2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 LA Auto Show

Despite the drubbing the redesigned 2012 Civic endured from critics after it debuted, American consumers bought them by the hundreds of thousands, making the car one of the best-selling models of the year.

Just goes to show you how important car reviewers are.

Nevertheless, Honda sprang into action and pushed the fast-forward button on what would have been a mid-cycle refresh for its compact car, and now the 2013 Honda Civic is arriving at dealerships with significant upgrades, ready to battle a wide range of competing models including the Chevy Cruze, Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla, and Volkswagen Jetta.

Not that it was having trouble in the first place.

2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

• Sedans are restyled front and rear
• New wheel designs for all models
• Upgraded interior materials and textures
• Measures taken to quiet the cabin
• Strengthened body structure for greater safety
• Improved brakes, steering and suspension
• Standard Bluetooth, SMS text messaging, reversing camera
• New safety-related options
• Kona Coffee and White Orchid Pearl paint colors
• Black interior color
• Base DX Sedan model dropped from lineup

2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

Honda rolled the 2013 Civic Sedan back into the design studio for more than a mere facelift. In addition to new front and rear styling, the new Civic gets a new hood and trunk lid. The changes are intended to give the car a more upscale and substantial appearance, one closer to the redesigned 2013 Accord. The Civic Coupe, a sportier model, is unchanged for 2013, but new wheel selections are offered for all Civics, along with Kona Coffee Metallic and White Orchid Pearl paint.

If the Civic Sedan’s exterior looks better, it’s the interior where differences matter most. Honda has installed soft-touch dashboard and upper door panel material in the 2013 Civic, along with revised textures and panel seams, a richer headliner material, and upgraded fabrics. Black carpeting is standard, and a new Black interior color is offered. Thicker windshield and side glass, and additional soundproofing are intended to make the Civic’s cabin quieter.

Beneath the skin, Honda employs its Advanced Compatibility Engineering II (ACE II) body structure to improve crashworthiness and to help the Civic perform well in the new small overlap frontal impact crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The greater use of high-strength steel in the 2013 Civic’s structure also improves ride quality and helps to quiet the cabin.

2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

For 2013, all Civic models receive revised steering and suspension tuning, changes intended to improve handling, response, and ride quality for all models. When equipped with an automatic transmission, the Civic LX, EX, and EX-L also receive larger front brakes this year.

The Honda Civic’s powertrains carry over for 2013. The LX, EX, and EX-L models have a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder paired with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. A version of the Civic Sedan called the HF (High Fuel Efficiency) is calibrated to eke out a little bit of extra gas mileage, and Honda also sells a version of this engine designed to operate on compressed natural gas. Naturally, it is called the Civic Natural Gas Sedan, and it makes 110 horsepower.

There are two additional Civic variants offered, with divergent missions in the life. The Civic Hybrid Sedan combines a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with a Lithium-ion battery pack and Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) to produce 110 horsepower and 44 mpg in combined driving. The Civic Si is the performance-tuned model, offered in coupe and sedan body styles, and powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine generating 201 horsepower.

2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

Generation Y buyers are key for the revamped 2013 Civic, and it would appear that Honda better understands what they value in terms of standard equipment. All Civics are now equipped with Bluetooth connectivity including streaming audio capability, SMS text messaging capability, a USB/iPod connection, a Pandora Internet radio interface, and controls on the steering wheel to help operate all this stuff. For good measure, Honda has also tossed in a reversing camera, a sliding center armrest, and an exterior temperature display.

New safety features include SmartVent side-impact airbags, a rollover sensor for the side-curtain airbags, and for models equipped with the optional navigation system, a multi-angle-view reversing camera. Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning systems are now offered for the Civic Hybrid.

2013 Honda Civic Preview: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show

The 2012 Civic represented a rare stumble by Honda, and while the car was certainly competitive, it wasn’t class leading, which opened the door for competitors to siphon sales. Rather than shrug and hope to maintain consumer interest until it could fix the car later, Honda did something exceeding rare in the automotive industry: it admitted that it made a mistake, and then it immediately did something about rectifying that mistake.

Perhaps even more miraculous, prices rise just $160 despite the modifications and new standard features, with the LX Sedan starting at $18,165. Honda will roll the new 2013 Civics out between now and February of next year.