Honda's 2016 Civic LX Coupe is a looker with respectable performance

Unlike the previous generation Civic, the new edition's design is anything but boring and bland.

In base LX form, the Civic Coupe is powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 with 158 horsepower.

When connected to the standard six-speed manual transmission, the Civic LX returns 26 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway according to the EPA.

Through an autocross, the Civic's all-season Firestone tires were holding the car back. Understeer happens early and often, which is a shame because the Civic's suspension keeps body motions nicely controlled. Better tires would do wonders to help improve front end bite.

The more aggressive exterior is dressed with a good amount of chrome trim.

Even though the LX is the base model for the Civic Coupe, you're not going to find steel wheels with hub caps here. A set of 16-inch aluminum wheels comes standard.

The aluminum wheels with black-painted insets help give the Civic Coupe a sharper appearance.

LED daytime running lights come standard on the Honda Civic LX Coupe.

The Civic LX Coupe with the standard six-speed manual transmission receives an EPA fuel economy rating of 26 mpg city and 38 mpg highway.

Being a base model, the Civic LX Coupe's technology hand is a little light. Features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and blind-spot monitoring don't become available on the Civic until you step up to the EX model. However, the LX does get a rearview camera, Bluetooth and auto on/off headlights.