2012 vs. 2009: Has the Honda Civic really regressed? Published on March 1, 2012 in Test Drives by Alain Morin Photo: Alain Morin 2012 Honda Civic with the 2009 Honda Civic on the right. The 2009 looks like it sits lower than the 2012, but that’s mostly due to the 15-inch tires (compared to the 16-inch tires on the 2012).