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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  The most reliable car - 1996 Honda Civic
  By Steve - February 1 - 5:17 pm

  Car was originally bought as an R-title w 160K. It has been in the family for 5 yrs,now it has 240K. Still gets 33/40 mpg. Havent changed the timing belt yet. Only changing the oil and an occasional bulb.

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  Civic Buyer - 1998 Honda Civic
  By Drummerboy993 - February 1 - 2:00 am

  My 1998 Honda Civic has never let me down. it is dependable, reliable, and is very fun to drive. though the torque is not the best out of all cars, this car has always been there! its great styling and top of the line performance has stunned me.

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  Great Daily Commute - 2002 Honda Civic
  By chadtm - February 1 - 2:00 am

  I got this car as a graduation present from high school to use in college. I drive it about 30 miles per day and couldnt ask for a better car. Its fun with manual and the gas milage is great. I like the pickup and wouldnt want another car.

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  Hybrid Heaven - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Bob - January 31 - 9:06 pm

  Great car with lots of cool features. Voice activated nav, climate and radio controls. Performance is better than I expected and the mileage is in the mid to high 40s. The way it handles makes you feel connected to the vehicle and gives a sense of security on the road. Something I wish I could have felt when I test drove a Prius. Very happy with the Purchase and the professional manner In which I was treated at Gilroy Honda.

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  May Be The Best - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Kato - January 31 - 4:40 pm

  This may be the best small car available for $17,000. It is comfortable, quick enough, safe enough, and gets good gas mileage. Hope it is reliable too. The placement of the speed odometer makes it difficult to exceed the speed limit (you cant help but notice how fast you are going).

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  The Habanero - 2007 Honda Civic
  By Jonah P. - January 31 - 12:58 pm

  Saved up after working through high school to purchase a car. After countless test drives I came upon a one owner Habanero Red Pearl Si sedan with ~68k miles for ~10k. I couldnt be happier with the car. Initially the car had the infamous 3rd gear grind. Upon reading about the issue, I decided to change my transmission fluid to Royal Purple 75w-90 synchromesh transmission fluid (from oem Honda manual trans fluid) and the havent ground third or any other gear since. I have kept up on maintenance (oil changes every 3k-4K miles) and have had no other problems save for minor things such as a brake light going out, replacing a battery, and a passenger window that occasionally doesnt want to roll down. Car is dead reliable after putting over 20k miles on it in one year and a trip from Indiana to Florida. Good acceleration, shifts like butter, fantastic handling, gray stock cat-back exhaust, cool interior features such as digital speedometer and great sound system. Keep up with maintenance and this car will go forever. I love it and I bet you will too!

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  Excellent reliability - 1998 Honda Civic
  By CBdriver - January 30 - 6:18 pm

  I bought this car for the reliability and I have not been disappointed. I go for my oil changes and everything runs smoothly. It is a peppy car for a 4 cyl and is comfortable, though I am short. The gas mileage is incredible, I can get over 30 MPG when I am driving mainly on the highway though generally now it is about 28 with mainly city driving. That is often with the sunroof open. I am considering a new car and may get another Civic but will definitely get a Honda based on my experience with this car.

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  Should have bought one sooner - 2008 Honda Civic
  By 5forfighting - January 30 - 8:13 am

  Bought the LX 2-door to replace my wifes 20K-miles-per-year Explorer. I honestly thought wed never buy a NEW car again but we did the math and with the cost of fuel this thing darn near pays for itself as a replacement for the low-MPG Explorer. We had Hondas before having children and now that were "near-empty-nesters" dont need the SUV so much. After a few tankfuls weve averaged 32.7 mpg in COMBINED city/hwy driving!!! The 2-door seems roomier every time we drive it. My hockey gear didnt eat up much trunk space and hockey sticks have plenty of room with the fold-down rear seatback. It is a BLAST to drive, in traffic or on the highway. Might be more fun with a manual tranny.

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  Nice dependable car - 2004 Honda Civic
  By Michael Ross - January 25 - 6:23 pm

  Weve driven this Civic in all sorts of situations, city and country, and found it very reliable and very much what we were looking for. The fuel economy is good. Our single complaint is that the rear bumper is very easily damaged, and when damaged the whole bumper cover must be replaced. It would be nice if they would make it a little more crash resistant at low speeds.

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  Honda Civic Hybrid 03 - 2003 Honda Civic
  By JohnC. - January 25 - 12:53 pm

  My wife and I really like this car,with 50000 miles and still going. I took a 300 mile trip, not on the interstate highway and got 56.3 miles per gallon driving a couple of miles over the posted speed. Driving 75 MPH on the interstate drops the MPG to around 42MPG. I also get around 50MPG around town.