Honda makes great cars, but its Civic offers the most versatility, whether you’re looking for a gas sipper or a racecourse ripper.
Honda’s splash in the U.S. auto industry dates back to the 1960s, but Honda really came into its own two decades later. During the ’80s, Hond’’s clever designs and relentless reliability won over many owners and established Honda as one of the world’s best automakers.
Cars like the Civic, Accord, and Prelude showcased that Honda could make efficient cars, sporty cars, and luxurious cars, too.
But overall, it was the Honda Civic that was always the volume seller. According to Car Sales Base, a new Civic is sold every two minutes, with yearly U.S. sales typically reaching 325,000 units. Their popularity among all age demographics means that a Civic is a great car for new drivers, daily drivers, or for those who only need to drive around every so often.
Because of this, the Civic seems to offer the best range of cars available from Honda. And with the CR-V utilizing a shared platform, the Civic truly becomes a jack of all trades.
Seventh-gen. Honda Civic (MY: 2001–2005)
Honda’s seventh-generation Civic came with some big news. Literally. The Civic had finally grown from the sub-compact segment and was now categorized as a compact.
Launched in the early 2000s, the seventh-generation Civic saw that bump in size thanks to clever interior packaging. Many of these Civics can still be found on the road today, 20 years after their initial launch.
This generation saw some revisions that have carried over to this day, including flat floors that give a high amount of space. But also MacPherson strut suspension, and coupe/sedan body style offerings. Consumer Reports has given the seventh-generation Honda Civic a “Recommended” rating.
Honda’s Civic came in three main trim levels: LX, EX, and Si. The LX is powered by a 115-horsepower 1.7-liter engine. The EX saw 12 additional horsepower, with a total of 127. EX trim levels also brought alloy wheels, a sunroof, and an upgraded audio system. LX and EX trims were available on the coupe and sedan.
The Si in this generation was the odd one out. For the seventh-gen. Civic, the two-door hatchback was only available in Si trim. That means if you wanted the hatchback, it had to be a Si. And if you wanted the Si… well you had to get the hatch. The Si engine wasn’t shared by any other Civic in this generation either. But it was significant as this Civic Si was the first U.S. Market car to use Honda’s venerable K20 engine alongside the Acura RSX.
This generation of Honda had a number of recalls, but most of them had to do with the airbag recall that affected just about every automaker worldwide.
However, NHTSA does report that some glass issues could cause injuries in a crash, and one interesting recall indicating the pieces of the air filter could get lodged in the throttle, causing the vehicle to suddenly accelerate.
Eighth-gen. Honda Civic (MY: 2006-2011)
Honda’s eighth-generation civic was a big departure from the prior version and saw a bunch of new features while eliminating many others. The hatchback was officially gone, with a sedan and coupe being the two remaining configurations. Honda’s new styling led to a much more rounded shape, with the line of the hood meeting the windscreen almost in parallel.
Both coupe and sedan came with Honda’s R18 1.8-liter motor, which generates 141 horsepower while retaining the fuel efficiency of the outgoing smaller motor. LX and EX trims remained, but they were joined by an EX-L trim level, with “L” designating leather seating.
Inside, you’ll find a two-tire instrument cluster. Speed, fuel, and engine temperature are displayed in the upper tier, with a tachometer and other warning displays in the lower tire. For the first time as well, navigation became available.
One major change was in the Civic Si. A re-worked version of the K20 engine now saw it making an impressive 197 horsepower. Combined with a limited-slip differential, this elevated the Si into true performance car status.
The Si was also available now in the sedan and the coupe. Outside of the more powerful engine, the Si enjoyed bigger brakes, stiffer springs and shocks, high-performance tires, and larger alloy wheels. For enthusiasts, a six-speed manual transmission was the exclusive offering.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, Honda offered their first hybrid in a Civic with this generation. It’s what the industry refers to as a “mild hybrid,” as the Integrated Motor Assist helps the gasoline engine, rather than directly propels the car.
This generation of Civic also had the airbag recall issue. Thankfully, most have been addressed by now. But this Civic also had a recall linked to a fuel hose connector. The connector could break in a crash, increasing the risk of fire.
Ninth-gen. Honda Civic (MY: 2012-2015)
Honda’s ninth-generation Civic carries over quite a lot from the car that preceded it. In fact, if you confuse the two, we don’t blame you. The changes were so ambiguous that the debut styling of the 2012 was only around for one year before it received a full overhaul.
For 2013 onward, the Civic now boasted more space, higher-quality interior trim, and more features than ever before. A backup camera, much larger displays for instruments and connectivity features like Bluetooth were now standard.
In the non-Si Civics, engines were carried over from the previous generation. A slight bump in power accompanied this change, but more importantly, Honda made a switch to CVT transmissions. It was done for the sake of efficiency and brings the 9th generation Civic EPA to 30 city, 39 highway, and 33 combined.
The Si saw a more significant engine change, with the 2.4 liter K20 being replaced by a 2.4-liter K24 engine. While this engine brought more power – about 10 more – it increased torque by a significant 35 lb.-ft. This came at the expense of a slightly less exciting motor. Gone was the high-revving nature of the K20, as the redline was reduced from 8000 rpm to 7000.
The hybrid Civic continued using a motor assist design, rather than fully separate electric motors.
Recalls for the ninth-generation Civic centered around two interesting issues. The CVT transmission has a recall due to the potential of a drive pulley failure. This could cause an interruption in power or lock the front wheels. A second recall indicates tires may have been damaged during installation, causing loss of air.
Tenth-gen. Honda Civic (MY: 2016-2021)
Honda’s tenth generation saw a significant revamp in all regards. Trim levels were revised significantly, all-new engines became available, and body-style selection received significant changes.
Trim levels now consist of LX, Sport, and EX. And a top-tier trim model is now available in Sport Touring in a speed-back style hatch, EX-L and Touring in the sedan, and Touring in the coupe. The hatch has proven to be popular in this range, as it combines sporty style and great utility.
Standard features are aplenty, with 2019 marking the year that Honda Sensing Suite became standard on the Sedan, giving the Civic driver-assist tech that was previously available on much higher priced cars. Collision mitigation and lane departure technology are both part of that tech pack.
LX and Sport models are powered by a 2.0 motor making 158 horsepower. EX and top-tier models get a 1.5-liter engine, but it is aided by a turbocharger and makes 174 horsepower.
Want more? The Civic Si, also gets a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder, but now has a 205 horsepower output. Manual transmission is the only drivetrain on offer, as is tradition with the Si. This performance trim is available in the sedan and coupe-like before. Suspension and brake upgrades are part of the Si’s game. And as before, special gauge lighting sets the Si interior apart from the more pedestrian models.
Keep in mind 2020 was the end of the Civic Si, and after 2021, Honda has stopped production of the Civic coupe. If those are on your radar, you may want to scoop one up before they are gone.
One car that was introduced alongside the 10th gen. Civic was the Type R. Utilizing a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, this 306 horsepower rocket can take on performance cars much higher up the food chain.
The Type R moniker from Honda hasn’t been utilized since the Integra Type R ended production in the early 2000s. The Type R is available only in the hatchback body style.
Stateside, we never saw a Civic Type R till now. While other sport compacts are going with all-wheel-drive, the Civic Type R remains a front-wheel-drive vehicle.
Also available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, the Civic Type R is one of Honda’s highest-performing vehicles on the road to date. And, it also exemplifies Honda’s typical reliability and everyday usability, too.
Recalls for the earlier tenth-generation models include a power steering issue, an airbag issue stemming from the side airbags located in the seats, and an issue with the half-shafts in the drivetrain. All of these issues should be taken care of as these cars are still under warranty, and likely with their original owner.
As the Civic progresses into its eleventh generation for the 2022 model year, it’s clear that this car best represents what Honda has to offer. And it’s easy to see why the Civic is at the forefront of its segment.
Photos: Honda
