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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  Best bang for your buck - 1996 Honda Civic
  By fishboy88 - December 1 - 10:12 am

  I bought my 96 civic DX 5M when I was 19 with 130,xxx miles, it was the first car I bought and I am now 26 and the car is just about to role over to 200,000, it is still my daily driver, all in all its been the best investment Ive made, now there are a lot of little things that have gone wrong with the car over the years but nothing catastrophic (nothing over $500) and considering that I have ran the s*#t out of it ie driving fast,hard accelerations, burnouts, E-brake turns, just having fun, it has held up and still gets great mileage. I have drove it to Michigan twice and both time clocked my mileage and averaged 40-41MPG with two people and the car fully loaded for a camping trip.

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  Gas mileage and NAVI not as expected - 2014 Honda Civic
  By nicastm - November 25 - 1:03 pm

  The gas mileage is definitely not as I expected. My 2006 Civic EX that I traded in had better gas mileage with over 100,000 miles on it. I have it set with ECON all the time and I feather the gas petal to a point that I almost get in an accident for slow acceleration, and still only get 34-36 MPG at best. I have yet to get over 380 miles on a tank full. I use to get 425 plus on my 2006 Civic with the same gas tank size. Also, the NAVI system is terrible. No spoken street names for a 2014 model???, are you kidding. Plus it is not very intuitive and cant make changes as you drive. Big waste of money. The only good thing is there is no other GPS device mounted to the dash.

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  Outstanding reliability, fun to drive. - 2013 Honda Civic
  By madmaxooohhh - November 20 - 8:35 am

  Great vehicle for a commuter car that is also fun to drive. It has decent styling and boring reliability. Has needed nothing for the year I have owned it so far, besides oil changes, and tire rotations every 5000 miles. I should have purchased a domestic car so I could learn how to fix them.

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  Why do people buy GM when they can get civic for the same price? - 2012 Honda Civic
  By bergolive - November 18 - 11:28 am

  I wonder why people buy GMs, fords and chryslers when they can get a Civic. As far as reliability goes, I think there is enough data out there to prove that Civics are way better than most American cars. Same thing for resale value. I read somewhere that there is more American content in a Civic than in a Cruze. I dont know of this is true, but I know Civics are built in America! Anyhow, I had an Aries K when I was student and this was a constant problem (when it would start). When the engine blew up, I bought a Civic and have always been satisfied since. I drove all four of them up to about 160 000 Mi without any major trouble and managed to get a good trade-in value every single time.

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  Best Compact for Commuting...go with EX Trim - 2014 Honda Civic
  By tgrit68 - November 16 - 2:40 pm

  Put aside the sporty and nifty handling of the Mazda3 and Ford Focus because what most commuters want for the 5-day grind is a smooth riding highway vehicle with low cockpit noise, and thats where the Honda Civic excels. I have been getting 33 mpg combined in city/highway driving or about 400 miles before the next refuel. On really long highway trips with the ECON button on, I have hit 40 mpg! The EX trim is where the value lies for commuters...rear disc brakes, auto headlights and "pothole friendly" 16 inch tires with beautiful alloy rims.

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  I love it ! buy one but understand this technology first. - 2008 Honda Civic
  By fyler - November 15 - 11:59 pm

  The build quality is awesome, interiors look kinda luxury especially with the blue cloth color, I like the futuristic dashboard.The only thing I dont like is the location of the gas pedal (its like coming off the floor). A very dependable car.People who complaint about the MPG, they need to understand how to drive a hybrid car first, cruise before red lights, drive on 55-65 speed, dont floor the gas pedal etc. I am at 80K miles and the IMA battery is working properly (this is my second Hybrid and I never got any IMA issues). People need to understand that the IMA technology has been matured enough that they dont need to get scared from the IMA because they are cheap to replace now.

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  Best Compact by Far - 2014 Honda Civic
  By medford41 - November 14 - 5:10 pm

  Recently purchased a new 2014 Honda Civic EX Sedan. Test drove a Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, and Kia Forte. No comparison to the Civic.

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  Great Car. Every day (and fill up) I love it more - 2013 Honda Civic
  By dmoneyman - November 11 - 2:27 am

  I bought this car because of a need for a reliable car and it has lived up to its expectation. Looks wise its awesome. With its aerodynamic posture and sporty looks... Something you cant get with other brands. Coupe looks like its own model. Interior wise its a good mix with colors but what is most impressing is the dash and screen that displays a large amount of information. Performance wise it has enough power to pass and accelerate without you having to gun it. 140 hp and 39 mpg without a turbo? You thank it later down the road when you wont have to pay for repairs becauase the engine wont have added stress from a turbo. I love this car and plan to keep it for a very long time.

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  Never again, Honda. Never again. - 2007 Honda Civic
  By bdshell - November 3 - 9:54 pm

  I will never own another Honda. I own a 2007 with 77k miles. 1 owner, all routine maintenance done. The engine failed. Coolant leaked into the engine, the head is completely warped. This relates to a known issue but the dealership claimed the block wasnt fully cracked so they wont cover a cent of the replacement. Needing a new engine at 77k miles? That is unacceptable. I am completely appalled with the treatment I have received and will never own another Honda.

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  Typically solid Honda - 2014 Honda Civic
  By dafs - October 26 - 9:12 am

  Having already owned 3 Hondas, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from the 2014 Civic. The superior build quality is typically Honda, as is the great gas mileage. The specifications and features are pretty high on the EX model, although there are some competitors (mainly Hyundai and Kia) who might offer 6 speed trans or satellite radio for example, within the same category/price range. That said, Im a firm believer in the durability and craftsmanship found in every Honda model, so these are small sacrifices in my eyes. The car is beautifully finished overall, from the solid feel of the switches and controls on the interior, to the fit of the exterior panels, lights and trim.