Sedan VS Hatchback suspension (base models)

Which of the models soaks up bumps and road imperfections better?


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emilations

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I test drove a family member Civic hatchback 2017 lx (Canadian model) and I was shocked on how well the suspension socked up all the road imperfections. The suspension felt like it came out from a luxury car. The suspension felt very soft yet composed. I say composed because never that I had felt that the suspension needed firmer springs/shocks for me to gain more control on the car.

Then I tested out a Civic EX sedan 2019 and was surprised that it did not have the same driving characteristic. The ride on the sedan was firm and harsh over hard bumps unlike the hatch and most importantly not composed.

I was surprised at this because I would of have had thought that the sedan would soak up bumps easier since the OEM setup is softer than that of the hatch. I have read almost all posts in this forum and had discovered that indeed the hatch had stiffer suspension. But I had felt that the opposite is true.

The sedan I drove had the 2.0 engine which is lighter than the 1.5t hatch resulting in lower mass in the front and less force on the springs. Both the hatch and sedan models had 32psi all around with the 16in OEM tires

Did anyone of you every felt that the hatch is more comfortable over bumps?
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gtman

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Just to throw this out there. New cars sitting on dealer lots tend to have overinflated tires. Sometimes they're drastically overfilled (40+ psi). That would definitely cause a harsher ride.
 
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Just to throw this out there. New cars sitting on dealer lots tend to have over inflated tires. Sometimes they're drastically overfilled (40+ psi). That would definitely cause a harsher ride.
I agree. I always bring with me a tire pressure reader to set the correct pressure when test driving a car from the dealer.
 

CobraCommand

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I've owned both a 17 LX Sedan and now a 19 LX Hatch and the hatch rides better imo. I did not use the stock wheels on either though I opted for 17inch wheels.
 
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I've owned both a 17 LX Sedan and now a 19 LX Hatch and the hatch rides better imo. I did not use the stock wheels on either though I opted for 17inch wheels.
is it significantly better? Could one justify buying the hatchback with less equipment than the sedan because it rides better? Or is it a slight improvement? (I value ride composition and suspension tuning that does not reduces harshness to the driver).
 
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CobraCommand

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Not sure what the base Canadian sedan has over the hatch equipment wise. I'd look into it.
 
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For the same price, you can either get a LX hatch or an EX sedan. Although the sedan has the 2.0 motor it compares it with lots of more features such as remote start, sunroof, electric seats, and leather steering wheel.
 

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The hatch has a slightly larger front sway bar so it feels a bit sharper when cornering with less body lean, plus it weighs more for a more composed ride. Ride comfort can be adjusted with tire pressure and tire selection, so buy the one that drives better and swap to better tires when the time comes.
 

CobraCommand

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For the same price, you can either get a LX hatch or an EX sedan. Although the sedan has the 2.0 motor it compares it with lots of more features such as remote start, sunroof, electric seats, and leather steering wheel.
I cant see how those features outweigh the 1.5T vs the 2.0 NA though. Trust me I've owned both. Go hatchback.
 
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I cant see how those features outweigh the 1.5T vs the 2.0 NA though. Trust me I've owned both. Go hatchback.
Right brain says Hatch, Left says Sedan. The remote is highly helpful for me in winter since I live in Canada and '"winter is coming". I heard the 2.0NA warms up better in winter time vs the 1.5T that takes more 20min of city driving before the heating kicks in. I am also someone who changes seating position every 5 minutes or so while driving, therefore having an electric seat that allows for micro adjustments is appreciated. All things considered, the torque on the 1.5T is addicting, and I am also someone who is heavy on the gas pedal. So the extra pull from the 1.5T is nice.
 


CobraCommand

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Right brain says Hatch, Left says Sedan. The remote is highly helpful for me in winter since I live in Canada and '"winter is coming". I heard the 2.0NA warms up better in winter time vs the 1.5T that takes more 20min of city driving before the heating kicks in. I am also someone who changes seating position every 5 minutes or so while driving, therefore having an electric seat that allows for micro adjustments is appreciated. All things considered, the torque on the 1.5T is addicting, and I am also someone who is heavy on the gas pedal. So the extra pull from the 1.5T is nice.
I'm in Nova Scotia and city drive. It's not an issue. Trust me you'll wish you went for the turbo.
 

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Right brain says Hatch, Left says Sedan. The remote is highly helpful for me in winter since I live in Canada and '"winter is coming". I heard the 2.0NA warms up better in winter time vs the 1.5T that takes more 20min of city driving before the heating kicks in. I am also someone who changes seating position every 5 minutes or so while driving, therefore having an electric seat that allows for micro adjustments is appreciated. All things considered, the torque on the 1.5T is addicting, and I am also someone who is heavy on the gas pedal. So the extra pull from the 1.5T is nice.
So im not the only one in the world who adjust the seat when driving lol
 
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emilations

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I'm in Nova Scotia and city drive. It's not an issue. Trust me you'll wish you went for the turbo.
I agree. I am afraid that I might regret not opting for the more powerful engine a long the line. I was always fond of 6 cylinder engines because of their bottom end torque. The 1.5T pulls like a V6 btw.
 
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So im not the only one in the world who adjust the seat when driving lol
HAHA. My Brother (who is opposite of me) would go mad if I had played with his seat saying that he will have to spend a day or two finding the perfect configuration for his seat again. I on the other hand, cannot tolerate being in the same seating position for extended periods of time. The electric seats allows you to make micro adjustments while driving and without worrying of hitting the steering if by any chance you had to suddenly brake when sliding the bottom.
 

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HAHA. My Brother (who is opposite of me) would go mad if I had played with his seat saying that he will have to spend a day or two finding the perfect configuration for his seat again. I on the other hand, cannot tolerate being in the same seating position for extended periods of time. The electric seats allows you to make micro adjustments while driving and without worrying of hitting the steering if by any chance you had to suddenly brake when sliding the bottom.
I feel you. Another that annoys me is the seat is lack of lumbar support meaning i have had extra hard time finding the good position that makes me feel more comfortable in a long ride
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