2018 Honda Civic vs 2019

What's the difference?

Once a varied fleet of economical small cars, the Civic is known by most as a reliable runabout. Then, in the mid ‘00s, the GFC came.

It hit Japanese manufacturers hard. Small hatches and sedans weren’t as profitable as they once were, aspirational sporty variants (VTi-R, anyone?) were dropped, once-household names took a back seat, and from the ashes has risen an endless stream of SUVs.

For this reason, small cars are expected to deliver more than ever before, and today’s top-spec Civic VTi-LX sedan is perhaps the ultimate reflection of that. It's massive compared to its ancestors, has a focus on luxury over sportiness, and could even serve as a replacement for the large sedan long-distance tourers of old.

Stick with me as I explain.

Honda's current Civic is a perplexing thing, and I'm not just talking about the profusion of styling features. The range spans from the entry-level VTi to the completely bonkers Type R and the two cars could not be more different.

One step up from the bottom of the line-up is the VTi-S, priced at $25,490. Honda and its competitors are selling boatloads of SUVs but the small hatch/sedan market (it seems to be merging) is still punching away.

The Civic has been with us in its current form for a couple of years now, but it was ahead of the pack in some areas when it first landed. With the arrival of the new Mazda3 and ongoing Korean onslaught, it's worth a quick re-visit to see what's happening with the Civic.