Ace of Base: 2017 Honda Civic LX Coupe

It wouldn’t have escaped your attention that there have been some bumpy years in Honda acknowledged this itself, scuttling back to the drawing board for an “emergency refresh” in 2013 after the people with adenoids Consumer Reports pulled its Recommended rating.

What caused the problem? A misfire in focus groups? Bean counters? Aliens? Alien bean counters in focus groups? We may never know. What we do know is the 2017 Honda Civic is quite good, so let’s see how the coupe version stacks up in base LX trim against its higher-spec brothers.

Priced at a good steak dinner over $19,000, the Civic LX Coupe offers up a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine making a reasonable 158 horsepower. The snappy, new turbo option appears further up the trim-level food chain. VTEC, yo, appears on the standard mill. Do not choose the CVT; stick with the stick and its six speeds.

The Civic is, has, and always will be a popular choice for new drivers. Standard hill start assist will help prevent them from hammering the front bumper of the vehicle astern while a raft of airbags will keep them cushioned should they fail to keep matters shiny-side-up.

Automatic climate control pops up on the base LX Coupe, as do auto up/down windows and a tilt/telescope wheel. A capless fuel system assures young drivers of clean hands so they can SnapGram their stop at the gas station. Cruise control and air conditioning make for comfortable road trips.

All hues on the Civic LX color palette are delivered gratis; I weep for buyers who fail to select either Aegean Blue, Rallye Red, or Energy Green. Many manufacturers charge extra *ahem*Mazda*ahem* for something from the interesting side of the paint booth.

Optional 17-inch rims only serve to ruin the ride and balloon expenses when it comes time to replace tires. The standard 16-inch hoops look good while avoiding the Bizarro World style of the CR-V tri-spokes. Edge Guards and Frontal Masks sound like big fun until you realize they’re only for use on the car.

Nearly 30 years ago, the new-for-’88 Honda Civic LX was lauded for its refinement and handling, had 92 hp, and the passenger sideview mirror was an option. It cost around $8,500 (about $16,500 in today’s money), additional dealer markup notwithstanding, and that’s assuming you could find one. Makes the extra $3,000 for today’s LX Coupe, its newfound mojo, and all its extra kit look like the bargain of the century. We’ll gloss over the 700-pound weight gain.

Naturally, a lack of critical praise didn’t harm Civic sales back in 2012 and the car continued to sell near the top of its class, proving no one listens to us slovenly journalists anyways. We hope people are listening this time around because, despite Tim needing to rinse his eyes with bleach after driving the hatch, this Civic LX Coupe represents a good addition to the Ace of Base series.

Not every base model has aced it. The ones that have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selections.

The model above is shown with American options and is priced in Freedom Dollars. As always, your dealer may sell for less.