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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  Extremely Pleased - 2010 Honda Civic
  By Matthew - January 30 - 11:36 pm

  Traded in a 2003 VW Passat GLX, and couldnt be happier. Feel the LX-S is best combination of features and price in the Civic line up. First tank of gas in mixed driving got me 32 mpg. Fit and finish is excellent, as expected, and while some complain about the plastic interior, what do you expect for a car that can be had for less than $19,000? I rate the performance as a 10, because for a car like this, the overall performance is excellent. Its a Civic, not a Bugatti Veyron. If you want high performance, buy a performance car. If you want quality, economy and value, buy a Civic.

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  Love my civic - 2005 Honda Civic
  By Ray - January 29 - 6:44 pm

  Best car Ive ever owned. I wanted a 5 speed trans in the newport blue color and thats what I got. I wanted a sunroof and glad I have it. This car gets awesome gas mileage and is fun to drive. I havent had a single problem with it.

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  Decent - 2002 Honda Civic
  By Stephen lavelle - January 29 - 9:21 am

  I bought this car in December of 09 and i have had it for about a month. The car runs fine, But i am having tons of problems with the cars electrical system, the left side of the dash lights dont turn on. the dome light is broken beyond repair, my seatbelt sticks. the passenger door is hard to open from the inside. but it is a good car and very reliable

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  Less than I hoped - 2007 Honda Civic
  By jason - January 29 - 7:54 am

  Sheet metal is very thin, going through a carwash sounds like the roof is going to blow off. Paint quality is low, scratches / chips easily. After 32K miles I am getting rust on the the front of the hood. Wet and dry traction is good, but winter driving is poor, car does not hold the road well at highway speeds, even with additional weight. Weatherstrip on rear doors has fallen off a couple times. Glad to have only leased the vehicle and not purchased it. Gas mileage was listed at 28/40 , but average is about 30, with 70% highway miles. Highway mileage is mid 30s when driving with traffic.

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  Loved my 91 Civic LX - 1991 Honda Civic
  By janderson5 - January 28 - 12:26 am

  Grandma bought this $1900 car as a present for my 16th b-day (Oct 04). Had 107k on it. 2 prev owners, last was teen girl also. I was really hard on it 1st 2yr, it was my 1st & I drove it rough & changed the oil about every 6-7k. Then I got smart changed oil every 3k & the tranny fluid every 15k. After HS, took car to GU & made 9.5 trips over Snoq Pass b/t Seattle & Spokane, fair amount of weight in it too. On last trip to Sea, oil light came on 60mi outside Spo, stopped at local repair shop, no eng knocking, so said it was faulty light, light went on and off rest way, then in mid of pass, it died. Oil pump went, blowing the cam shaft. That car was my baby, and when it died, I cried for days.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2009 Honda Civic
  By azaggie - January 27 - 10:47 pm

  I have had my 09 Civic hybrid for 8 months and absolutely love it. I get significantly better fuel economy than the epa estimates, averaging around 53 mpg, though I drive conservatively and make a game out of trying to get the best fuel economy I can. The cars sweet spot for fuel economy is 35-50 mph (around 60-65 mpg), and driving around 70 - 75 youll see your fuel economy drop to the low 40s (one drawback). The hybrid assist-regen system works well on small to moderate hills but doesnt sustain on large hills, leaving you with a small engine that has to work hard to get up long inclines. Another potential drawback is the back seat doesnt fold down, but it only an occasional problem.

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  A decent car - 1997 Honda Civic
  By The Dude - January 27 - 3:16 pm

  Not a bad little car. My commute is 100 mi/day, and I bought it for commuting and hauling. Im familiar with Hondas, so when the 5-spd failed I wasnt surprised. Gets 40-43 MPG consistently. Like the hatch and fold-down seats to haul ladders, furniture, trees, tools, wood, etc. Theres a lot of cheapness inside, but not the hollow cheap you get with GM or Ford. Handling isnt great, but not terrible. I dont know why ppl race these so much when its only a commuter at best.

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  loved the car - 2005 Honda Civic
  By khollen - January 24 - 4:13 pm

  I bought this car because I was looking for something reliable, economical, and with good value. I found the perfect purchase in this civic, and loved every minute of driving it. I got into a pretty bad head-on collision after having the car for about 5 months, and walked out with minor bruises and injuries. The crumple zones were designed flawlessly and even though my car was totaled it protected me perfectly. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone.

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  Great Car!! - 1999 Honda Civic
  By Holajn - January 23 - 8:45 pm

  I purchased this car in October 2009. At first I had to replace the exhaust system since it was rusting. 375 dollars later it is all better and this car is running great! I am a student and drive less than 30 miles per week, I get such great mileage. For a 1.6 4-cyl the engine is very quick. The V-TEC really helps too. I would recommend this car to anyone who wants outstanding reliability and great gas mileage!

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  Best Car Ive owned - 1992 Honda Civic
  By xXShiXx - January 22 - 11:53 pm

  I brought this car in June 2009 with 226K miles, Ive added an additional 9K miles since then. Havent had any problems whatso ever yet, knock on wood. The only thing with this Civic is that its FWD and kills the front two tires quickly. No complaints though, i plan on keeping this for a good while.