Both issues you say are common with Honda cars (Civic for the past 2 generations, City for past 2 generations, Accord gen 9)

Civic - Current generation and previous.
City - GM6
Accord Gen 9

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/03/21/nhtsa-h...-investigation/

I can tell you from a perspective of "engineer". We take calculated risks, and sometimes we do not convey this risk in terms of RPN properly to management. In the name of cost, time and performance, a lot of design aspects related to reliability is short cutted. Often times we think the risk is 1 per million and it is well justified ie safe to ship. But we underestimate things and in reality the occurence is much much higher example 1000 per million. Then comes to the owh crap part.
Then, as management they also instruct the engineering teams to take more risks in the name of profit. You know where this goes.

Next, these subsystems are "reused" by other teams and projects and they are deemed extra safe to use because its been used for a long time "without issue". The problems goes unfixed for generations until another top engineer redesigns everything and thinks he is the smartest man alive, only to repeat the lessons not learned.

So, no, there are far too many examples of shit hitting the fan. Takata airbags come to mind.

Yes, it is a safety issue for steering to be sticky. If you ask me, there should be people being put into jail for these issues then perhaps someone will care. Look at recent Toyota side impact issue. Until now perodua pretends there is no problem, Daihatsu say there is no problem but Toyota chairman flying here and there and apologising up and down.

That article is only the tip of the iceberg when comes to Civic.

If you ask me, a permanent failure of the EPS is just as dangerous as a temporary one and sometimes less of a headache to fix - just replace it.

FWIW, my Grand Livina with EPS, mfg year 2010 is still flawless driving until today with no issues, 140,000km (yes, low mileage).

I've also driven gen 1 myvi with hydraulic PS for decade+ without issue.

One thing for sure, is that an engineer with sufficient data (so many years have passed, they surely have it) and motivation can absolutely design a more reliable EPS than a hydraulic PS, simply because he can (the tools have flourished since then). But life is never straightforward in the real world. Again I speak from personal engineering experience, not related to automotive but close enough.

Like I said if someone goes to jail, then it will be taken seriously. Until then it gets swept under the carpet. Takata airbags, VW dieselgate, Kobe steel, bearings, Boeing 737, dc-10. Not one engineer or QA or even executive goes to jail, lives have been lost!

Toyota can easily fit in the NA 2L dynamic force engine M20, it is a simple drop in. For around the same price as the archaic 1.8L we have today, I will snap it up without hesitation and dump my Civic. Alas, its the South East Asia strategy to hamper itself in this segment, perhaps to sell more SUV's.

I mean at least its not as if they need to do RND. The Corolla with 2.0 M20 engine already exists in many other production lines, only not in the Thailand line.... Of course I don't mean it is as straightforward as aftermarket change (mountings, GB, drive train all ready).
I for one, do not mind less power, less kick, less torque than the Civic. I just want something that is not as sedate as the current 1.8L, it is very sleepy at low RPM and CVT never lets you get to very high RPMS anyway, and by then the noise sucky.