Honda Ireland has announced a series of updates for the Civic as the 2027 model year arrives, with a new Sport grade joining the Irish line-up alongside upgraded equipment, revised interior detailing and an expanded choice of exterior colours. Perhaps the most interesting development, however, is the arrival of Honda’s S+ Shift technology on a mainstream model, designed to bring a greater sense of driver involvement to the Civic’s e:HEV hybrid powertrain. The updated Civic range is available to order now through Honda dealers nationwide, with the new Civic Sport priced from €43,750.
The new Civic Sport sits at the heart of the changes and brings a more distinctive appearance without moving away from the practicality and efficiency that have become key characteristics of the current Civic. Standard equipment includes 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels, privacy glass and a 9-inch Honda CONNECT infotainment system with smartphone connectivity. Honda’s latest SENSING package of safety and driver assistance systems is also standard, while the cabin gains a heated leather steering wheel and a 12-speaker Bose audio system.
Honda has also given the Sport model some subtle but effective interior changes to differentiate it from the rest of the range. Red stitching has been introduced across the front seats, centre armrest and front and rear door armrests, while red detailing around the air vents adds another splash of colour. The existing Sport seat material has been retained, with Honda concentrating instead on smaller visual changes intended to give the cabin a more purposeful feel without dramatically altering the Civic’s familiar interior layout.
The big technical talking point is the introduction of S+ Shift, a system designed to simulate the sound and sensation of rapid automatic gear changes despite the Civic’s electrified e:HEV drivetrain. Building on Honda’s existing Linear Shift Control technology, S+ Shift synchronises engine sound and vehicle response more closely with the driver’s inputs. The idea is to give the Civic a more involving character under acceleration and create a stronger connection between what the driver is doing and how the car responds, adding some extra theatre to the hybrid driving experience.
Drivers can further tailor the Civic through its selection of Drive Modes. Three main settings alter elements including the powertrain response, steering, suspension, engine sound, Adaptive Cruise Control behaviour and the graphics displayed through the driver information interface. An Individual mode can also be accessed by holding the Drive Mode switch or through the infotainment display, allowing drivers to mix and match settings to create a configuration that better suits their own preferences.
There is also a revised colour palette for the 2027 Civic, with Meteoroid Grey Metallic joining the range for the first time. It sits alongside Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Premium Crystal Red Metallic and Seabed Blue Pearl. The changes are relatively modest visually, but combined with the introduction of the Sport grade and S+ Shift technology, they give Honda’s long-running Civic a useful refresh as it heads into another model year. The 2027 Honda Civic range, including the new Civic Sport priced from €43,750, is available to test drive and order now from Honda dealerships nationwide. Soon we will spend a week with the vehicle for full evaluation.
