Honda Civic ( $22,135 ) has been restored to its previous glory

Honda Civic ( $22,135 ) has been restored to its previous glory







Recently, Honda dropped off the latest variant of its hot-selling compact — the Civic Sport — for Business Insider to check out.



Our Civic Sport came with no optional extras, which meant the $22,135 base price is also our as-tested price.







Armed with a gutsy-yet-buttery-smooth four-cylinder engine and an affordable price tag, along with





a simple, high-quality, and thoughtfully executed interior



the Civic has, over the years, proven itself to be a fan favorite for those looking for something fun





A potent track weapon when called upon. In other words, the Honda Civic had something to offer to just about anyone looking for a car





Speaking of 9th-generation interiors, Honda's attempt at a futuristic two-tier instrument cluster looks awkward and is complex purely for the sake of complexity



For 2016, Honda addressed many of the 9th-generation Civic's short comings. However, all is not perfect.





First, the new Civic's rear end design is somewhat controversial. Its fastback roofline slopes down towards a trunk, instead of a hatch like on an Audi A7. Which means you get the diminished headroom of the sloping roofline without any of the added functionality of a hatch





Then there's the Civic's new infotainment system. While the graphics and overall presentation is solid, it's difficult to use. The layout and user interface is convoluted and complex. In addition, Honda replaced all physical buttons on its infotainment system with touch-sensitive versions. While it certainly looks sleek, it's infuriatingly imprecise to use. I have yet to come across a manufacturer that's mastered the touch-sensitive panel. Honda joins that list. However, the system is available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — which are its saving graces here





All of this brings us to our 2017 Honda Civic Hatch Sport test car. Here it is clad in a Darth Vader-esque Crystal Black paint job with black 18-inch wheels. For me, this is the Civic that Honda has needed to build all along





To drive, the Civic Sport feels nimble and peppy. The combination of turbocharged engine and six-speed stick shift mesh together like Michael and Scottie. Due to its small displacement, the 1.5-liter engine requires a little work to pinpoint its torque curve. As for handling, the Civic Sport's suspension is setup more for comfortable daily driving than track work. If you're looking for a hardcore track-day special, wait for a hotter Civic Si or Type R variant. In normal operation, the Civic Sport is expected to return 30 mpg on fuel economy in city driving and 39 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA





Overall, the Honda Civic is back! For me, the Civic Sport is a throwback. It handles with poise and accelerates with fervor while also serving up traditional Honda levels of build quality and fuel economy. In other words, it drives like a Civic should