2014 CNG Civic Arrives in Chicago, On Schedule

The 2014 version of Honda’s CNG Civic sedan debuted quietly in Chicago this week, with very little of the pomp and fanfare that accompanied, say, the Kia Soul EV’s launch. Despite being a Honda fan, I’m OK with that. The cool kids know what it is, and that’s what matters. Right?

Right.

For 2014, the CNG Civic features an upgraded interior and bright blue badge work that does a better job of playing up Honda’s Earth Dreams motif than, say, the NGV stickers did on the 2011 model. Additionally, where the previous version(s) of the CNG Civic have felt a little bit like they were built as fleet specials for companies who didn’t want to save money, the newest version seems to have embraced the idea that “going green” isn’t a punishment. As such, Honda has seen fit to upgrade the interior materials and plastics of their new alt-fueler, and have added leather and alloy wheels to the mix, as well …

… the trunk space, however, is still radically compromised by the addition of the CNG tanks. While that’s not much of a problem for a company car that’s meant to shuttle project managers between job sites, it does mean that someone shopping for a clean-burning city car to put their growing family in (*ahem!*) can’t consider the CNG Civic a realistic option. Not if they’re trying to get a baby stroller into this …

… so, that kinda sucks.

Still, the continuation of the CNG Civic is great news for drivers who care about their carbon footprint and want that legendary Honda reliability. While I might lament the lack of, say, an AWD CNG Honda CR-V, however, I’m sure Honda knows what they’re doing. Expect to see more CNG Hondas in the future, then- especially if President Obama’s comments about expanding America’s natural gas infrastructure turn out to have legs. In the meantime, check out some excerpts from Honda’s official press release, below, and a few more CNG Civic pictures under that.

For 2014, the sophistication and value of the … Civic Natural Gas is enhanced with a host of new standard features, including new Display Audio with 7-inch touchscreen that allows users to pinch, swipe and tap just like a smartphone to access audio, phonebook, media, vehicle information and available navigation features. The touchscreen display is also the interface for the next-generation HondaLink™, an application-based platform that allows a seamless integration between a user’s smartphone and the car, providing access to online and cloud-based content and information both inside and outside the car.

New for 2014, the Civic Natural Gas Leather Navi model gains additional premium features such as leather seats, heated front seats, heated side mirrors and a six-speaker audio system. The Civic Natural Gas’ standard interior has also been upgraded with more premium seating materials and door panel trim.

The 2014 Civic Natural Gas will be available at Honda dealers in 37 states on February 15 with an MSRP starting at $26,640 ($29,290 for the “Navi” model) and a combined EPA rating of 31 MPG.