2023 Honda Civic RS Turbo 1.5 CVT – Big, fast, definitely all grown-up
I remember it clearly, my first-ever Review was for the 2017 Honda Civic RS Turbo. Eight years since then, I got a hold of the current-gen model and it’s giving the same feels and emotions as it did then. Sort of. Of course, it’s all grown-up now, and a lot of changes have been added to the top-of-the-line (TOTL) variant of the Civic, and we’re here to look at what’s new, what’s changed, and what’s been made better in close to a decade since it first reached our shores.
How the Honda Civic RS Turbo rekindled a love for the Civic badge
Everyone who knows me knows that I have always been a fan of the Honda Civic. The EF, EG, and EK were more of my generation, but those that followed didn’t make my heart skip a beat as much as the older ones. Don’t get me wrong, they were all still Civics at their core, but my interest waned. And then the RS Turbo came out, and it made me giddy as a schoolboy. But something was missing, the raw feel of the 90’s still called out, and again, while I’d always say that the Civic is a good platform, I wasn’t as bright-eyed about it. The current Civic RS Turbo, though, did stoke something in me, and here’s why.
Let’s start with the exterior of the Civic RS. Up front, you’ll see sharp LED headlights that span the entire width of the fascia, properly lined with an LED DRL strip at the top of the assemblies. They frame a horizontally slatted grill that sports the familiar H badge that’s been a “trademark” look of Honda. The slatted design continues down to the lower grill on the bumper, and on either side are LED foglights framed by black accent pieces. The giveaway that you’re driving the TOTL variant is the RS badge just slightly above and on the right side of the upper grill.
Looking at it from the side, one can easily see that the Civic RS (all the most recent generations of the Civic, actually), is long and “bulky”. Lots of lines make up the side profile like the borders of the clamshell hood integrated neatly into the lower beltline, the upward-angled character line that’s low on the doors, the flat-arched fender flares, and tapered greenhouse. No fancy kit is needed here, in my opinion, because as it is, the Civic RS already sits low to the ground, giving it a sportier demeanor and look. Add the blacked-out window sills, side mirrors, door handles, and matte 18″ alloys and you round off the elegant and sporty look quite well.
The back on of the Civic RS, on the other hand, looks a bit more sedate, reminiscent of the older Accord V6, if you ask me. It’s not a bad thing, though. The sizeable taillight assemblies, much like the headlights, make use of smoked interior reflectors, always a proper homage to the Type Rs of old. It comes with a ducktail spoiler, reflectors on either side, and top of the bumper, as well as a nice addition of a brushed aluminum (look) rear skirt between the two tail pipes. Again, sport. “RS”, right?
As far as dimensions go, we can’t reiterate enough that the Civic has just kept getting wider, longer, even higher than the ones that we’ve gotten used to in the 90’s, but overall, and in keeping up with the times, it’s all just as good. Space (inside) a vehicle has become a premium in the past many years, and this only shows how the Civic RS has kept up with the times.
That said, you’ll find the interior as much a treat as the outside. Maybe it’s just me, but the current design language of Honda that can be found inside the Civic RS (and most other models in the brand’s lineup) looks more classic than modern in my eyes. The immediate view from the driver’s seat is modern, mind you, with a new steering wheel rife with controls for the vehicle’s systems as well as that of the 10.2″ fully digital gauge cluster. Added goodies include leather wrapping and red contrast stitching on the wheel, paddle shifters, and even aluminum RS sport pedals. Again, classy and sporty.
Honda’s decided to take the infotainment screen “out” of the dashboard and has since applied the “floating” dock which is on top and center of the dash, which I think makes for better viewing and visibility. The 9″ screen features more controls for the vehicle’s settings as well as Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.
Going back to the design, Honda went with the honeycomb aircon vents in the Civic RS, too. I say that it’s “classic” because it is reminiscent of the one-piece look that cars in the 70s had, but regardless, it does look good in a modern vehicle. Below it and on the center stack lie buttons and dials for the AC controls and coming from the haptic buttons, this truly is one of the best things Honda has done.
Below that, a recess and 2 USB ports as well as a lighter socket, and just aft and along the center console you’ll find a leather- and red-stitched boot for the shifter lever, 2 cupholders, toggles for the E-Brak and brake hold function, all bordered by a brushed faux carbon-wood accent piece.
Black suede and red-stitched black leather make up the upholstery of the Civic RS. As expected, padding is good and quite comfortable even in long hours of traffic. I do wish there’s more lateral bolstering, especially in the front seats which will do you good should you find yourself in a more spirited drive. Regardless, the build and materials are top-notch.
Lots of leather-wrapped bits and soft-touch materials do make their way into the cabin, and these all add to the good blend of classy and youthful vibe. We’ve mentioned a number of times that the Civic RS is all grown up compared to its predecessors and as far as size and proportions go, that is very much evident whether you drive it or ride in it as a passenger. Whether it’s head-, shoulder-, or legroom, you’ll find that all these are abundant and much more than decent inside the RS.
That said, ride quality is well-balanced. On straights with smooth roads, you barely feel any vibrations. When you go along rough patches, the suspension soaks them up very well, too, but do be wary of taking humps a bit too fast; it’s quite strange how the struts would bottom out easily but combined with the rebound tuning and the springs, the Civic RS jumps upright quickly. In corners and at speed, the RS does shine, and this is one of the things that rekindled my love for the Civic. Performance is good, very good, and despite its weight and heft, it holds its own as a sports sedan really well.
Many worried that the conservative 1.5-liter gasoline engine won’t have enough punch, but with proper boosting, it pumps out about 178 HP and a healthy 240 Nm of torque as low as 1,700 RPM. This boosted mill is mated to a CVT. The result is a vehicle that is not necessarily quick but is fast. You’d be very surprised at how the Civic RS climbs up the revs and the speedometer with the right amount of momentum, and as we mentioned earlier, if you find yourself a couple of corners to take at spirited speeds, you’ll find that this variant of the Civic deserves the TOTL RS badge.
In traffic, we managed to get up to 9.5 kilometers per liter, which improved to 10.1 in lighter conditions. On open roads, we managed to get that up to 11.8, and that’s still within the city with spirited bursts here and there. So looking at its engine-to-economy prowess, the Civic RS again delivers.
Overall, the Honda Civic RS can be – no, is – a successful model in the current Honda lineup. The only “problem” is its price. At PHP 1,775,000, you can already get yourself a bigger crossover or sedan for that amount. But that’s just it, isn’t it? Despite the abundance of numbers, zeros, and commas in its price tag, we can see a whole lot of them on our roads.
The Civic, to this day, still has a cult following. Granted that its fans (and literal numbers on the road) might have gotten less in the past few years, we still see a healthy number of them being bought. That’s because Honda didn’t forget elements of the Civic from yore and even added a lot of new features while retaining the “novelty” of the past. Read: the entire Honda SENSING suite can be found in the RS, and that alone makes for a good argument for its price tag. For those who’ve always loved the Civic, the RS does present a good TOTL case for its faithful fans.
And that includes this author. It may not be as spry as an EK, it may not be as “compact” as the EG, but what the Honda Civic RS brings to the table is an evolution of a well-loved nameplate into a car that can still cater to the younger audience but is competitive enough to be a family sedan for the more discerning, AKA “I want the TOTL variant” adult and family man or woman.
More photos of the 2023 Honda Civic RS Turbo
