Honda posted the first photos of its redesigned 2013 Civic on Monday, two weeks ahead of the car's debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Beyond the angular, more Accord-like front and rear fascias, Honda said nothing of the inside, which had been widely derided by car critics for being littered with hard plastic. The 2013 model will likely sport a padded dash, among other higher-quality materials as seen in the Civic-based Acura ILX.

In fact, the rest of the current car's guts -- its harsh ride, excessive wind noise and tinny-sounding doors -- were enough to make Consumer Reports pull the model from its "Recommended" list. The model, as many critics agreed, was evidence that Honda had cut quality to save money, especially when compared with more stylish, better-equipped competition such as the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra.

But those are car critics. Car buyers, unperturbed by all the fury, continued to lap up the 2012 Civic like hummingbird nectar, making it the best-selling compact car in the U.S. all year. Was there really a problem?

Shown in these photos is the top-level EX-L, which features more chrome bits and fancier wheels.

Honda wasn't happy, though, and took the rare step of fast-tracking the Civic's midcycle refresh years ahead of schedule to tackle the concerns -- which, in my important critical opinion, were valid. In late October, the company directed its U.S. dealers to reduce inventories of 2012 Civics by 60 percent to clear room for the 2013 model, scheduled to go on sale Nov. 29. That means buyers will get even better deals as the current models are forced out.

It bears repeating that the Civic retains an unusually versatile lineup. Shoppers can choose from a coupe or sedan, manual or automatic transmission and trims ranging from the pared-down, fuel-saving HF to the sporty, 201-horsepower Si. Three powertrains are available: gasoline, hybrid and natural gas -- the only production natural gas car that's not a van or a truck.

All this alone is impressive -- as are the sales -- but the 2013 Civic needs a stronger core that will see it compete on a higher scale. Happy Civic owners, if they care at all, just might notice the difference.

[Source: Honda]