Overview & Reviews

Since its launch in 1973, the Honda Civic has been one of the most popular compact cars sold in America. Its success can be attributed in large part to its consistently high level of quality inside and out and its long-standing reputation for reliability and low running costs. Impressive fuel economy and engaging performance have also played a role in making the Civic a top choice for many Americans.

The competition has largely caught up with Honda, though, and there are now many excellent small cars vying for your attention. Still, we continue to recommend the Civic due to its ergonomic interior layout, wide range of models and high resale value. For small-car shoppers in search of a solid used vehicle, the Honda Civic is certainly a smart choice, as its long production run and many variants make it easy to find what you want.

User Reviews:

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  Reliable, Fun, Fuel Efficient, Cheap, VTEC yo - 2009 Honda Civic
  By shadetreegiant - January 3 - 11:08 pm

  I own a 2009 Honda Civic EX Sedan (automatic transmission). The 1.8 Liter VTEC engine is the centerpiece of this car. The VTEC allows this engine to have two "personalities". While cruising on the highway, the engine is composed and fuel efficient. If you step on the gas pedal a little more aggressively, the VTEC solenoid kicks in and uses a second set of cam lobes that makes the engine more powerful. So, it is literally a two-faced engine that can be both fun or economical. The transmission will stay smooth as long as you change the fluid on schedule (every 30k miles). The rest of the car is also well designed, but you need to remember that the Civic is still an economy car.

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  A Good College Car - 2008 Honda Civic
  By andrew_kaber08 - January 3 - 3:19 pm

  My 2008 Civic Si Coupe was a great car but it was just a college car. It was fast, quick on its feet, had an amazing audio system, and popular with the teenage and young-twenties crowd, but it always felt unrefined. The engine provides a surprising bit of power, but only high in the rpms, and had no down-low power. Driving it in stop-and-go traffic was a chore due to very low torque, but once you got in the 6,000 to 8,000 rpm range, it FLEW. This car is an amazing college vehicle, especially with the standard sunroof and subwoofer, but its just unrefined. Lots of wind noise, road bumps, and interior quality hiccups (such as a ticking CD-player) prevent it from being a "professional" car.

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  09 Honda Civic Hybrid - 2009 Honda Civic
  By adam063321 - January 1 - 11:52 am

  I bought my HCH with 72,000 miles certified from a Honda dealer. The car looked and felt great! I lived in Ohio and all roads where I lived were flat and continuously got 45-60mpg on flat roads going 57-59mph. I bought the car to drive like crazy 28,000 miles a year. The IMA battery went out at 95,000 miles. (Luckily I bought the extended warranty when I purchased it). I now have had it for 3 years and have 150,000 miles. I have never had any issues at all besides the IMA battery.

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  my best yet - 2007 Honda Civic
  By mfriesenborg - December 21 - 10:26 pm

  coming from a 2000 civic ex, i was impressed with the upgrades done in the 07 model. it has been the textbook example of reliability for 120,000 miles. i have had an engine oil leak fixed under warranty, and had to replace the rear control arms (on my own) recently. mileage is always 35-40, and i have gotten up to 42 on long interstate cruises. the interior is harder to keep clean compared to the 2000, mainly due to different texture of the plastic used on door and kick panels. i feel sorry for people who have had worse experiences than i, but the worst part of owning a civic is using the dealership for service.

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  What was I thinking?! - 2005 Honda Civic
  By slcarter81 - December 17 - 1:35 pm

  So the pros for this vehicle are: great gas mileage and comfort. After reading the reviews, perhaps I purchased a lemon but I will never recommend this car to anyone. 15 minutes after driving this car off the lot, all my lights came on. Fortunately the dealership replaced the hybrid battery. I have had to change the sensors and now it is burning oil. There is NO pick up in this vehicle. If you live in the mountains, do not buy this car. Every one will be passing you! After about a year of having this car, I am in the market for a new vehicle.

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  DONT BE FOOLED BY THE HONDA NAME! nothing but problems - 2005 Honda Civic
  By sfus1989 - December 15 - 7:18 pm

  My 05 civic has been NOTHING but problems! I got it at 90,000 miles and on my way home the thermostat went and the oil pan had to be replaced. Then something seemed wrong with the acceleration so I took it to my uncle who is a mechanic (aka I know he is not going to screw me) and I found out the timing belt had to be replaced, They all Do at 90,000 fyi. Then from there the front hub bearings had to be replaced because the sound was atrocious and grinding. THEN the OEM gas cap was faulty and the check engine light came on, so I bought a new one and found out that the check engine light was the alternator AND cat convertor needed to be replaced. HONDA RELIABILITY? Ill stick with Toyota!

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  Still fun and practical - 2002 Honda Civic
  By lrxst - December 12 - 6:06 pm

  Ive had this car longer than any other by far (over 8 years now). It handles predictably, and has held up pretty well over the years. Its not a common model, so people look at it and kind of scratch their heads. The clutch lasted 90,000 miles, and was a little over a $1,000 to replace at an independent shop. Other than that, its been mostly routine maintenance. Unlike earlier models, this engine has a timing chain instead of a timing belt, which is a great benefit on upkeep and the little 2.0 seems pretty much bulletproof. The shifter is different than most cars, but Im not sure why other cars dont have it there in the center. Typical Honda, carefully laid out, and it all still works.

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  Good at everything - 2014 Honda Civic
  By fronteeer - December 4 - 6:18 pm

  The 2014 Civic is a really inexpensive car. The mid-line EX with the fog lights option, has everything a premium car has, for under $22K, except leather. Its not as sporty as the WRX or Lancer, but its sporty enough and way less expensive. Its not as powerful either, but its more than powerful enough, even with Econ on all the time.

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  Fun reliable car with minor fixable issues - 2006 Honda Civic
  By nunoa - December 3 - 9:17 am

  Ive owned this car from 40k to its current 80k mileage. It is fun to drive, especially above 5k rpm, and has been very reliable. The major maintenance Ive done is replacing the battery (~40k miles), brakes (~65k), and tires. There was an issue with the engine running roughly when warming up in the winter, but an ECU update for ~$40 fixed that issue. A common problem with 3rd gear was entirely fixed by replacing the manual transmission fluid with Amsoil at ~50k miles. The upper rear control arms have some excessive negative camber (around -2*) and this has caused increased tire wear on the rears, but rotation would fix that problem.

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  Probably not the target SI buyer! - 2014 Honda Civic
  By rjgcyder - December 2 - 3:41 pm

  My wife bought a new CRX in 1989. When kids arrived in 1993 we part exchanged it for a more sensible car - much to her disappointment. The kids are now in college, so we looked around for a fun car, principally for my wife to commute, but also for the kids to use when the others are taken. Everyone wanted a manual transmission, so that limited the choice. We tried the GTI, BRZ, Mini Cooper and Mazda 3. My choice was the BRZ, but was overridden on the grounds of practicality. In the end my wife chose the SI as she found it the most fun to drive - once you have had a screaming Honda 4, nothing else quite has the buzz...