The drive from Park City, Utah, to Sacramento, California, after a week at the Tour of Utah and Outdoor Retailer trade show, was a high speed, largely desert haul of 678 miles. I left Utah at about 10 a.m. and arrived at home around 11 p.m. in my test vehicle, a 2016 Honda Civic sedan (Touring).

With the long day planned, I stopped often, including twice for gas, brief walks at rest stops and longer breaks in Utah at the Bonneville Salt Flats and in Wells for lunch and in Sparks, Nevada, for dinner. I left on the trip July 30 and returned on Aug. 8. The round trip was 1,932 miles, the outbound trip on Interstate 50 and the return on Interstate 80.

The 2016 Honda Civic was completely redesigned inside out outside, and it’s received its share of acclaim from major car reviewers and industry publications. It’s hard to disagree with any of praise among the Honda Civic reviews.

As I detailed in previous posts, the 2016 Honda Civic, a perennially top-selling car in the United States and globally, has reached middle age. But the new generation, the 10th, is about as far advanced from the debut “box-and-wheels” Honda Civic in 1972 as conceivable.

2016 Honda Civic: Superior MPG

The top-line Touring model is equipped with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 174 horsepower. It’s rated in the standard 0-60 mph test in 6.7 seconds, the quickest vehicle in its segment. Its gas mileage ratings are 31 mpg in city driving and 42 mpg in highway driving and a combined 35 mpg via its CVT transmission.

With its European-styled exterior and spacious interior, the Honda Civic was a surprisingly comfortable, high-performing companion. With the open desert roads in Nevada and Utah as my primary driving terrain, I often drove at least five mph faster than the posted speed limit, which included some segments at 85-88 mph — the flow of traffic. I rarely drove without the air conditioner on.

The 2016 Honda Civic offered a smooth, quiet drive and its overall vision and overall comfort were superior. Although it’s categorized as a compact sedan, the Civic had a larger presence. There were two exceptions. On posted high wind stretches of desert, the Civic was rocked. Likewise, often when a fast-moving 18-wheeler was in proximity, the Civic was “pushed around.”

The new Civic was named the North American Car of the Year in January. It’s the annual award revealed at the Detroit Auto Show. The Civic also received the award in 2006. It was a worthy recipient then and it is now.

Previous 2016 Honda Civic (Touring) travelogues:

2016 Honda Civic: More mile, better mileage

2016 Honda Civic: Tech features, desert companion

2016 Honda Civic: Driving the Tour of Utah efficiently fast

Here are my gas mileage statistics (regular unleaded, 87 octane):

7/30, Austin Chevron, Austin, Nev., 9.322 gallons, $2.79 per gallon, total $25.53. MPG, 37.6.

8/2, Smith’s, Cedar City, Utah, 9.051 gallons, $2.34 per gallon, total $21.26. MPG, 38.7.

8/4, Summit Sinclair, Summit Park, Utah, 10.915 gallons, $2.52 per gallon, total $27.60, MPG, 40.0.
8/8, Flying J, Wells, Nev., 9.502 gallons, $2.25 per gallon, total $21.47, MPG, 39.2.
8/8, Quick Stop, Sparks, Nevada, 4.580 gallons, $2.49 per gallon, $11.45 total MPG (partial tank of remaining). MPG, 39.5.

Read the full review: 2016 Honda Civic Gets Sporty