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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  Fun, Reliable, and Efficient - 1998 Honda Civic
  By David - April 22 - 11:01 am

  Wonderful car! I got my civic as a hand-me-down. It was my first car and will be my only car for some time. Fuel economy is superb for such a sporty compact. The hatchback is a great model due to its transportation qualities. The D17Y engine isnt exactly the best in its class, but Honda did put enough work into making it rev extremely high. Put your foot to the floor on a long stretch of road and the automatic transmission down shifts and launches you forward. The air conditioning isnt the best, however, if it is left on long enough at high power it WILL cool the entire car down. My only complaint is that if you drive the car at the top end, fuel economy suffers quite a bit.

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  2001 Transmissions Have Ruined Honda - 2001 Honda Civic
  By tmspiege - April 21 - 9:58 am

  I received this car willed from my great-uncle and have treated it well for 6.5 years. Ive been diligent in regular maintenance. Then, out of the veritable blue, my transmission suffered a catastrophic failure en route to work two days ago. The auto tranny would not engage into gear and the engine would simply tach up with no acceleration when I hit the gas. I called Honda USA to get them to extend a goodwill repair to me, but they are refusing. Im looking at a $2000 repair for a manufacturing defect...and Hondas not willing to admit the mistake or provide the customer support to alleviate the cost to me. 2001 transmissions across every model have been notorious for this sudden failure.

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  Another Great Honda - 1998 Honda Civic
  By risingsn - April 20 - 2:03 pm

  I bought this car new because of the fuel economy & the fact that it was a Honda (my 8th). The first few years I was in sales & on the road all the time, I cruised @ about 85mph & got 37-38 mpg. Currently my wife commutes in this car 4 miles ea. way, in town & gets 32 mpg. Last week we drove 4 hrs (to Sea World & back) @70 mph & got 39 mpg. Other than normal maintenance I have only had to replace the B pipe & the blower fan. The A/C is good (Florida), the manual trans is flawless. There can be road noise if your tires become unevenly worn. Currently the car has 165K mile & is still a great car. If you can find one, buy it!

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  What a great car... - 2008 Honda Civic
  By MplsDriver - April 20 - 7:36 am

  This is the kind of car you look forward to driving every day. Im at about 400 miles now and look forward to every time I can get onto a curvy road. Daily driving around town is just fine, but I just calculated my miles/gallon (city) and it came in at 19.38? Im hoping this will get better once the engine is broken in. My only other complaint would be the seat comfort. I have a herniated lower disk in my back and the shape of the seat is kind of harsh on my back...once again Im hoping this gets better as the car breaks in. Other than that, this car is awesome! I was also considering a 2005 Lexus IS 300 w/ 27K miles (for the same price), but the Si just seemed like a better choice.

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  Good car - 2007 Honda Civic
  By Guy - April 17 - 8:46 am

  This car has been the family car for a while (including a back and forth trip NJ-FLA). So far the car is good, but not great. Maybe its the first year blues after the redesign, but already problems have arisen. The a/c went once already. The dealers story was that the condenser apparently got hit by a rock, and had to be replaced. There have also been windshield wiper problems which are difficult to explain but require fixing. Other nit picks include the exaggerated turning radius, the car easily bottoming out on speed bumps and such, crappy standard radio, and amplified road noise. Dont misunderstand me, this is a good car, I just wonder if there are better small sedans out there.

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  Da Coupe - 2004 Honda Civic
  By JT - April 16 - 4:39 pm

  This car is a great car from Honda. I have owned two civic coupes and both have been great. The coupe I have now is manual, and suggest folks to get the manual if you like stick and sporty fun. Gas mileage is great also. Overall, a great car for any age. Performance and economy all in one.

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  civic lx special ed - 2005 Honda Civic
  By kevin - April 15 - 7:06 pm

  purchased this car last week..absoulutly love it. its an se coupe auto shore mist metalic..paid 15,300...im 6ft 1 and have plenty of leg room..and head room the car is very quiet handles very nice and the best thing ..it barely uses any gas...it also comes with a pretty good radio.

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  Hybrid Civic beats Prius and cheaper too - 2006 Honda Civic
  By TimBar - April 14 - 4:53 pm

  Bought Honda Civic because liked design (wife liked the blue gauges especially). Friends say it seems like a regular size car unlike past Civics. Im not an aggressive driver but car has all the acceleration I need. Its got good space and easy access

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  Best buy ever! - 2000 Honda Civic
  By jenmarc221 - April 14 - 1:49 pm

  i just bought a used civic cx hatch i was amazed how fast it went on the highway! i was going 140 km and didnt even notice, it just flies! and it is so EASY to shift gears in a civic?! I love it! and it has good gas mileage! and they are a great size for finding parking and the hatch has more space than i thought. i like too that i is nice and basic, doesnt have unnecessary gadgets. Excellent car!

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  Excellent Car - 1999 Honda Civic
  By eborges - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Excellent Car for getting around. Reliable and is like the energizer battery.