As promised, the facelifted Honda Civic has just been launched in Malaysia today after months of delay due to pricing issues. With some styling changes and added features, it’s no surprise that prices of the C-segment sedan are up across the board: the new Civic now starts from RM113,600 to RM139,600, which is about RM5,000 to RM11,000 more compared to the pre-facelift models.

Naturally, the trim that sees the most change is the range topping 1.5 TC-P Civic. Not only does it get a new piano black grille, boot spoiler, and 18-inch alloy wheels – the other variants do not have these – it now comes with Honda Sensing too, the Japanese company’s suite of safety and driver assistance systems. In fact, it’s the third locally assembled (CKD) car from Honda to come with this safety feature after the Accord and CR-V.

Thanks to Honda Sensing, the 1.5 TC-P model gets a number of nice features. These include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Auto High-Beam (AHB).

Besides that, the 1.5 TC-P (along with the 1.5 TC trim) also gains Honda LaneWatch. Basically, the passenger side mirror has an integrated camera that’ll display what’s on the left side of the car on the Civic’s infotainment screen whenever you’re signalling to the left. This effectively eliminates any possible blind spot for safer lane change. Unfortunately, the base 1.8 S model does not get Honda LaneWatch.

Beyond these two additions, there are some styling changes with the facelifted Civic. The grille, as mentioned, is now finished in piano black (chrome for the 1.5 TC and 1.8 S models), the front bumper has a new, full width lower air intake, and there’s a small strip of chrome at the lower rear bumper. While these are just minor exterior changes, the black grille does add some nice contrast with lighter shades of the car.

Honda also added some new equipment across the three models of the facelifted Civic. There are now 60:40 split-folding rear seats – they were previously fixed in place – front parking sensors, automatic wipers, and a physical volume knob for the infotainment system. The last bit is a small addition, but it is something many existing owners have asked for.

Engine choices remain the same for the new Civic. The base 1.8 S model soldiers on with the familiar 1.8L SOHC i-VTEC engine that offers 141hp and 174Nm of torque. As for the 1.5 TC and 1.5 TC-P, they get the more powerful 1.5L VTEC turbocharged engine with 173hp and 220Nm of torque. Both engine options are mated to Honda’s Earth Dreams continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Okay, so what’s the price breakdown of the facelifted Honda Civic? Here are the on-the-road prices without insurance:

• Civic 1.8 S: RM113,600 (RM5,435 increase)
• Civic 1.5 TC: RM129,600 (RM8,745 increase)
• Civic 1.5 TC-P: RM139,600 (RM10,969 increase)

Obviously, the 1.5 TC-P sees the most drastic price increase, given the number of upgrades it received. While the new 1.5 TC noticeably costs more too, its list of equipment is very similar to the pre-facelift 1.5 TC-P (RM128,631), so it can be thought of as a replacement for that particular trim. After all, the new 1.5 TC now has LED headlights, LED fog lights, chrome door handles, and Honda LaneWatch to boot.

Five colour options are available for the new Civic: White Orchid Pearl, Lunar Silver Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, and a new option, Passion Red Pearl. As usual, it also comes with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. More information on the facelifted Civic be found on Honda’s official website.