Five-Point Inspection: 2013 Honda Civic Sedan

3. Quicker steering, stiffer suspension, better overall

Throwing around words like ‘up-scale’ and ‘quiet’ you may be tricked into thinking the new Civic has become soft and pillowy, with loose driving dynamics. Don’t let the thought linger for long, however, as the new car is in fact sharper than the last model.

Its electric power steering has been tuned up and is quicker than before. Beyond the steering, the car’s stiffer front springs and beefier front sway bar help it feel composed and confident on the road, especially when taking corners.

While a sportier Civic does exist (the Si model), the base car has that fun-to-drive and responsive attitude that you expect from Honda, something we haven’t seen in some time.