While we wait for Honda to roll out the promised hotter Civic Type R, it’s giving buyers a different reason to skip the hybrid. For 2027, America's best-selling compact car gets a new Sport-L trim that adds several upscale features without requiring customers to pay more for an electrified powertrain.

Slotted between the Sport and Sport Hybrid, the new Sport-L adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Those creature comforts can make an everyday commuter feel a little more premium, and Honda is offering them for just under $30,000.

The biggest selling point is the equipment. Honda previously reserved these features, along with a silver interior trim, for the more expensive Sport Touring Hybrid, but buyers can now get them on the gas-only version. The heated front seats were previously exclusive to hybrid trims, as were dual-zone climate control, illuminated vanity mirrors, and the passenger-side seatback pocket. The Sport-L now gets those as well.

The Sport-L makes sense for buyers who want a more comfortable daily driver but don't necessarily care about the hybrid powertrain's fuel savings or extra performance. It occupies a useful middle ground in the lineup, offering more amenities than the Sport while sticking with a conventional gasoline engine.

The Sport-L sedan costs $29,790, including destination fees, while the hatchback carries a $30,990 sticker price. In both cases, it’s $1,200 cheaper than the Sport Hybrid. Of course, the hybrid offers other advantages, including substantially better fuel economy. The sedan returns an EPA-estimated 49 mpg combined, compared with 34 mpg for the Sport-L.

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