GEBRUS

It’s understandable the 2013 Honda Civic wants so much attention, as looks like a much more premium offering than the car it replaces. A new open mouth grille, reshaped hood, Accord-esque rear end, and spiffy new wheels are the most notable changes, but it gets much better inside the sedan. The materials used for the dashboard and headliner look more upscale, while a rear camera, Pandora, Bluetooth, and SMS texting come standard. It’s the little things that count, as a sliding center armrest also comes in every Civic. While changes are significant, the price increase for the new models isn’t. All 2013 models cost $160 more than the outgoing car, meaning the LX (DX has been dropped) starts at $18,955.
In addition to the aforementioned changes, the $21,605 EX adds new 16-inch alloy wheels, a mesh grille finished in gloss black, brushed aluminum garnishes on the door, and automatic climate control. The $24,555 top-trim EX-L with navigation gets all of the above plus leather seats, with new foglights and chrome trim on the lower valence. Meanwhile, the racier Si, which uses its six-speed manual to send all 201 horses to the front wheels, will set you back $23,505. The Hybrid also gets its helping of new additions for 2013, including a new grille, foglights, LED daytime running lights and taillights, standard satellite radio and Honda’s Forward Crash Warning and Lane Departure Warning.
The 2014 Honda Accord PHEV also made its debut alongside the Civic triplets, and was priced at $40,570. The plug-in hybrid is EPA rated at 115 MPGe, and has an EV range of 13 miles. The PHEV has a real presence with cool wheels that resemble a moving windmill and a wide grille. The PHEV goes on sale on January 15 in New York and California, where it also qualifies for HOV access. As for the non-plug-in Honda Accord hybrid, the automaker says the car is expected to be EPA-rated at 49/45 mpg city/highway.