2022 Civic Hatchback Buying / Leasing Tips, Details, & Photos! (Sport Touring in Sonic Gray Pearl)

[josh_hp]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share my recent experience in finding and leasing a new '22 Civic Hatchback Sport Touring in Sonic Gray Pearl, some things I've learned along the way, and specific details + photos of the car!

I've had a leased 2018 Honda Civic Hatchback EX for the past three years, and after extending our lease by about 6 months, I've been paying close attention to the schedule and updates on the new Hatch introduction and production. Being someone that has a lot of bulky music equipment to transport, is moving soon, and likes to transport a bicycle every now and then, having a hatchback has become a massive advantage. That along with the improvements in the styling department (and suspension?), along with being 5 inches shorter than the sedan and thus easier to parallel park, and while having vastly more cargo space, this choice was an absolute no-brainer. I also decided that the Sport Touring was by far the best trim option, albeit somewhat more expensive (Sport and below are a slower engine than our 2018 EX and don't have moonroof, new EX-L's wheels are way more boring than our 2018 EX and doesn't have Sonic Gray Pearl color, infotainment and digital gauge cluster systems are lacking compared to the upgraded system showcased in literally every promotional material and video review, and advantages in active safety features, Bose audio system, and more) -- but we will most likely end up paying less per month for the new top-of-the-line car than our current! More on this later.

To kick off our process of finding one in our area -- the Chicago suburbs -- we went to our Honda dealer we've been leasing from for close to 20 years. Unfortunately, a seeming change in ownership has taken a turn for the worst there, and when we went the week after production of the Hatch had already started, they told us they had no idea about the cars' arrival (quoting November or December), and estimated a $500+ monthly lease payment with a few thousand down. For reference, we are paying $309 on our 2018 EX, which was with zero down.

So, last weekend I began to email and call about 10-12 dealerships all around Chicago and the outer suburbs. I made sure to do my homework on what our lease price should look like based on MSRP and current money-factor and residual values from Honda, utilizing some online lease calculating resources like Edmunds', and figured the lease price should be somewhere in the $400s. While some dealers did have Hatchbacks in already or coming in soon, most were only in Black or White, and I had a few quote me lease prices of $540, even $630/month. I told them they were crazy for effectively marking up MSRP by $4-5,000, and that was the end of those conversations

Then, I talked on the phone with one dealership that was about 45 min away (MotorWerks Honda of Barrington -- a very cool dealership with McLarens, a Tesla Model S Plaid, Porsches, AMGs, and everything in between), and Kurt Willard informed me there would be no pricing games played, no markups, no unwanted accessories, none of that. They even went through all of the lease calculations with me against my own, and I confirmed that they were pricing completely fairly. One thing to note is that in Illinois or Cook County, taxes on the lease may be calculated slightly differently from the way Edmunds and other calculators do, so expect there to be anywhere from a $20-40 difference. Our final price was $442/mo. with $1,000 down, equaling the car at its $30,810 MSRP with current money factor, residual, and tax values. This isn't exactly our current $309/mo. on the 2018 EX Hatch, but I'll explain how our final monthly price will actually be lower than that current lease.

Last Monday, we went into the dealership to hash out all the initial details with Kurt, and we were surprised to learn that they had a VIN and everything for a '22 Sport Touring in Sonic Gray Pearl that had already been built, which was awaiting a shipment ETA, and that we should expect to hear back this week about when it would arrive. To my surprise, we got the call this past Saturday that the car had arrived, and we just picked her up last night! This is even more impressive as the 5-10 other dealerships I've been in contact with are quoting 4, 8, or even 12 weeks until they expect the next availability of this specific configuration. I have a feeling that could be a bit pessimistic, but I still feel extremely lucky to have found an honest dealer and such a fast delivery time. I would highly suggest MotorWerks Honda in Barrington, IL if you live in northern Illinois, and Kurt Willard is a great person to work with as well. Here are a few key takeaways that I would suggest if you are looking to purchase/lease, and that I will be using every time I look for a car from here forward:

1. Do your homework to understand what a lease/purchase should cost on the car -- there are plenty of online resources to compare prices (Edmunds deals/incentives, lease price calculator, and lease prices forum, Autotrader for local inventory search, etc.), and this can prevent you from unwittingly paying $4,000+ more than you should be, especially with what some dealerships are playing during the bonanza traditional automakers are having right now due to chip shortages, and their unwillingness to innovate around or mitigate the problem (like Tesla did). Yes, I'm a fan of Tesla, but they're still a bit too expensive!
2. Shop around. It's extremely easy to write a single email that you send out to as many dealerships in your area (or however far you are willing to drive), and be clear that if they will give you the configuration of the car at your desired price / at or below MSRP these days, they will have a deal. Don't make excuses or forgo this tip. Just reach out to as many dealerships as you can and you might save yourself thousands of dollars. Another option here is to use a car buying service like what Costco offers, if you don't want to deal with this yourself, which I've also had family use successfully.
3. Don't fall for "let's get you in for a test drive" -- unless you like wasting hours of your own time. This is a great tactic for springing a long-winded, potentially dishonest deal on you for a car that may or not be the model/trim/color you're looking for. You'll get to test drive the car before you sign any final paperwork, and if we're talking about Honda's newest offerings, the reviews and reliability records do speak for themselves. Instead, get a verbal or written commitment from the dealer to a numerical price, and then you can go in to tie the deal up!
4. Not all dealers are created equal -- read reviews. Interestingly in my search, I realized that the dealerships that were clearly honest and upfront always had around 4.8 stars on Google reviews, while the less forthright ones had 4.4 stars or less. This may seem negligible, but I figure that the distribution of ratings on a 5-star system is not linear. Being at 4.8 or 4.9 stars with a large number of natural reviews is extremely impressive, and likely means they do clean business. For instance, I learned that MotorWerks Honda in Barrington does not pay their employees based on commission, which means they're not quite as incentivized to squeeze every cent out of you like some other dealerships are.

Now, for the pricing catch I mentioned; as we've finished paying our lease on the 2018 Civic Hatchback EX at $309/mo., Honda told us that there was about $3,000 of equity that could be applied to discount a new lease. As each $1,000 dollars generally correlates to $30 of lease price, as a rule of thumb, this would bring the Sport Touring down to ~$410. Still $100/mo. more than our current payment. Instead, I got a few quotes from CarMax, Carvana, and Vroom, which have gone up from roughly $19.5k in July, all the way to almost $24k today! We had the option to buy out the lease on the 2018 Hatch EX for just under $14k, meaning that we could net close to $10k, or roughly 3x more than Honda Finance was going to offer. As such, as long as we can sell the EX for at least ~$19k (assuming market prices don't go down by the time we get the title from Honda / Illinois), we will actually be paying less than our previous EX for the new Sport Touring when the sale gains are spread out across the 36 month lease term! For instance, if we were to get $19k for the EX after buying it from the lease for $14k, our 2022 Sport Touring monthly payment would come out to $304/mo., and if we sold for $22k (seems most likely), our monthly payment would equal $220/mo. (wow)!

• Now is the time to buy/lease new, sell used. If you can convince a dealer to give you a car at or below MSRP, even if the new models have a $1k premium over the previous generation, the premium you could achieve on selling your current car within the next couple weeks or months could be $4k, $5k, or more, meaning that you're netting a bunch more money from this transaction than you could in a normal year.
• If you plan on buying a lease out to do this, do it ASAP -- in order to sell the car, you need to receive the title, and this process can sometimes take 2-4 weeks or longer in some cases. We're expecting our title by the end of next week or so, and will then proceed to sell as quickly as possible to CarMax, Carvana, or Vroom, depending on which gives the highest offer.

Finally, we picked up our new car last night. It is gorgeous. Coming from the previous gen, the level of refinement in every single aspect of the car is incredible. This car honestly feels on-par with our 2021 Infiniti QX50 top-trim in quality, styling, technology, assistive driving technology, and smoothness, while of course being even more agile and fun to drive. It's hard to believe this is a Civic, as much as I've loved my last two generations of Civic. Here some of my high-level impressions:

• Driving: This car feels smooth. Steering is noticeably lower effort at low speeds than the outgoing model, but still lets you work a little when navigating around winding roads. The outgoing model also sometimes felt a bit "jumpy" at low speeds and in stop-and-go driving, while this now feels much more predictable. Still, when you start to dig into the accelerator, you can tell that there is a subtle but definite increase in low-end torque and acceleration.
• Interior: I can't speak for the other trims (if you can sell a current car for a good price, I'd definitely recommend stepping up to Sport Touring so you also retain higher resale/trade-in value for later), but here, everything feels both well thought-out and well constructed. The added sunglasses holder, dimming rearview mirror, wireless charging, wireless CarPlay, customizable gauge cluster, the Bose 12-speaker system, and 9-inch snappy infotainment system are all just as good and appreciated as you'd expect them to be. Materials everywhere are soft-touch and of very high quality. Front seats here are power adjustable, and significantly more comfortable than my outgoing EX. I have like 7 inches of extra legroom in the backseats, and they are just about as comfortable as the front seats. The hatchback cargo space is huge, and it seals the deal. Best all-around compact car in this category today, by a real margin.
• Assistive Driving Technology: I'm so far very pleasantly surprised by Honda Sensing's capabilities as they currently exist. Lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and low speed follow along with the parking sensors (exclusive to Sport Touring) work seamlessly so far, and both the system's steering and braking performance are more "human" than other cars I've used these systems in before (2018 Acura RDX, 2021 Infiniti QX50, 2021 Mazda CX-30). I'm very excited to use these features regularly during commutes and longer trips. It actually works on many city streets too -- though it won't stop at red lights for you!
• Build quality: I have had no issues with any panel fit, no rattles, no obvious build issues. There has been one interesting set of system error messages, though not affecting the way the car actually drives, which I'll describe down below.

For the exterior, the photos I'm about to dump on this post should speak for themselves. The 18" wheels are beautiful, the contrast against the matte black accents and headlight enclosures on Sonic Gray Pearl is wonderful, and the exhaust tips on the Sport Touring look professional. It's a clear step up from any Civic before, and I prefer the rear-end of this Hatchback to both my past two generation Civics, as well as the current gen Accord. See photos below!

The one odd issue that came up almost immediately was an error related to the Brake System (not the brakes themselves) in some cases after the car is started without the driver's seatbelt buckled, or when activating Brake Hold after you've already started your drive. I'm currently getting three error messages on most drives; "Brake system problem", "Low speed braking control problem", and "Parking sensor problem". My best guesses are that this could be related to the battery (my radar detector was throwing some low car battery warnings), the ultrasonic parking sensor system, or another unknown brake system-related issue. I should note that I was already getting the first two error messages before I installed my radar detector, and before I had turned on the Parking Sensors system. I'm hoping this will work itself out as the car is driven more or as the battery fully charges, but if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

I hope I'm able to offer some insight or help around the process of acquiring one of these outstanding works of automotive value with favorable price and timeline, and that everyone who can get their hands on one these cars loves it just as much as I am! If I can answer any questions, don't hesitate to reply here or message me directly.

-Josh

P.S. @DominicHonda is also a great dealer in Illinois! He also quoted me a fair price, though we couldn't find a Sonic Gray Pearl at the time, and Aurora was a bit farther outside of Chicago than Barrington. If anyone is looking for a quality Honda dealer in northern Illinois, Dominic is a fellow forum user here that can help work out the deal you're looking for!

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[ValkenDnB]

Great write up. I’m actually going to try to do just this with my 2019 civic si in favor of a 2022 civic si. Quick question, how did you extend your lease? I didn’t know that was a thing. Also, was Honda not willing to count the value of your trade in to what it goes for now that it’s higher? I’m assuming no, since you’re going to sell your 2018 EX to another online vendor. Congrats on the new car.

 

[aduffin]

Wow thanks for all the info! I did the same exact thing and called around and had several dealers marking up 4K. I finally found one to lease at msrp and 450 a month. Build date is end of this month so it’s going to be a little bit until I get mine. You can’t beat sonic gray such a nice color!

 

[Wingman520]

Great write up. I’m actually going to try to do just this with my 2019 civic si in favor of a 2022 civic si. Quick question, how did you extend your lease? I didn’t know that was a thing. Also, was Honda not willing to count the value of your trade in to what it goes for now that it’s higher? I’m assuming no, since you’re going to sell your 2018 EX to another online vendor. Congrats on the new car.

I wasn't aware extending a lease was a thing either. I'm entertaining the thought of trading in for a new lease, but still in the research phase at this time.

OP: great write up on this!

 

[josh_hp]

Great write up. I’m actually going to try to do just this with my 2019 civic si in favor of a 2022 civic si. Quick question, how did you extend your lease? I didn’t know that was a thing. Also, was Honda not willing to count the value of your trade in to what it goes for now that it’s higher? I’m assuming no, since you’re going to sell your 2018 EX to another online vendor. Congrats on the new car.

They allowed us to extend the lease from May to November, and I believe this was the most we could extend (6 months). We also did this through multiple 1 or 2 month extensions. I should note that by the end of this, they did press us to either buy or trade-in the car, but they should let you extend a few months if you need to.

And yes, Honda Finance only quoted ~$3k total discount from our next lease if we traded in. Even the dealer we ended up leasing from recommended going to CarMax or Carvana instead of trading in to Honda. He had done the same just a few months ago. The beauty of commission-less dealerships!

I wasn't aware extending a lease was a thing either. I'm entertaining the thought of trading in for a new lease, but still in the research phase at this time.

OP: great write up on this!

Same as above. Thank you, and best of luck!

Wow thanks for all the info! I did the same exact thing and called around and had several dealers marking up 4K. I finally found one to lease at msrp and 450 a month. Build date is end of this month so it’s going to be a little bit until I get mine. You can’t beat sonic gray such a nice color!

No problem! You got the right deal. When we found the car it had already been built but was awaiting shipment, and it arrived five days later (October 16). If I recall correctly, I think the scheduled build date might have been October 9, so that would mean it only took 7 days to arrive from Greensburg, IN to Chicago, IL, rather than the ~30 days some dealers were estimating. I'll bet it would take about that long if traveling by boat from the faraway land of Indiana.

 

[ValkenDnB]

So will I still be able to ask the car to Carmax if I get a loan for the car through my credit union and sell it to Carmax that way? They’re giving me $7k above what my payout quote is and I have another car to drive meanwhile I get a hold of a 2022 civic si but ideally I don’t want to not have one allocated with a dealer yet

 

[josh_hp]

So will I still be able to ask the car to Carmax if I get a loan for the car through my credit union and sell it to Carmax that way? They’re giving me $7k above what my payout quote is and I have another car to drive meanwhile I get a hold of a 2022 civic si but ideally I don’t want to not have one allocated with a dealer yet

As long as you have the car title, I think you should be able to even if you have a loan -- but I'm not sure if that loan needs to be entirely paid off before selling or not, so don't quote me on that. On a lease of course, Honda still owns the car, versus taking out a loan where you more or less do. I'd give CarMax a call or look through their terms / search for what others have done to confirm if that's an option. And I'd say sell as quickly as you can. Values could start to drop as the newer Hondas roll out.

 

[ValkenDnB]

As long as you have the car title, I think you should be able to even if you have a loan -- but I'm not sure if that loan needs to be entirely paid off before selling or not, so don't quote me on that. On a lease of course, Honda still owns the car, versus taking out a loan where you more or less do. I'd give CarMax a call or look through their terms / search for what others have done to confirm if that's an option. And I'd say sell as quickly as you can. Values could start to drop as the newer Hondas roll out.

They take loans and leases from what I saw just now. Only issue is that Honda/Acura does not allow us to sell our cars right now due to the chip shortage so I would have to buy out the car through a bank or cash and then do it. 7K is worth going through that hassle if you ask me

 

[josh_hp]

They take loans and leases from what I saw just now. Only issue is that Honda/Acura does not allow us to sell our cars right now due to the chip shortage so I would have to buy out the car through a bank or cash and then do it. 7K is worth going through that hassle if you ask me

Totally agree. It's less than $7k of work. From what I've heard also it sounds like that option should work. Unfortunate that Honda is restricting its customers from selling their cars to whoever they want, but at least it's not impossible!

Keep us updated on what happens.

 

[RobbJK]

Totally agree. It's less than $7k of work. From what I've heard also it sounds like that option should work. Unfortunate that Honda is restricting its customers from selling their cars to whoever they want, but at least it's not impossible!

Keep us updated on what happens.

I remember reading about that caveat about not being able to sell outside of Honda dealers... how is that possible if it's not written into the initial lease terms from the beginning? Wouldn't that breach contract? Or does Honda keep a disclaimer in their lease contracts about sales?

I just looked into the resale value at Carmax of my 19' coupe and they're offering me $25000, my payoff amount is $17k. Not a small number. I wish the Integras were already on sale I'd put that as my down payment. I suppose getting a loan for the remaining amount so that I could trade it in wouldn't be that big of a deal.

 

[Hondabob]

I was already planning to extend my lease for the 6 months to try and make it to the release of the Integra Type S.
I am planning on going your route with the lease buyout, but you bought out your car completely first? I was just planning on selling it to them and having them pay the bank off- was that not a possible option?

 

[ValkenDnB]

I was already planning to extend my lease for the 6 months to try and make it to the release of the Integra Type S.
I am planning on going your route with the lease buyout, but you bought out your car completely first? I was just planning on selling it to them and having them pay the bank off- was that not a possible option?

He said it was an option but Honda was only giving them 3 grand compared to Carmax which was giving him almost triple that so he bought it out and is selling it to Carmax for more money

 

[Hondabob]

He said it was an option but Honda was only giving them 3 grand compared to Carmax which was giving him almost triple that so he bought it out and is selling it to Carmax for more money

Sorry for the confusion I meant as in financing* a buyout of the lease from Honda then just selling to carmax, carvana etc and letting them figure out the title with the bank (ok with the added wait time)

 

[josh_hp]

Sorry for the confusion I meant as in financing* a buyout of the lease from Honda then just selling to carmax, carvana etc and letting them figure out the title with the bank (ok with the added wait time)

We ended up just buying the car from them and being out the $14k for a couple weeks, but I was under the impression that it would be possible to use a loan to cover the cost while you wait for the title to get transferred to your name. CarMax will not buy a car if you don't have the title though, and like I mentioned, it can take a few weeks for it to transfer to you from Honda after buying the lease out.

 

[jtrader]

Don't fall for "let's get you in for a test drive"

I really like your write up and pics!! Thank you so much! I tend to disagree with the tip above though, based on personal experience. I went through this with our new Odyssey. No one would budge on price over the phone. If they had a mark-up, they all said "take a test drive" then we'll talk. If I said no, they say "okay, cool we'll find another buyer. We only have 2 vans." Maybe it's different for Civics. But in my mind, if you're there ready to buy, they WILL deal. On the phone? No way. It sounds like you found a great dealer.

BTW, I thought the only reason people bought the ST Hatch was to get the manual!?!?!?

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