged down" if not kept in its power band, Honda's CVT is considered one of the better ones on the market, capable of mimicking traditional gear shifts with paddle shifters.

Driving Dynamics:

The 2019 Honda Civic Sport benefits from specific tuning to enhance its handling and ride. These include:

Retuned Shock Absorbers and Thicker Front Stabilizer Bar: These contribute to a slightly stiffer suspension tuning compared to lower trims, helping to optimize the fun factor and reduce front-end bobble during hard braking and turns.
Quicker Steering Ratio: The steering is responsive, well-weighted, and surprisingly "feelsome," making the Civic a joy to pilot.
Balanced Ride Quality: The Civic strikes a near-perfect balance between comfort and driver engagement. Its ride quality is described as "just right" – neither too cushy nor too harsh, absorbing bumps effectively.

Overall, the 2019 Honda Civic Sport offers a dynamic and athletic driving experience that stands out in the compact car class, particularly with the manual transmission and the hatchback's turbocharged engine.

Safety First: Honda Sensing and Beyond in the 2019 Civic Sport

For the 2019 model year, Honda made a significant move by making the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies standard across all Civic Sedan and Coupe trims, including the Sport. This is a major plus, offering advanced safety features typically found on higher-end vehicles.

The Honda Sensing® suite includes:

Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW): This system can alert you to potential frontal collisions and, if necessary, automatically apply the brakes to help reduce the severity of an impact.
Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Designed to alert you if the vehicle is detected drifting out of its lane or off the roadway, and can provide steering assistance to help keep you on track.
Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS): Provides subtle steering input to help keep the vehicle centered in its detected lane.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow: This intelligent cruise control system helps maintain a set speed and a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead, even in stop-and-go traffic.
Automatic High-Beam Headlights: Automatically switches between high and low beams depending on traffic and lighting conditions.

Beyond Honda Sensing, the 2019 Civic Sport also includes:

Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines: Standard on the Sport trim and up, this provides multiple views to assist with parking and reversing.
Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control: Helps maintain traction and stability in challenging driving conditions.
Advanced Airbag System: A comprehensive array of airbags for occupant protection.

The 2019 Honda Civic received a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), earning perfect 5-star scores in Frontal Crashes, Side Crashes, and Rollover collisions. This robust suite of safety features provides significant peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike.

Fueling Your Adventures: 2019 Honda Civic Sport MPG

Fuel efficiency is a hallmark of the Honda Civic, and the 2019 Sport trim continues this tradition, offering impressive MPG ratings that make it a cost-effective choice for daily commutes and road trips.

The EPA-estimated fuel economy for the 2019 Honda Civic Sport varies slightly depending on the transmission and body style:

With the 6-Speed Manual Transmission:
- Sedan/Coupe (2.0L engine): EPA-estimated 25 mpg city / 36 mpg highway.
- Hatchback (1.5L Turbo engine): EPA-estimated 29 mpg city / 38 mpg highway / 33 mpg combined. Some real-world tests showed about 37 mpg from a six-speed manual Civic Sport hatchback.
With the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT):
- Sedan/Coupe (2.0L engine): EPA-estimated 29 mpg city / 37 mpg highway.
- Hatchback (1.5L Turbo engine): EPA-estimated 29 mpg city / 35 mpg highway / 32 mpg combined.

These figures demonstrate that the 2019 Honda Civic Sport is a highly efficient vehicle, helping you save at the pump without sacrificing its sporty character.

Is the 2019 Honda Civic Sport Right for You? Pros and Cons

The 2019 Honda Civic Sport offers a compelling package, but like any vehicle, it has its strengths and a few areas where it might not meet every driver's expectations.

Pros:

Engaging Driving Experience: The Civic is celebrated for its fun-to-drive personality, with a well-engineered balance of performance and handling. The Sport trim, with its stiffer suspension tuning and quicker steering, enhances this even further.
Standard Honda Sensing: The inclusion of Honda Sensing as standard across all sedan and coupe trims for 2019 is a major advantage, offering a comprehensive suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies.
Improved Infotainment: The addition of a physical volume knob and hard buttons to the 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen significantly improves usability and reduces driver distraction.
Stylish Design: The Sport trim's aggressive exterior styling, including 18-inch wheels, black accents, and a center-mounted exhaust, gives it a distinct and appealing look.
Practicality and Space: Despite its compact classification, the Civic offers a surprisingly roomy cabin and class-leading cargo space, especially in the hatchback variant.
Fuel Efficiency: Both engine options deliver strong fuel economy ratings, making the Civic Sport an economical choice for daily driving.
Manual Transmission Option: For those who appreciate a more connected driving experience, the availability of a smooth and precise 6-speed manual transmission is a significant draw.

Cons:

Base Engine Performance (Sedan/Coupe): While adequate for daily driving, the 2.0-liter engine in the sedan and coupe Sport models can feel less "sporty" than its appearance suggests, especially when paired with the CVT.
No Turbo for Sedan/Coupe Sport: Unlike the hatchback, the sedan and coupe Sport trims do not receive the more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, which is reserved for higher trims like the EX and Touring.
Lack of Certain Amenities on Sport Trim: To keep costs down, the Sport trim might lack some features found on higher trims, such as heated seats or a sunroof, which some buyers might expect.
Exterior Styling Can Be Divisive: While many appreciate the aggressive styling, some might find it "heavy-handed" or "a little bit too aggressive".

Ultimately, the 2019 Honda Civic Sport is an excellent choice for drivers seeking a reliable, safe, and efficient compact car with a definite sporty flair. If you prioritize engaging driving dynamics and modern safety features in a stylish package, and don't necessarily need the absolute highest horsepower, the Civic Sport is certainly worth a closer look.

Conclusion

The 2019 Honda Civic Sport truly embodies the spirit of a versatile compact car that punches above its weight. It masterfully combines a head-turning design with a driver-focused interior, impressive standard safety features, and competitive fuel efficiency. Whether you're drawn to its aggressive styling, appreciate the tactile engagement of a manual transmission, or simply need a reliable and spacious daily driver, the Civic Sport delivers on multiple fronts. It's a testament to Honda's ability to create a vehicle that is both practical and genuinely fun to drive.

Are you a proud owner of a 2019 Honda Civic Sport, or are you considering one for your next vehicle? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! We'd love to hear what makes the Civic Sport stand out to you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What engine does the 2019 Honda Civic Sport come with?

A1: The 2019 Honda Civic Sport sedan and coupe models come with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The 2019 Honda Civic Sport hatchback, however, is equipped with a more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged