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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  Excellent car! - 2016 Honda Civic
  By Ronald Castro - January 2 - 7:13 pm

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  DX-VP VP=very primitive - 2009 Honda Civic
  By first newcar - January 1 - 9:43 am

  First new car Ive ever bought. I had driven multiple cars, and did not realize this did not have keyless entry, no arm rest, not even floor mats until I was driving it home. I was furious. I brought it back. But they wanted an additional $4000 for the keyless entry and armrest. We were hoping to get the cash for clunkers, but they decided they couldnt do it because the computer system was overloaded. Then we were supposed to get 3.9% financing, but despite our exclnt credit we didnt qualify? We were at the dealership for five hours waiting for the car to be readied. During the test drive the salesman pointed out the adjustable steering wheel, but didnt mention all it lacked. Very unhappy.

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  Love My Honda Civic CX - 1994 Honda Civic
  By Dianer - January 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my honda 2 Door CX since 1994, in which I purchased brand new. Kept the oil changed, and changed the timing belt after 6 years of ownership. Great car!

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  what was i thinking buying a honda - 2006 Honda Civic
  By volvodav - December 31 - 5:36 pm

  I thought honda had quality built car till I purchased one .The brakes make a noise, seat seats are to hard not comfortable. fit and finish below par also nav system not working. I will tell anyone looking for a new car to look for something besides a honda.plus radio system says it is xm ready but it is not you have to have a external radio antenna a $800 part

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  2004 Civic LX Sedan AT - 2004 Honda Civic
  By buffmaster - December 30 - 10:00 am

  This car is pretty fun to drive. The acceleration is decent, and the ride quality is smooth. Im not getting as good of a gas milage as I wanted, but its good enough(around 26 mpg). The exterior is candy for my eye, I love it. The interior looks clean and there is a lot of space in the front of the car. The rear is pretty tight but Ive had 5 people in the car a few times and no one complained so I guess its cozy back there. The build quality seems mediocre. The hood bends in and out a little bit if you press it.

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  Driving a Video Game - 2003 Honda Civic
  By Chip Marshall - December 30 - 10:00 am

  Zero problems in 17k Miles. Average calculated MPG 44.25, several 600+ mile tanks. Fantastic integration of technology. It is fun to drive and to chalenge yourself to exceed previous efforts at fuel economy. Extremely smooth transmission since it never shifts.

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  2016 Honda Civic EX-T 4 months of ownership - 2016 Honda Civic
  By James - December 29 - 2:31 pm

  This is my honest review of my new 2016 Honda Civic EX-T after owning it for almost 4 months. Important Note: This is the first car Ive owned but Ive rented different cars before. I want to begin by saying that this car is fantastic. The moment I test drove it, I fell in love with how amazingly it drove. The car drives perfectly, takes bumps very well, handles amazingly, and overall is a great car for getting from point A to B while providing some sportiness. If I were to pick an issue with the performance, it is the turbo lag. It doesnt happen often and doesnt affect the safety of the car but there are moments where it takes a short while for the car to start going. Other than the occasional rare lag, it runs extremely well. The comfort of the car is great for its class. The only issue is that this car is relatively low so it can be hard to get in and out of the ground. Ive had many instances of having my shoes come into contact with the door and causing stains. The dual zone is a blessing especially in hot days. The seats are not the best but they are pretty good. They can get stained. The front interior of the car is just amazing. The layout of the dash and touchscreen are well thought out and make the car seem more luxurious than it actually is. The back interior is a different story. The back seats arent as well thought out and I recommend an Accord if backseats are important. The design of the seat belt for the middle seat is awkward. The seat belt straightener is placed too close to where the passenger would rest their head. Ive had a passenger hit their head trying to rest. The doors of the back seat in the EX-T lack the same cloth stitching seen in the front seat. Besides these flaws, the backseat has its merits, it is roomy for a compact sedan. The technology in the EX-T is terrific, dual zone, heated seats, a sunroof, and android auto/carplay make this car very luxurious. What really amazes me is the fuel economy of this car. Ive been getting around 36 mpg average doing mostly highway driving. I drive around 80 miles a day for 4 days and I only need to refuel once per week. Other issues Ive had with the car include: glitches with the climate control where it wouldnt turn off or kept blowing at my feet, rare backup camera issues, and an occasional door rattling noise. Overall, I highly recommend this car, the driving experience is great, the interior/exterior are well done, the fuel economy is top of the class good. Only few quality issues and glitches seem to put a small dent in an otherwise great compact sedan.

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  Really Cant Complain! - 2001 Honda Civic
  By Honda Driver - December 29 - 12:38 pm

  Bought the car new, off the lot, in 2001. It has been a great car, up until about a couple years ago when, at 165,000-plus miles, the clutch gave out. I still have my questions about that, but I no longer frequent that mechanic. That was my first major repair. The original battery lasted 11 years!! Gotta agree on the headliner; several years ago it started drooping and I just used clear packing tape, and its pretty bad now, but Im not forking out $$ to fix it (the car is aging and is less than nice looking anymore). Upon going to a dealer for a recall fix, the service tech told me they see a lot of that. Made me wonder if it was some sort of defect. And the headlights - the last few years they seemed to go out quite frequently - annoying! I also had the SRS light go on and didnt want to bother with it, but, again, upon the recall for the airbags a couple years ago, the dealer checked it out (I didnt ask nor mention it) and it was the seat belt buckle - they told me Honda has a lifetime warranty on the seat belts so they fixed it free! Ive gotten 39-40 mpg on the freeway (I stay at a steady speed) and roughly 34-35 in town. That has started to decrease a little in the last six or so months to maybe 36 hwy and 33-34 in town. And the dashboard lights, about a year ago, went out partially (the right side of the speedometer and the gas gauge), but, again, with the age and condition of the vehicle - not gonna fix it. It also started using oil a couple years ago, but the usage has remained roughly unchanged so far and, oddly, is better when I get an oil change/filter. I now have managed to get it to 189,000 and dont know how much longer I have. It has to be smogged very soon (Im in California) and I dont know if it will pass this time (California gets more strict with older cars). I passed two years ago with flying colors, but now not so sure. If it passes, Ill be happy and keep going as long as the car doesnt $200 me to death. If it doesnt pass, whether I keep it will depend on whats wrong and how much $$. **An update. I passed the smog. My new mechanic, I noticed, now uses 5-30 synthetic blend oil for my oil changes (it had always been 5-20 regular oil), and my oil consumption has decreased. Go figure. Im hanging in there!

• 

  Really Cant Complain! - 2001 Honda Civic
  By Honda Driver - December 29 - 12:38 pm

  Bought the car new, off the lot, in 2001. It has been a great car, up until about a couple years ago when, at 165,000-plus miles, the clutch gave out. I still have my questions about that, but I no longer frequent that mechanic. That was my first major repair. The original battery lasted 11 years!! Gotta agree on the headliner; several years ago it started drooping and I just used clear packing tape, and its pretty bad now, but Im not forking out $$ to fix it (the car is aging and is less than nice looking anymore). Upon going to a dealer for a recall fix, the service tech told me they see a lot of that. Made me wonder if it was some sort of defect. And the headlights - the last few years they seemed to go out quite frequently - annoying! I also had the SRS light go on and didnt want to bother with it, but, again, upon the recall for the airbags a couple years ago, the dealer checked it out (I didnt ask nor mention it) and it was the seat belt buckle - they told me Honda has a lifetime warranty on the seat belts so they fixed it free! Ive gotten 39-40 mpg on the freeway (I stay at a steady speed) and roughly 34-35 in town. That has started to decrease a little in the last six or so months to maybe 36 hwy and 33-34 in town. And the dashboard lights, about a year ago, went out partially (the right side of the speedometer and the gas gauge), but, again, with the age and condition of the vehicle - not gonna fix it. It also started using oil a couple years ago, but the usage has remained roughly unchanged so far and, oddly, is better when I get an oil change/filter. I now have managed to get it to 189,000 and dont know how much longer I have. It has to be smogged very soon (Im in California) and I dont know if it will pass this time (California gets more strict with older cars). I passed two years ago with flying colors, but now not so sure. If it passes, Ill be happy and keep going as long as the car doesnt $200 me to death. If it doesnt pass, whether I keep it will depend on whats wrong and how much $$. **An update. I passed the smog. My new mechanic, I noticed, now uses 5-30 synthetic blend oil for my oil changes (it had always been 5-20 regular oil), and my oil consumption has decreased. Go figure. Im hanging in there!

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  Cant think of much to change!? - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Jen - December 26 - 5:56 pm

  I bought this car a few months ago and it is the best car Ive been in in a while. It handles great, fuel efficient, cute, and great features. I was able to get it for below MSRP, so talk your dealer down. I would recommend this car to anyone, if you plan on having more than two people in the car its a bit of pain to get in and out from the back so much, but I love it for my college and commuting life.