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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  lame honda - 1997 Honda Civic
  By jrehgkjfhg - January 16 - 2:00 am

  This has been a fun and relatively reliable car but the build quality. The front rotors have been turned 5 times and replaced once and the steering wheel still shimmies. The computer has been replaced along with the oxygen sensor. The latest problem is an intermittant engine knock. It occurs sometimeswhen cold and sometimes when fully warmed up. Its not very confidence inspiring and Im trading it in because of it for a Nissan.

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  Reliable but could improve - 1998 Honda Civic
  By CivicOwner - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Bought it at 4 yrs. old, 21kmi, one owner. Very good car for driving around town--especially since it is an automatic, not that great on the highway. The base model is really basic, wish it had some more features (power locks, cruise control, ABS, A/C). Maintenance-free so far, 20 months and 27 kmiles later. Shift program problem: when accelerating after slowing down to about 20mph it shifts a lower gear and revvs the engine like crazy, sending shocks through the drivetrain. The windshield wipers have a weird pattern, leaving big portions un-wiped. Passenger-side wiper needs to grow to driver-side wiper size.

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  Fun - 1998 Honda Civic
  By idk - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Despite the lack of power this car is still fun to drive. The sound of the engine as well as the acceleration when VTEC kicks in accentuate the fun feeling. Under hard driving, though, the car has no power to get up and go if you lose any traction or shift at the wrong time. The interior is plain and simple with no rattling parts. The exterior looks very nice and sporty but it dents and the paint chips off easily. The suspension is rather loose but very smooth and I feel in control the whole time. Road noise is minimal and the stock tires grip incredibly well. The fuel economy is great as well as the reliability. 85,000 miles on it and it still looks and feels like new.

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  HONDA - 2005 Honda Civic
  By LindzHonda - January 14 - 8:26 am

  I love my car. I have bad experiences with cars in the past. For the price of a new Honda, you just can not get a better car.

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  Fun little car - 1994 Honda Civic
  By bddevries - January 14 - 2:00 am

  The car handles extremely well. Not a lot of engine power, so having an manual transmission is a must for adequate performance. Very reliable.

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  GReat RiDe - 1993 Honda Civic
  By Ludeboy75 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I Bought this car in 2/01 with 110K Miles on the clock. It now has 138k and is still going strong. Very easy to do maintain and repair as long as youre a little mechanically inclined. Responds well to modifications. It rides even better with 16" rims/low profile tires. The D15B7 plant needs at least another 20 HP and it would be perfect.

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  No remote trunk access on LX? - 2009 Honda Civic
  By Juan - January 13 - 10:26 pm

  I bought my Civic LX two weeks ago and am generally very pleased with it. BUT, I am disappointed that Honda has not entered the 21st century along with Saturn and other cars by providing remote trunk access with their Civic LX. The apparent reason: to provide a disincentive to buy the LX, and push you to buy an EX for $2000 more. So, if you have kids, if you shop and appreciate easy trunk access as you lug items to the car, buy another car. Is remote trunk access worth $2000? Not in my book. Next car will be a Toyota.

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  I love this car! - 2005 Honda Civic
  By steve - January 13 - 7:06 pm

  Purchased with options. noticed after driving the car for about 3 months that the gas milage actually increased by about 5-7 miles to the gallon after valves seat. Now getting range of 38- 42 on highway and 32-36 in city. This car is very fun to drive and handles excellently, taking corners like it is on rails! The larger tires on the LX makes a real difference compaired to the VP or DX.

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  More than worth the money - 2006 Honda Civic
  By allmylife10607 - January 13 - 6:36 pm

  I bought this car with only 12 miles on it from the dealer brand new. I commute 52 miles a day to work, plus recreational driving. With over 29,000 miles on it so far, Ive had no major issues and love it. It works great for commuting with the ability to keep the engine quiet, but vtech is ready to kick in when you want it. The cars ability to accelerate so fast also comes in handy when youre getting on the highway in a tight spot. I plan on keeping this car for years to come, turning it into a show car eventually. I have the 18" upgrade rims and love them, as well as low profile tires and an aftermarket exhaust that makes it sound mean.

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  Some good, some bad - 2002 Honda Civic
  By scott_d - January 13 - 10:00 am

  In the 13,000 miles that I have owned this car, it used an average of 1 quart of oil every 600 miles. In addition to the oil issue, there is an annoying clacking noise in the A- Pillar that Honda says is the moonroof drain tube hitting metal, but after 28 visits to the dealership to fix this and other issues, it remains. The emergency brake does not hold on hills and needs to be adjusted every 1000 miles. I have seen these same issues from others, so beware of them and ask about these issues if you are looking to buy one. I had great hopes for this car, my first new car purchase, and have been pretty dissapointed. It looks great on paper...