Yahoo Autos 2023 Honda Civic Drops LX Trim, Hiking Up Base Price by $2100
For 2023, the Honda Civic's LX base model is no more, meaning the Sport is now the least expensive trim.
The better-equipped Sport starts at $25,745, which is $2100 more than last year's LX trim.
Other trim levels are up by between $500–$700 compared with last year for both the sedan and hatchback bodystyles.
The elimination of the base model is becoming a common refrain at Honda—and many other automakers. The new 2023 CR-V dropped the lowest LX trim level for its redesign, resulting in a significant rise in its starting price, and now the 2023 Civic sedan and hatchback are following the same lead. There will be no Civic LX for 2023, meaning the lineup now starts with the Civic Sport, which costs $25,745, or $2100 more than the 2022 Civic LX.
Fortunately, you do get more for your money, as the Sport comes with extra equipment including 18-inch wheels, proximity-key entry, and paddle shifters for the continuously variable automatic transmission. The Civic Sport is now the only version of the Civic with the naturally aspirated 158-hp 2.0-liter inline-four engine; the higher EX and Touring trims come with a more powerful 1.5-liter turbo-four. The Civic Sport hatchback, which starts $100 higher than the sedan, still offers a six-speed manual transmission as a no-cost option.
Honda says that these pricing and packaging changes are meant to "better align availability with demand." Honda, and the Civic in particular, 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. Automotive News data shows a 20-day supply for the Civic as of October 1. Skewing the mix towards the more expensive trims also surely helps Honda's bottom line, as those models are likely more profitable for the company.
Budget-minded compact-sedan shoppers may do better to look elsewhere in the meantime, as models including the Hyundai Elantra ($21,595), Kia Forte ($20,585), and VW Jetta ($21,510) now undercut the Civic by thousands of dollars in terms of base price.
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