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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  Loved My Little Car - 1998 Honda Civic
  By Patti - December 5 - 2:37 pm

  Bought my car at 90k miles, sold at 115k after owning a couple years. Never had a problem with it, sold it for $200 more than I bought it for. Took it down the Alaska-Canadian Highway, no problem (though it is very small and the seats are not the most comfortable in the world). Calculated out 47mpg on some of these road trip stretches. I had the manual, and really liked the fine, smooth way it shifted. It was a very fun, responsive, maneuverable little car. I dont have kids, so the coupe was perfect for me and my dog. Im also in the shorter/smaller/younger range, so getting in and out was no problem. That said, my husband with his back/hip problems disliked riding in it, and my 50 yo father climbed in and out of it once and said that was it for him, no more, my car was going to give him a hernia. To be fair, if you park it at a curb, youll actually be climbing UP out of it. Also, it should be noted that its not the best/steadiest on snow and ice (probably because of its short/narrow wheel base and light weight), though I drove it two winters in AK and never wound up in a snow bank. If you want to zip from place to place and do so reliably and efficiently, I highly recommend this car. Watch who youre buying it from, though. Mine was all OEM, and I know most of them out there have been modified (unless thats what youre into).

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  Comfortable, safe, good value - 2015 Honda Civic
  By Bret Bellamy - November 27 - 2:22 pm

  I am very pleased with my 2015 Honda Civic SE sedan. This is my fifth Honda Civic in almost 23 years. This is a very comfortable, safe, and refined car with good acceleration, great brakes and handling. The car feels very stable and secure at all speeds, city or highway. This is car is a very good value.

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  Great car - 2006 Honda Civic
  By Justin - November 27 - 8:58 am

  This is a great, reliable car. I have over 150,000 miles on it and its been holding up very well. Also had an accident and repair was relatively inexpensive. Note: I rated the technology above based on the year the car was made - 2006.

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  Rest in peace, Ronda my Honda <3 - 1991 Honda Civic
  By Yours Truly, Jenna. - November 14 - 6:28 am

  before you buy this car, be aware that one day, an old man can randomly SMASH into the side of your car, totaling it, and leaving you with nothing but a memory of what used to be.

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  LOVE - 2015 Honda Civic
  By Brooke - November 7 - 9:23 am

  I absolutely love my civic. Good look, ride, and technology. The fuel efficiency is amazing! Some may disagree, but I also feel like it accelerates very well. I went from a Durango to a civic. I do not feel cramped at all!! Great car. Dont regret it one bit!

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  nice car - 2014 Honda Civic
  By JL - November 4 - 8:58 am

  have about 12000 miles on my lx coupe after a year drove over 2000 miles one trip on it no issues . changed the oil myself and just put in a new air filter . used synthetic seems to be doing good have changed oil twice so far . wouldnt want someone "accidentaly" using wrong oil or telling me about problems that seemed to happen at the shop .. my only complaint is that a coulple times I have left the parking break on while using reverse ( guess brakes are still fine) would be nice if a better warning came on . but other than that it is a very nice car I have 17 inch rims on there with low profile tires

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  Just bought a 2008 Civic LX - 2008 Honda Civic
  By BllG - November 2 - 7:58 pm

  Bought a used Civic last week for my daughter. Got a good deal at 113000 miles and wanted to post for others that might be lookng at this car to let you know how it has held up. Body was in great shape - a few minor dings and what not but no paint chipping, fade, or peeling. No rust. Interior, which has been critized, has held up well. No scratches or anything detracting from the interior. Cruise control, A/C, displays, radio, etc., all working with no issues. Also, Im 62" and have zero issues sitting in the front seats...back seats might be an issue but driving it Im very comfortable. Engine still runs strong, no leaks, and the transmission shifts very smoothly even under full acceleration onto the interstate. Plus, these vehicles have a timing chain vice belt, so you dont have to concern yourself with the inevitable 100,000 mile, $1000, timing belt replacement. Power steering works great with no noise from the power steering pump. Car tracks straight and true down the road and handlng is solid. You definitely feel the bumps in the road but this isnt a luxury car with the associated suspension. Engine does vibrate and you can feel it sitting at a stop light esp with the A/C on. But, again, its a 4 cyl and it isnt really distracting. Road noise is definitely there on the highway but I dont sense there are any leaks through the weather stripping...its just an economy car. Couple of issues that are to be expected with this cars history. The passenger side visor had failed...a quick fix through Amazon at $50. Also, the starter, no kidding, quit the same day we bought it. Dont naively send your wife off to the store to get the battery replaced because the car wont start without a jump...youll wind up replacing a perfectly good battery when its really the starter. Ive always done minor maintenance like this on my vehicles but after seeing what was involved (starter placed above the front axle and exhaust) I took it to a shop to get replaced. Getting lazy in my old age. Also, and this is unique to my car Im sure, what I thought might be a simple alignment to fix an off-center steering wheel resulted in the removal and adjustment of the steering column...all told, about $450 to get everything fixed. Drivers side power steering boot is leaking and there is a minor rattling, knocking sound when we turn all the way to the right...will probably have to replace that sometime but not today. Flushed the power steering fluid...helped somewhat but not totally. So, am I pleased with the car? Yes...with a whole week with my daughter driving it. But the engine works well, transmission shifts very well, the A/C and everything else is holding up well (knock on wood). Believe it will be a good car for my daughter as she finishes H.S. and moves onto college. So, if you are wondering about this car with over 7 years on it, I think its held up very well. Definitely one to check out for a new driver.

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  Honda Civic - 2015 Honda Civic
  By Honda Civic - October 29 - 8:58 pm

  Im very impressed with my civic! I give it a 5 star overall!!

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  Perfect Car for High School Student - 2001 Honda Civic
  By Honda=Reliable - October 26 - 5:24 pm

  Im 16 and spent the entire summer looking at cars on TrueCar. When I turned 16, I got this car for my birthday. Honda is one of the car manufacturers that I trust. I havent had any issues with it. Its very practical. The trunk is larger compared to some big sedans. The rear seat can seat three people comfortably. The car gets 30 MPG. I love this car!

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  Im Back in a Honda Again - 2015 Honda Civic
  By James - October 23 - 1:02 am

  Ive been through a lot of cars in my life, and Id love to recount them for you all, but theres a character limit here. Instead, let me just say that everything about this car meets or exceeds what I expected, aside from a few small things. The interior is huge, the car is gorgeous, the electronics are beyond what I expected, and the price is very reasonable for a low-end sedan. Im financing my new Civic, and I have it in "Honda commercial silver", but I already love it. Its smooth, comfortable and quiet. The stereo is great, and the velocity-based audio is a treat. Its getting 37mpg right now, but its not even broken in. Acceleration and braking are too smooth to be real, and slamming on the brakes or putting the pedal to the metal feel like youre barely changing speed. The smooth changing transmission is amazing for that. No jerky shifting in this auto. Im dropping about $400 a month on it, and when its paid off, Ill be happy about that. The seats are comfortable, the touch screen works well, and I would give it a "great" if it werent for the fact that only iPhones seem to mesh well. Still, bluetooth and USB work excellently with this car. Overall, a quiet, well-controlled environment inside, a beautiful exterior with the chrome bar in the front and the smooth styling, and for a sedan, its really sexy. There are some "bad" parts though. The trunk is relatively small, compared to say, a Hyundai Sonata, but thats more like a 4-banger Accord. Ultimately, Id much rather drive my Civic than a Sonata. The backup and right-turn cameras are awesome, but Im not sure I trust them yet. Im still really leery of both cameras. The little guide rails given are great, but I just cant hand myself over to the computer and camera and still find myself wrapping my right arm around the passenger seat to look out the back. The pillars in the back are atrociously huge and create giant blind spots, but thats where the right-turn camera comes into play. It really doesnt have the guts that the older Civics did, with its roughly 10 second 0-60, but it does still feel responsive, despite that. The ABS is strong and you never feel the jerky push-pull of older systems, and hitting curves feels just as simple as the 1995 version. All-manual seat adjustment is kinda sad for a car in this range, but its a tiny quibble, with the ability to raise and lower the seat being a new thing for me, even if I do have to do it manually. It also has a slightly wider turn radius than I expected, but still pretty nice. It also seems to attract bugs, maybe theyre turned on by the beauty of the front end, which is far better than model years newer and older. Overall, these minor issues are extremely minor, while the positives are huge. If you want a new car that will save you money on gas for a relatively low price, this is absolutely the way to go. Keep the eco on, drive the speed limit, and ignore the jerks who want to get to work a whole 3 minutes earlier. This is no beastly sports car, but if youre looking for that, youre in the wrong place. If you want something that wont cost you and arm and a leg to use, youve found it. Dont bother leasing this thing will keep its value far more than most cars. Its smooth, simple, efficient and fun to drive. There are so many things I like and so few I dont, give it a test drive at least before the 2016s ruin the look for you.