Honda is streamlining the offerings for the 2023 Honda Civic by deleting the LX trim from the mix. Will this be something we miss from this beloved compact car?
For generations, the Honda Civic has been one of the most popular cars in the market. This car has been offered as a sedan, coupe, hatchback, and with various powertrains to give us different ways to enjoy the drive. As one of the most reliable and impressive cars in the market, we’ve admired the qualities offered, but will we miss the loss of the base LX trim?
What Did The LX Trim Offer in the Civic?
The last of the LX models of this Honda came as part of the 2022 model year. Now that it’s gone, other trims may have to soak up some of the features. This change will also put the Sport trim as the base level and give us a higher starting price for this small car. The features we found in the LX models were:
- 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque
- CVT automatic transmission
- 16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers
- LED headlights
- Automatic climate controls
- Push-button starting
- 7-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Partial digital instrument panel
- Four-speaker audio system
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
- Forward collision mitigation
- Lane keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Traffic sign recognition
- Automatic high beams
- Driver attention monitor
As you can see, this was a pretty complete package for a base-level compact sedan. Most of these features are now packaged into the Sport trim, which also gives you more features and qualities at the new higher starting price. Will we miss the LX trim of the Honda Civic? We might for the 2023 model year, but after that, it’s not likely.
How Much Higher is the Starting Price of the Civic?
The Sport model begins at $25,745, which is a jump of $2,100 over the previous LX trim of this car. Most of the other trims see an increase in starting prices, with these increases of between $500 and $700 per trim compared to last year. These increases apply to both sedan and hatchback body styles, giving us higher price points to begin shopping for the Civic. Adding this much to the starting point might not turn anyone away, but the Sport trim does bring more for your money than before.
What Does the Sport Trim Add to the LX Packaging?
The features listed for the former LX are all found in the Sport trim, but this model adds more to the mix to give you a better starting model of the Honda Civic. The Sport trim is now the only one that uses the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine. This trim also gives you:
- 18-inch wheels
- Proximity keyless entry
- Paddle shifters
- Optional six-speed manual transmission for the hatchback
- Remote engine starting
- Sport drive mode
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
- eight-speaker audio system
Why Would Honda Delete the Budget-Friendly LX Model?
The demand for the base model of the Civic has waned, and Honda is responding to this change by trimming it from the lineup. This small car has faced significant supply-chain issues this year, and Civic sales are down by more than 50 percent through the first three quarters of this year. With more shoppers leaning toward higher trims of this car, there’s no reason to keep the LX trim around for the few times that a consumer shows up looking for this base model to drive and enjoy out on the road.
What Other Trims Will You Find for the 2023 Civic?
This compact car brings you a few more trims to make it easy to have the equipment and price level desired. These trims are EX/EX-L, Touring/Sport Touring, Si, and Type R. Currently, we don’t have the final specs for the 2023 Type R model of the Civic, but we do expect to see a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that produces more than 300 horsepower. The Civic Type R should continue to be an FWD car with power routed to these front wheels through the six-speed manual transmission.
What Does the EX/EX-L Model Offer?
- 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Heated mirrors
- Sunroof
- Dual-zone automatic climate controls
- Heated front seats
- Power-adjustable driver’s seat (EX-L)
- Leather upholstery (EX-L)
- Rear center armrests with cupholders
- Additional USB charge port
- Blind-spot monitoring
These two trim levels give you the benefits of several impressive convenience features that make driving much better whenever you’re out on the road. When you live in colder areas of the country, the heated front seats will come in handy. Of course, if you want leather upholstery, you’ll need to reach to the EX-L model for this material on your seats.
The Touring/Sport Touring Trims Offer Comfort Features
Stepping up to the top trims using the same powertrain as the EX and EX-L models, you’ll select either the Touring or Sport Touring trims. These two packages give you lots of impressive features that can make your drive more enjoyable wherever you go. Some of these items include:
- Optional six-speed manual transmission for the hatchback version
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic wipers
- Fog lights
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Leather upholstery
- Power-adjustable front seats
- 9-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Integrated navigation system
- Wireless device charging
- 12-speaker Bose premium audio system
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Rear cross-traffic alerts
- Low-speed automatic braking
Moving to the Honda Civic Si Gives You More
When you want a performance version of the Civic, the Si model is a great choice in the sedan body style. This model gives you:
- Upgraded version of the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine to give you 200 horsepower
- Six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching downshifts
- Limited-slip front differential
- Sport suspension
- Larger brakes
- High-performance all-season tires
- Sport front seats with added bolstering
Which version of the new 2023 Honda Civic is the right model for you to drive? Will you miss the deletion of the LX trim? Most likely, you’ll never notice the LX is gone and can still have the qualities and features you desire when you drive home in your new 2023 Civic sedan or hatchback.
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