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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  2.5 years of love for my ep3 - 2003 Honda Civic
  By kingchristo - October 11 - 12:52 pm

  My Civic Si looked new when I bought it 2.5 years ago with 55K (totally stock). Its now at 90K, and its been really great. The handling is a dream, its comfortable as can be up front, and I get 30MPG+ even while having some fun on the mountain roads I drive daily. Its quick enough to be fun, though there are *now* a lot of faster cars for everyday use. I had to replace an O2 sensor and a door lock actuator (both of which are relatively easy to do yourself, luckily, and thus done for < $300 total). The backseat is a bit tight, but much better than what many similar cars have. The biggest shortcoming of this car is the lack of a 6th gear. 5th at 75mph=3700rpm.

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  Never buy hybrid - 2012 Honda Civic
  By nashdesi - October 8 - 12:30 am

  From start to initial speed car vibrates a lot or call it shudders Bought a used car and returned in two days Gave me headache from vibration Saving that dollar from hybrid was not worth My son who is seven could not stand the vibration Will never buy a hybrid again When it switches between electric and engine I cannot bear that vibration and noise Saving some dollar for vibration is not worth it Please test drive throughly before you buy hybrid Do lot of stop and go before you buy On high way any car runs good Good luck on buying hybrid Honest review given by desi

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  1st and Last Honda - 2009 Honda Civic
  By nepahonda - September 30 - 9:56 am

  This was my first new car purchase. I was proud to purchase a new 2009 Honda Civic EX while in college and working full-time. The car was great when I first bought it. However, currently, I have 66,000 miles on it and it is literally falling apart in multiple aspects. I have the paint peeling on the drive side of the car. My muffler just rusted up completely and fell off. The "top of the line" alloy rims are a complete joke and all four have of them have started corroding and leak air. All sorts of interior paneling and weather stripping is literally just falling off of my car. COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED in this Honda. We have had other Hondas and none have been this bad. DO NOT BUY ONE!

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  Lots of bang for your buck - 2014 Honda Civic
  By dpollaro - September 24 - 9:46 pm

  14 Honda Civic Si Sedan. I needed the practicality that the sedan offered, & to be honest I like the way it looks better than the coupe. So far Ive put about 1K miles on the car. Hondas manual gearbox is amazingly smooth and easy to drive. Engaging without being a pain. The car is quick for what it is: a four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine. The exhaust note puts a smile on my face every time I get behind the wheel, & acceleration on the Si allows for overtaking slower drivers with ease. The build quality of the car is fantastic both inside & outside. The ride quality is pretty good, bumps can be a little jarring but its not built for touring. Overall I am quite pleased with the car!

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  LOVE IT! - 2014 Honda Civic
  By jackowen112592 - September 18 - 5:27 pm

  I leased my 2014 EX Sedan in late July and now have almost 400 miles on it. I had a 2012 EX Sedan before this and I think this car is way better!. The steering feels better weighted, maybe even sportier, plus this car is quiet whereas my 2012 was loud. I love the backup camera and the LaneWatch monitor because I had neck surgery last year. I also looked at the Subaru Forester but I didnt want an SUV and wanted good traction because Chicago winters can get messy, so the Civic fit the bill and it has FWD so yes, my Civic can handle the snow just like my old one did. The Hondas interior is modern whereas the Subaru looked outdated.

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  Most under-rated Hybrid - 2014 Civic Hybrid - 2014 Honda Civic
  By chorlacher - September 16 - 12:08 pm

  My wife and I both love driving this car! Its a smooth quite ride and has a very comfortable, and nice looking, interior and we love the exterior look too. We bought it almost two months ago and have over 3000 miles on it. We had a 1600 mile trip to Canada with it. We averaged 47mpg for the entire trip. That was with a family of four (a 5 year old and a 3 year old) and the car loaded down driving up and coming home. My first time filling the car after two weeks of regular usage it took 10.8 gallons and we had driving 555 miles since the last fill-up, 51mpg! For just my 18.6 mile commute to and from work I get high 50s (up to 62mpg) to work and low to mid 50s home.

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  Cant feel the hype - 2004 Honda Civic
  By lfas - September 7 - 6:19 am

  I owned this car in 4-door LX 4 speed auto guise for neigh on four years, and other than the fact that this little car handled like crazy and could take an off ramp at 60 mph with ease, thats where my admiration ends. Post ownership, and for the life of me I cannot grasp the Honda hype that led me to plunk down my cash on this vehicle. I just plainly dont know what sparks such admiration for Honda Civcs. The car was vastly underpowered for daily commuter driving around the Chicagoland area. I am fond of saying that Civics cant manage to get out of their own way. Was it the auto trans that muted power? The car had an all around anemic, fragile feel to me.

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  Best car Ive had. Major improvement over 2012 model - 2014 Honda Civic
  By jackowen112592 - September 6 - 1:27 am

  I leased this car and Ive had it for a little over a month now, and I just LOVE this car!. I got a bang for my buck!. I had a 2012 EX prior to this car and this car is eons better!. The styling is awesome!. The steering is sportier, the interior is better built and I love the push button start, LaneWatch and backup camera. I need a backup camera due to limited range of motion from surgery. I pay $80 less than I did for my 2012 but get more for my money. The car rides smoothly but dont expect it to be like my Moms Lexus or even my Dads Acura though. I was originally going to get a Subaru for good traction for Illinois winters but the Subaru felt dull and dated compared to my new Civic.

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  Significant problems Ill never buy another Honda - 2007 Honda Civic
  By kaleto - August 27 - 7:05 pm

  There are glaring problems with this car and Hondas in general. In fact, they had to extend the warranty on many parts. After only a few years, one engine mount broke, the clear coat flaked, and the paint cracked. The CVT transmission lags, which could cause an accident if youre expecting an immediate response from the gas pedal. To top it off, they lied about the MPG when I bought it in 2007--originally boasted at 41 highway, at best I get in the low 30s highway. Bottom line is there are better quality comparable cars, and because of the poor workmanship of this model (and Hondas in general for the past 10 years or so), Ill never buy another Honda.

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  Should not have strayed from Honda - 2012 Honda Civic
  By tamie45 - August 24 - 10:45 pm

  I started out the summer with a pre-owned 2013 Ford Focus SE. I was swayed into buying the Focus because of all the great tech and the quality interior. Unfortunately, all the comforts in the world could not make up for the awful DCT. Two months into owning the Focus I decided that I needed to trade it away as soon as possible. I went with a pre-owned 2012 Civic with 22,000 miles on it. I could not be more happy with my decision!! I first felt that the interior was a downgrade to the Focus until I actually drove the car for a while and found it to actually be much better in all respects save for the hard plastics. The smooth driving experience is much better than the Focus!