Honda sells so many Civics that if the car were counted as a brand, it would be the 12th largest in the United States. More Civics went to new homes in the U.S. last year than did Volkswagens or Mazdas. With sales numbers like that, it’s not too much of a surprise that Honda is playing a conservative hand with the redesigned 2012 Civic.

When the previous-generation Civic arrived in 2006, the swept-back windshield and the futuristic styling were a bit of a shock. It has taken us practically the car’s entire life cycle to grow accustomed to the look. Honda designers aren’t taking the same kind of chance again. What we see for 2012 is a careful evolution of the past Civic. Actually, it’s almost more of a devolution, a step toward conformity. All the subtle changes—the longer hood, the sculpted bumpers, and the larger taillights—make the Civic look more conventional than before. They also improve its aerodynamics. Honda claims a lower coefficient of drag, in part thanks to the styling revisions but also because of a smaller grille opening and a flat underbody.