The 11th-generation Honda Civic was first launched in the country three years ago, and it soldiers onto the compact-sedan market despite only selling 662 units in 2023. Aside from the ever-changing demographic, the S—which served as the base model—was quietly axed from the trim lineup, leaving the V Turbo to take its place.

Since its deployment in 2022, everyone—including our writer Red Santiago—has reviewed and road-tested this particular media unit, which now carries battle scars (aka scratches and dents) that tell stories of promotional and mall test-drive duties. Two years later, the question is: Does it still hold up?

There’s no denying that Honda is a powerhouse in powertrains, and the Civic is no less than that. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine carries the 176hp grunt and the 240Nm pull synonymous with the L-series of engines. Even at over 20,000km, the L15BG performed like a charm along the expressways—as a VTEC plant should.

It’s a shame I couldn’t row my own fake CVT gears as that is reserved for the RS. When the time comes to relax, the Econ button takes care of fuel and engine management that—if you’re lucky—can achieve 21km/L. However, you can expect up to 13km/L in the city and 18km/L on the highway under normal conditions.

Compared to the 10th-gen model and its sloping liftback, I much prefer the latest iteration of the Civic, which almost looks like an evolution of its predecessor while returning to the conventional three-box sedan form. Also, its front fascia has a more eye-pleasing flat-black-to-body-paint ratio that complements its cleaner rear end.

With a ground clearance of 134mm, its undercarriage didn’t pass steep ramps without diagonal intervention. Nevertheless, its ride height is passable for bumpy roads and terrains, and enjoyable in smooth terrain, especially while hugging corners like the Civic is known to excel in.

Despite its dashboard appearing hard to clean, I still found its honeycomb pattern unique compared to other contemporary motifs of chic and straight lines that could easily be broken by moving the aircon vent’s direction. The climate controls utilize physical buttons and dials that are satisfying to touch and click like in previous Honda models I’ve driven.

Hugging you and your passengers are fabric seats that feel comfortable even after sitting in traffic. Rear passengers can still revel in legroom even with my tall driving position, while the rear cargo can fit up to 495L.

With the rise of large infotainment systems in modern cars, I’m fascinated by how manufacturers implement a cheaper head unit for base or lower trim levels.

The left half of the instrument cluster is a seven-inch digital display, while the right is an analog speedometer. Instead of the nine-inch touchscreen in the RS, that of the V shrinks by two inches squeezing in a seven-inch touchscreen. Despite the downsize, it’s still equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Also equipped is a reverse camera with a suitable resolution and telescopic line guides to compensate for the lack of parking sensors. Much of its cost prioritized the Honda Sensing inclusion, which still performed in tip-top shape even during a strong typhoon, when the collision mitigation braking system came in handy in unpredictable traffic behavior.

However, I was genuinely impressed by how “DBF 3884” is still used for test-drive duties. Two years later, this test unit has been through the roughest of conditions that Metro Manila and beyond have to offer, yet it’s still proving its worth. Keeping its bruises (while fixing vital issues) isn’t negligence, but proof of longevity.

The Civic V Turbo is in a position similar to what I experienced in the City V: The tech amenities trickle down to the lower-spec trim, which is priced at P1,583,000. With this and the RS still soldering on in Honda’s current lineup, what feels like the end of the road is just the beginning of an electrified path.