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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  Awesome Car for the money! - 2010 Honda Civic
  By stup62 - September 23 - 2:00 am

  First import Ive ever owned. Like the attention to detail. Awesome sound system, although a 6 cd radio wouldve been nicer. Impressive acceleration, car just wants to go,go, go! Probably why my mileage is a little less than what I expected. Overall, very happy with the car.

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  Inexpensive AND cheap - 2005 Honda Civic
  By inittowinit - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Well, here goes. I bought in 05 because i had a low self esteem. I wanted a car with a seat so horrible, i would hurt when i got to where i was going. And i got it! i also wanted an engine so small that 1967 beetles could outrun me. guess what, i got that too. i was also so totally looking forward to cramming me and three of my 63" buddies in the car to see if the performance got noticeably worse and how uncomfortable we could get. and how well the brakes worked when we now essentially doubled the weight of the car. actually the brakes are good. it didnt have ABS b/c its not standard and i hate ABS. the gas door release broke, passenger window broke, and a flat - totally Hondas fault.

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  Reliable, efficient, sporty and fun! - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Michael - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Had a brand new 2010 Mazda 3 but got rid of it to buy a 4-year-old used Honda Civic for half the price. I cant tell you how happy I am with this car. I get great gas mileage (37 with mixed city/hwy), which is easily 12 mpg better than the Mazda! The interior styling is excellent - I have the beige interior and its so open, light and airy, especially with the sunroof. The seats are spacious and comfortable, and the trunk gives me plenty of storage space for hauling stuff. Back seats are pretty big for a coupe. Love the layout of all the instrumentation, including the handy steering wheel mounted audio controls.

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  40 mpg - 2010 Honda Civic
  By Ken - September 21 - 2:00 am

  Gas mileage is much better than the sticker says 32 city, 40 highway. If fuel economy, reliability, safety and a decent ride are your requirements, the civic is for you. The only thing I dont like are the tires, Continental tires are noisy and do not ride as well as most other brands. I have noticed this on other cars I have driven as well. I will be installing Michelin tires.

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  Slow but looks sharp - 2008 Honda Civic
  By egib77 - September 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car 4 months ago because of its eye candy appeal. Car has been very reliable with zero mechanical problems since purchase. The only issue Ive had was the driver side sun visor totally fell apart. For nearly 30 gs I would expect more performance...and for the weak performance I would expect better than 26 mpg. This car owns in the mountains!

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  Maximum fuel mileage and reliability - 2002 Honda Civic
  By 2620 - September 18 - 2:00 am

  In 02 was considering Jetta, Civic, Saturn. Looking for fuel economy and reliability/longevity. It delivers! 5-speed manual 39 mpg back in 2002 and still 39 mpg in 2010. No problems whatsoever. Gas and oil changes only. New brakes at 150,000. Timing belt and water pump maintenance at 170,000. Mechanic said I could probably get another 100,000 before needing to bring it in again. Its decent in Michigan snow and ice. Road noise from rear end tires or wheels is noticeable. Ride suspension is also harsh over bumps. I feel got my moneys worth. I plan to keep it another 4 years (80,000 miles) and then try to find a worthy person to be the second owner of this trusty little car.

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  Never Breaks, Great Mileage - 2000 Honda Civic
  By Jeff - September 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car 3 years ago in 2007 with 100,000 mi. Now up to 140,000. Have not replaced or fixed anything on it and still runs like new. The design is very nice and I like the sporty look of the 2 door coupe with spoiler on the back. Interior is very comfortable and still looks like new after 11 years. My only complaint is the acceleration is pretty weak. I really dont care though because I average 33 MPG driving to and from work in the City of Pittsburgh stuck in major traffic jams every day. On the highway I average 50 MPG using cruise control at 65 MPH. I have averaged 60 MPG before driving to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh. Its amazing how efficient this car is. Would highly Recommend.

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  Decent car but safety hazard without ABS - 2001 Honda Civic
  By bruce - September 17 - 2:00 am

  This is an OK car but feels a little tin canny and like a go-cart (not in a good way). My major complaint is braking on wet pavement or lack thereof. This car will go into a slide every time. And this is with brand new tires. ABS is a must. No way Im letting my kids use this car unless I know itll be dry outside. It even spins out when accelerating lightly on wet roads. You really have to baby it. If it has to climb while doing so forget about it. Another complaint is that the headliner fell apart at about 100k.

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  Fire Hazard! - 2007 Honda Civic
  By mike - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This car caught fire in my driveway. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The insurance company originally said that the fire was caused by a short in the wiring harness. They later stated that the cause of the fire was undetermined. There is no TSB for this problem, but there is a report on NHSTAs web site from another 07 Civic owner whos car ignited because of a faulty wiring harness. Honda needs to do something.

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  Never Again - 2010 Honda Civic
  By disenchanted owner - September 15 - 2:00 am

  As a previous 2004 Hinda Civic owner, I couldnt be more disappointed with his vehicle. the 2004 compared to this newer version was like a Cadillac. The sets and the headrests in the new car are more than uncomfortable. You cant see the front or back of the car, so its near impossible to park. Honda went VERY cheap with the interior and the emergency break is where you rest your knee to drive. Someone actually got paid a lot of money to redesign this piece of crap. Unfortunately Im locked into a lease for 3 years, I CANT WAIT for it to be over.