The Honda Civic earned its reputation as a reliable daily driver early on. Older model years can easily last over 100,000 miles, and some have pushed odometers past 500,000 miles. But the increasing complexity of modern Civics could affect long-term reliability.
Key Points
- The Honda Civic has a proven track record of reaching and going well over 100,000 miles in its lifetime; one owner proudly exceeded 500,000 miles on their 2011 Civic.
- Consistently lower maintenance costs, good fuel efficiency, and good safety ratings overall drive Civic’s reliability and popularity as a daily commuter.
- Creating quality products is built in to Honda’s design philosophy.
- Honda and the Civic are not immune to problems, but the few problematic years are still not that bad.
Automotive Data Supports Honda Civic will Go 100,000 Miles with Minimal Problems, with Low Annual Maintenance Cost a Bonus
The Honda Civic is the automaker’s longest-running automotive nameplate in company history. As one of the top best-selling cars in North America, the Civic has proven to be one of the best subcompact/compact cars on the market.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows that Civic owners have experienced minimal issues overall in the last 10 model years; however, a couple Civic model years have had more problems than others.
For context, the 2016 model year was the only Civic model year in the last 10 years with more than 500 complaints reported by owners.
A report based on analysis of cars sold in 2019 shows the Civic was ranked among the longest-lasting cars to reach 200,000 miles plus, with over 2% of Civics sold estimated to do so (double the average); however, the Civic has fallen off this list according to the same report updated for cars sold in 2020.
Despite this, annual maintenance costs for the Civic are relatively low overall.
Repair Pal reports the Honda Civics annual maintenance costs are $400 or below on average for the last 10 model years they have data for (pre-2018); they ranked the Civic 3rd out of 36 compact cars for reliability.
This is good, because with modern vehicles becoming increasingly complex with added computers, batteries, and sensors, failure of these components could become expensive.
Owner’s Rave Most Honda Civics will Reach 100,000 Miles with Good Care, Some have Documented Road to 500,000 Miles
Consensus about Honda Civic reliability among owners is that the Civic will go for as long as you’re willing to take great care of it.
Owners praise their Civics low maintenance cost and ease of ownership; one reported hitting 300,000 miles after only performing routine and preventative maintenance like oil changes and replacing spark plugs, brakes, belts, and batteries.
A couple owners were found with Civics passing 500,000 miles. One Honda dealership documented a customer trading in a 2013 Honda Civic with 500,000 miles on it; the owner said they have only replaced the alternator, one wheel bearing, and brakes (rear brakes were not replaced until 400,000 miles) aside from other routine maintenance.
Another owner posted on Reddit about their 2011 Honda Civic also reaching 500,000 miles. They stated they change their oil every 10,000-12,000 miles, and flush the coolant and transmission fluid every 40,000 miles. The owner also noted they changed the timing chain at 350,000 miles as a preventative measure.
Honda Civic Reliability has Earned it Awards, but Problem Years haven’t Gone Unnoticed
Safety, efficiency, and capability dominate Civic’s recent design history. Honda sets high standards for itself, with the idea of creating quality products that exceed expectations being built into the automaker’s fundamental beliefs.
Despite quality control issues creating problem areas for certain Civic model years, the Honda Civic is designed to be reliable overall.
The Civic’s reliability history has earned it many awards by the automotive industry. It is consistently an IIHS Top Safety Pick, receives a five-star NHTSA Safety Rating, and J.D. Power award winner.
However, J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study revealed the Honda fell on its dependability rating from 19th to 28th overall, out of 33 automakers. With an uptick in problems on newer model years being reported, newer model years might experience more problems earlier on.
The Honda Civic is Reliable, but Remaining Reliable Could be a Challenge
Data and owner experience support that the Honda Civic is reliable. The NHTSA reports relatively minimal issues with the Civic over the last 10 years. In addition, owners of Civics between 2010 and 2015 have proven they can last 500,000 miles and more.
At present, Honda Civic is one of the best compact cars on the market because it is a safe, reliable, and affordable vehicle, despite a few model years being more problematic than others. It may, however, be a challenge for Honda to keep the Civic as reliable in the future as the automotive industry continues to evolve.
Photos: Honda
