If performance is the name of the game, then the 2011 Honda Civic Si with its turbocharged engine and sporty equipment is worth the money. But if you want something that will satiate your daily needs with ease and not burn a big hole in your pocket, then the 2011 Civic LX-S Sedan is worth considering at an MSRP starting at $19,125. 

The 2011 Honda Civic Sedan is available in 7 trims: DX, LX, EX, EX-L, and Si. models. The DX-VP and LX-S models are more of an additional package for the respective trims that add more features. The base Civic DX Sedan starts at an MSRP of $16,575 and in that price range, it has very basic specs. It gets 15-inch steel wheels, power windows, a tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, and a height-adjustable driver's seat.

The DX model is so basic that it doesn’t even get a radio of its own, owners will have to install it aftermarket. The LX Sedan amps up the feature list. Starting from $18,525, the 2011 Honda Civic LX model adds on a Cruise Control, keyless entry, and standard 16-inch wheels. The DX-VP and LX-S packages add more creature comforts to DX and LX trim respectively for a minor addition to the price. On the other hand, both the 2011 Honda Civic EX and Civic Si Sedan are top-of-the-line models.

The EX-L Sedan with a starting MSRP price tag of $22,725 gets leather seats with heaters, and leather steering & shift knob as part of its standard features. There’s also a power moonroof available with the 2011 Honda Civic EX model, something that is not available to other models in the line-up. The top-of-the-line Si trim adds the sporty appeal to the otherwise mundane compact sedan. It is powered by a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged engine under the hood that offers excellent performance at a reasonable price.

The Honda Civic 2011 Sedan gets a naturally aspirated engine and a turbocharged engine, available exclusively with the Civic Si model. The base standard engine, the 1.8-liter inline-4 unit comes mated to a five-speed manual, and buyers can opt for a five-speed automatic as well. The power output of this engine is 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. This unit might not have impressive acceleration figures, but it is peppy enough to drive in the city.

The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine in the Civic Si produces 197 hp 139 lb-ft and it comes mated to six-speed manual transmission only. Honda also offers the 2011 Honda Civic with a hybrid powertrain. It also gets a 1.3L engine paired with a 20 hp electric motor which generates 110 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. The Honda Civic feels confident on the road but isn't the most comfortable or the sportiest in the segment. 

Cabin refinement still needs improvement as road noise is an issue, but the acceleration performance is on par with the segment. With the base engine, the Honda Civic 2011 sedan can finish the 0-60 MPH sprint in 8.5 seconds, and the quarter-mile stretch within 16.7 seconds. The Civic Si on the other hand does the same 0-60 MPH in 7.4 seconds while covering the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds. The top speed is limited to 110 MPH for the base engine while the Si sedan can do a maximum of 122 MPH. 

In comparison, the Hyundai Elantra offers great value with its powerful acceleration performance and low MSRP. The Focus sedan on the other hand is the most fun to drive while the Toyota Corolla focuses only on efficiency and hence is the slowest of the lot. The 2011 Focus is also the most expensive of the lot owing to its higher power figures. Although the Civic offers solid performance in itself, when compared to its rivals, it feels a bit lacking. 

One of the biggest factors for automobiles in the affordable compact sedan segment is being fuel-efficient. The 2011 Honda Civic gets you 26 MPG in the city, 34 MPG on the highways, and 29 MPG combined which together with the 13.2-gallon fuel tank offers a decent 450-mile highway cruising range. 

The 2011 Civic Si sedan on the other hand is rated for 21/29/24 MPG in city/highway/combined conditions as per the EPA, which sees a drop in the maximum range to just 383 miles. Though the 2011 Civic is pretty frugal in its base avatar, the rivals offer more savings in the fuel bills. 

The Hyundai Elantra again turns out to be the winner in this comparison with class-leading MPG ratings and driving range. The Toyota Corolla is positioned second in this aspect while the sporty Ford Focus manages to just match up with the Civic. The marginally smaller gas tank capacity of Elantra restricts its range and the Corolla offers a similar range with the standard 13.2-gallon capacity.  

The interior of the 2011 Honda Civic Sedan is simple, practical, and better than average in terms of design layout. The height-adjustable front seats have great headroom, but the rear seat occupants will have to be wary since the swooping roofline compromises mildly on the headroom. But what stands out in the cabin of the Honda Civic 2011 sedan is the dual gauge layout - there’s one traditional analog instrument cluster behind the wheels, followed by another digital speedometer above the cluster. This unique layout did compliment the interior during the Civic’s initial days, but now it feels dated.

Convenience features, like heated leather seats, and soft touches are available in upper trims, but the quality is not that great. Base models see a lot of hard plastic touches all around, and the upper trims also have padded armrests, and leather seats - yet, there are quite a bit of hard plastic surfaces too, and it bogs down the overall experience to some extent. There are only two interior upholstery color options on offer with the 2011 Honda Civic Sedan which include grey and beige colors. The 12 cu-ft of trunk space is also not the best in the segment. 

However, the 2011 Civic lacks in terms of cargo capacity whereas the Hyundai and Ford shine with trunk volumes of 14.8 and 13.8 cubic feet. The Toyota Corolla feels the most spacious for the passengers while the Elantra offers class-leading legroom for the front seat occupants. The base Civic 2011 models barely get any infotainment features as the Civic DX trim doesn’t even get an air condition system. 

It’s only when you step up to the 2011 Honda Civic EX model, will you get some infotainment features like a Bluetooth HandsFreeLink alongside a USB audio interface, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a navigation system. There are also steering-mounted controls besides the dashboard and the Navigation system gets a voice recognition option as well.

Some of the salient interior features are:

• Heated front & rear seats w/leather upholstery
• Perforated leather steering wheel w/steering mounted controls
• Remote trunk release and keyless entry
• Honda satellite-linked navigation system w/voice recognition
• Bluetooth Handsfree Link & XM Satellite radio
• 7-speaker 160-Watt audio system w/subwoofer
• AM/FM stereo w/CD player, MP3 playback, auxiliary input and USB interface

From the outside, the 2011 Honda Civic has stayed relatively the same for the past five years. Honda has kept the exterior design similar, deliberately to capitalize on the trend that the Honda Civic had started. The swooping roofline, aerodynamic front end, with a secondary scoop-like opening on both the sides, and the sleek headlamps have become instantly recognizable.

On the other hand, the Honda Civic Si trim gets a dark grille bar instead of chrome alongside oval fog lights in the bumper’s outboard opening. It also features a rear spoiler on the edge of the trunk lid, and it rides on unique 17-inch wheel alloy wheels, that are exclusive to this trim. There are 8 different paint color options to choose from and the 5.5-inch ground clearance is enough to keep the paint and bodywork from getting damaged over bumps and curbs. 

The Corolla is the longest sedan here and also has the highest ground clearance on offer. The Ford Focus on the other hand is the exact opposite of that. It is shorter, narrower, and has a lower sporty stance. Both the Elantra and 2011 Civic have similar exterior dimensions and hence also have similar curb weights. On the streets, it is the Toyota Corolla that looks the most elegant amongst the compact sedans present here. 

Some of the standout exterior features are:

• Steel Wheels/ Alloy wheels
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Fog Lamps (optional)
• Auto-Off Headlights
• Remote Engine Start (optional)

The 2011 Honda Civic was honored by the IIHS as their 'Top Safety Pick' car, with a “Good” score in all categories, thanks to its Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure by Honda. That said, the NHTSA has rated the 2011 Honda Civic sedan with an average 3-star overall safety rating out of a possible 5-stars. 

However, when it comes to safety features - standard across all trims are front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints. All models also get anti-lock brakes, but only the 2011 Honda Civic EX and Si models get four-wheel-disc brakes.

Some of the salient safety features are:

• Daytime Running Lights
• Traction control w/Vehicle stability assist
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Emergency Trunk Release
• Front-Seat Side Airbags
• Side Curtain Airbags
• Vehicle Anti-Theft System

2011 Honda Civic vs 2011 Toyota Corolla

While both the popular Japanese compact sedans come with a similar price tag, the Civic is marginally quicker off the mark and offers better handling. The Toyota on the other hand is far more frugal and is more comfortable of the two. The Corolla also offers more interior passenger and trunk space than the Civic and has a more refined feel overall. Therefore, we would prefer the 2011 Corolla over the Civic for now.

2011 Honda Civic vs 2011 Hyundai Elantra

The 2011 Elantra offers great value to buyers with its strong performance, impressive MPG ratings, and low starting price. The interior is loaded with features and has enough space for both passengers and their luggage. The exhaustive warranty coverage, solid build quality, and decent resale value make the Hyundai compact sedan the preferred choice in this comparison. 

2011 Honda Civic vs 2011 Ford Focus

Though the Focus is only marginally quicker off the mark, it costs about a grand more than the Civic. Both offer similar fuel economy figures and driving range but Ford offers a more sophisticated interior. There is a larger trunk on offer with more features inside its cabin. Since the Honda Civic 2011 is safer & reliable among the two and has a better resale value, buyers are more inclined toward the Honda. 

The 2011 Honda Civic Sedan is a reliable vehicle and its wide range of trim options makes sure that there is one for everyone, Whether it's in the form of a hybrid vehicle, or with a gas engine, there’s a Civic for everyone. The Honda Civic 2011 was the better-looking car as well, but in recent times, competition has caught on. And in this populated segment, if the 2011 Civic does not get an update, it risks being the outdated model in this competition.