2027 Honda Civic’s Top Hybrid Gets the Prelude’s Fake Gearshifts

The Honda Civic Gets a Price Increase for 2027

The Honda Civic remains a key model for the brand in the US, and sales are up compared to last year. In September 2026, American Honda sold 17,724 Civics, which is 8.4% more than the 16,349 sold in September 2025. So far this year, Civic sales have reached 195,135, up 5.4% from last year.

For 2027, the Civic gets a new trim and borrows a feature from the Prelude for its hybrid lineup. There’s a small $300 price bump across the board, but the new Sport-L trim gives buyers a fresh choice if they’re stuck between the regular Sport and the hybrid.

Of note, these prices don’t include the mandatory destination and handling fees, which stay at $1,295 for the 2027 model year.

What’s New for 2027?

The biggest addition is the Civic Sport-L, which slots between the Sport and Sport Hybrid trims. It uses a 2.0-liter engine paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), giving buyers a way to get more comfort and convenience without moving to a hybrid.

Sport-L brings leather seats, heated and power-adjustable front chairs, dual-zone climate, a seatback pocket for your passenger, illuminated vanity mirrors, and some shiny silver trim. Most of these goodies were only for hybrids or the top Sport Touring Hybrid before.

Both body styles retain their hybrid options, which offer combined EPA ratings of 49 mpg for the sedan and 47 mpg for the hatchback.

Honda has also kept the Civic’s standard safety package intact. Every 2027 model comes with Honda Sensing, including collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, and road departure mitigation. Sport models also include blind-spot information with rear cross-traffic alert.

Civic Gets S+ Shift, Though It’s a Little Different From the Prelude’s

The other big news: Honda’s S+ Shift is now in the Civic Sport Touring Hybrid. This system, which debuted on the 2026 Prelude, fakes a performance transmission to make your hybrid drive feel a lot more fun.

You get virtual rev-matched downshifts, pretend gear holding, and pumped-up engine sounds. Instead of just quietly doing its hybrid thing, S+ Shift gives you more drama behind the wheel.

Based on our first-hand experience, the Civic’s S+ Shift isn’t quite the same as the Prelude’s. Both use the same idea, but in the Civic, S+ Shift doesn’t mess with the suspension. The Prelude’s version works with the chassis for a more aggressive feel.

Arriving by the End of the Year

The 2027 Civic Sedan and Hatchback are starting to show up at dealerships across the US. If you’re eyeing the new Sport-L, you’ll have to hang tight – Honda says it’ll land by the end of 2026.

The Civic is still Honda’s gateway car, and the company points out its average new-car price is actually lower than what most people pay for a used car elsewhere. Hybrids now make up over 30% of Civic sales this year, showing just how much buyers care about fuel economy these days.

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