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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  its slow but it gets you there - 1993 Honda Civic
  By porksoda1 - January 6 - 10:14 pm

  I traded a beat down 97 blazer for my 93 civic coupe. The car has 230,000 miles and still runs strong. It has the 1.6 vtec and a 5 speed manual. Its slow and its ugly but it gets 35 mpg. The handling is amazing though. My civic is lowered a couple inches and has a little negative camber and you can throw it into some corners at fairly high speeds. Its no hot rod but it gets me where i need to go.

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  Great commute car - 2007 Honda Civic
  By offroad87 - January 5 - 7:42 pm

  Bought the car new in 2007 for commuting to replace a Camaro. Si is quick enough to commute and move easily in all kinds of traffic. It gives me average 23 mpg even when I drive it hard. Car is reliable, fun, and not so thirsty. Back seat space isnt that great for adults, but dont mind since I use it to commute. I will be repainting the whole car since the paint isnt that great. After 80k car has been reliable and looks like it will go for another 10 years.

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  I Love Everything About This Car - 1999 Honda Civic
  By maddogca - January 2 - 9:46 pm

  It was my very first car in high school and it has been in the family since my dad bought it brand new. This car was probably the best car I have ever owned! The vehicle is so reliable that you have to try really hard to destroy these things. The seats are so plush and so comfortable, if I ever buy a car with cloth seating, it would be that car! The gas mileage is also quite impressive on these cars. Why I ever got rid of it, I will never know.

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  Forget Consumer Reports - 2012 Honda Civic
  By subarubiker - January 2 - 5:27 pm

  The fact that Honda only made slight changes to the Coupe for 2013 shows the 2012 was a great car. I have a Dyno Blue Coupe EX with the 5-speed manual, absolutely stunning and sporty looking. This is my first manual car and I love it it has a smooth-shifting stick and a very easy to modulate clutch thats a breeze in traffic. It gets great mileage on regular gas, getting 28mpg combined in winter temperatures with snow tires. The ride is a bit loud, but it handles very well and is a big upgrade over the past Civics with the handy i-Mid and the great 7-speaker sound system. Seats are very comfy! The only thing that lacks in the Civic is winter handling- winter tires transformed my Civic.

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  Love my EP3 - 2003 Honda Civic
  By tomjaaahallo - January 1 - 10:50 pm

  I bought my Si in may 2012 with 140k and now it has 154k. This was the first car Ive bought with my own money, and I am extremely satisfied. The 2.0L 4 has just enough hp to have fun but still is capable over over 30 mpg highway. The shifter is very easy to use and the handling is very responsive. Most of all, this car is extremely reliable. I have only needed brakes put on the car after purchasing, other than that no problems have surfaced. The best way to sum up this car is deceptively quick, deceptively room y (especially the rear seat), and deceptively reliable. I will definitely look at another Si when the time to get a new car comes, but for now I am extremely happy with my 03!

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  2nd review-crash result - 2012 Honda Civic
  By carlonz - December 30 - 11:16 am

  I submitted a review previously, just after purchasing my new 12 civic. I thought I should submit another after recently totaling it. It was a great car, in fact I have replaced it with the same exact model and color. Whats important to know is that I was hit (t-boned) on the passenger side at about 35 mph. Side impact air bags went off and car spun 180 degrees. I walked away with only a bruise to my right foreman, no other bruisers, breaks or next day sorenss, with the driver and passenger seating areas fully intact. Its not often someone submits a review on safety in a real world incident. Above and beyond its strengths and weaknesses, this car is built for safety. Thank you Honda.

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  Wish I still had it. - 2008 Honda Civic
  By m_n - December 29 - 9:35 pm

  2nd worst automotive decision Ive made was to sell my 2008 Si (worst was buying a 2000 Mercedes E-class for the wife). In 3 years and 75,000 miles of ownership, it was gas, oil, go. Thats it. Never once did it darken the dealer service bay for anything. Window sticker says 29mpg highway and that is WAY underrated. I easily got 34-35 with the cruise set on 70, and that was with 10% ethanol fuel. Real gas gave me as high as 37mpg once. With the HFP suspension and Michelin Pilot Sports, this was the best handling car Ive ever owned. Other cars may be faster (GTI, WRX, Mazdaspeed 3), but the Si is absolutely THE BEST blend of comfort, performance, reliability and economy.

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  Rear Suspension Problems - 2010 Honda Civic
  By ioeuropa - December 26 - 3:00 pm

  This is my 4th Civic. The 1998 Civic ex was the best. Still running with 280k miles on it. Both my 2004 civics had Cylinder head gasket problems, one at 127k, the other at 214k. I have 80K on my 2010 civic lxs. Its comfortable, has pep, and gets 38mpg. My one complaint is a big one. The rear struts are basically non existent if I have two adults in the back seat. The car bottoms out on small bumps. Its truly frightening, and loud. Youd have to experience it for yourself. Oh, and I drive highway only miles. I believe that Honda quality has been going down steadily since 98. Im probably going for a Toyota or Nissan next.

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  Does exactly what is needs to - 2012 Honda Civic
  By code_break - December 26 - 11:10 am

  I recently purchased a 2012 Civic LX after doing a lot of research on fuel efficient compact cars. Fuel economy was a top priority as my old gas burner was robbing me every other week. After comparing real world users reports it was clear the Civic would get good fuel economy. Many other cars seem to be highway rated at 40 mpg (Hyundai Elantra), but people in the real world are not actually getting that. After about 1k miles Ive already got over 45 mpg on a 200 mile trip.

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  A Quirky but Loveable Little Car - 2011 Honda Civic
  By cbeck3 - December 23 - 2:11 pm

  Ill start off by saying that Im reviewing the Civic as an economy sedan, not a sports car. First, the Civic is fun to drive. Its actually a blast to drive - more so than my old Pontiac Grand Am GT was, with its 3.4L V6. Second, its laughably cheap. No, I dont mean that it didnt cost a lot, because it did - I mean that a fill-up generally costs somewhere around $30. A side note about the fuel: with spirited driving, I still get around 30mpg. Im anxious to take a long road trip in my Civic. Third, its quirky. That isnt necessarily a bad thing. The gas pedal is mounted in the floor, which will require a bit of a learning curve, but it isnt anything too serious. Also, the horn...