Vehicle History Super Review: Here’s everything you need to know before buying a pre-owned 2016 Honda Civic.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
It’s impossible to talk about the compact car segment without mentioning the Honda Civic. Honda makes sedan and coupe versions of the legendary Civic, and its reputation for reliability and fuel efficiency means it should definitely be on your used-car shopping list. One of the more popular is the 2016 Honda Civic.
If you have been considering a pre-owned 2016 Honda Civic for your next car, let us guide you through every detail — bumper to bumper — of this reliable road warrior. But first, let’s take a look at the changes the Honda Civic went through before reaching its tenth generation, which produced the 2016 Civic.
Honda Civic: Now vs. Then
The 2016 Civic marks the tenth generation of Honda’s compact bestseller. Honda used a new sportier coupe-like fastback exterior design for the 2016 Civic, but that’s just the beginning of the story. The car is larger in just about every measurable dimension.
The 2015 Honda Civic sedan (pictured above) was 179.4 inches (14.95 feet) long, 69 inches (5.75 feet) wide, and 56.5 inches (4.71 feet) tall. While the 2016 was 182.3 inches long (15.19 feet), 70.8 inches wide (6.9 feet) and 55.7 inches tall (4.64 feet).
Those are just numbers, but what it actually translates into in the real world are significant improvements in both passenger and cargo space. The 2016 Honda Civic has a cargo capacity of 14.7 cubic feet, with a total interior volume of 112.9 cubic feet. That’s up significantly from the 2015 Honda Civic‘s 12.5 cubic feet of cargo room and total interior volume of 107.1 cubic feet. What would you do with an extra five cubic feet of space?
It’s not just larger, it’s more powerful too. The outgoing tenth-gen car had a base engine of 143 horsepower while the latest Civic starts at a robust 158 horsepower.
Features have ramped up as well, with the latest tech available like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Honda Sensing driver assistance, Bluetooth, rearview camera, blind-spot camera, and navigation. Add in updated higher-quality interior materials, and you can see that the 2016 Civic is a must-have on your used-car shopping list.
Pros from Owners
It is has a lot of room for a small family, it is very reliable it is a great car for gas. It has a better braking system and also it has a more powerful base engine. The 2016 Honda Civic handles great in all driving situations. When tackling a curvy road, the car's body remains stable and controlled. This should be good news for the drivers who appreciate a nimble automobile.
Good gas mileage lots of space blindside camera eco mode affordable reliable. All pros no cons love this vehicle sport mode is fun Bluetooth radio apple carplay basically a tablet as radio screen great buy.
Great Fuel economy, really nice design, reliable manufacturer, it has a kind of a blind spot, excellent sound system, comfortable, low response of the thrust, extremely good design, plenty of charging ports.
I like the way it drives. I like the size as well. It is very maneuverable which is great for driving in New York as the space is always tight. Also it was very affordable and the insurance was not very high on it either.
There is a great balance from the power train between power and mileage. The CVT works well for a CVT. There is legitimate room for 4 adults and a good sized trunk. Feature content is good for the price.
The pros for this are price, style, and features. The cons for this are that it is problematic and unreliable at times. The vehicle itself is pretty good but Honda as a whole has given me many issues with no help since owning it.
It has Great take off and handling. The Right blind side camera is great. Three car has great visibility. It has many accessible outlets. Screen collects dust too easily. The settings are very intuitive and all the features and settings work quickly after turning on the car.
It has a side camera to help you see your blind spot as you change lanes. The touch screen center console is also great and there is no lag. It has Bluetooth and two USB charging ports. The backseat is collapsible for when you carry large items in your trunk.
Cons from Owners
The only con is that car needs to be a little faster. When combined with the standard six-speed manual transmission, the base Civic earns a respectable 27 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. If you opt for the sport-tuned continuously variable transmission (CVT), those numbers become class-leading at 31 mpg city and 41 mpg highway.
Last long look nice drives smooth as well. Affordable sunroof radio is go quality. Great warranty apple carplay blind slide camera for you got one on your way out with the new version and it while you are on your phone.
Exist a Blind spot in the mirrors, low acceleration, very low response to thrust, bad seating for driving, extremely bad voice control, forward collision is touchy, cruise control adaptativa is sluggish,
It is not the most luxurious car. Mine is not fully loaded so it has a lot features that are missing which I would have loved in my car. Also the shape of it not something that stands in a crowd. I wish it was a bit more unique looking.
Much of the technology is glitchy, from the rain sensing wipers, and including much of the safety features, I disable the lane keeping assist and collision mitigation due to poor performance. The subwoofer vibrates too much as well, the factory knows about the issue but will not fix it.
The cons of my vehicle include the lack of support and help from Honda as a whole, but also the recalls and some without reimbursement. Many issues with this vehicle have not been sorted due to lack of care on Honda's side.
The front screen collects dust way too easily. The driver's seat has become a bit squeaky when sitting down or getting out of the car. The car does not have a sunglasses holder which is inconvenient..
The seats do not have an electric seat adjustments even though there were cars in the 90s that had this capability. That is the only con I have for the car. It is pretty great in all other aspects. Decent gas mileage too.
2016 Honda Civic Trim Levels
Next, let’s review the 2016 Honda Civic’s various trim levels. The sedan is available in five great trims, including LX, EX, EX-T, EX-L, and Touring. The coupe lines up pretty closely, with trim levels including LX, LX-P, EX-T, EX-L, and Touring. (The Civic Si, Hybrid, and Natural Gas versions were discontinued as of the 2015 year.)
2016 Honda Civic LX
The entry-level 2016 Honda Civic is available in both coupe and sedan layout and had a great list of standard features, including:
- 16-inch steel wheels (alloys for the coupe)
- Rearview camera
- Full power accessories
- Cruise control
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Manual front seats with driver height adjustment
2016 Honda Civic LX-P
The Honda Civic LX-P is mostly the same as the Civic LX sedan, plus you’ll get:
- Sunroof
- Keyless ignition and entry
2016 Honda Civic EX
Move on up to the EX and you’ll find lots of interesting features added into the mix. It is certainly a sweet spot in the 2016 Honda Civic lineup. You’ll get standard features that include:
- 16-inch alloy (vs. steel) wheels
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
- Rearview camera with dynamic guidelines
- Honda’s camera-based LaneWatch lane-change assistant
- Variable intermittent wipers
- Multifunction trip computer
2016 Honda Civic EX-T
But wait, there’s even more with the EX-T. The biggest news is the turbocharged engine, but Honda added even more standard stuff, like:
- Larger 17-inch alloy wheels
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Foglights
- Rear decklid spoiler
- Satellite and HD radio
2016 Honda Civic EX-L
The “L” in EX-L means you’re getting leather seating across all Honda models. And, there’s more:
- Leather upholstery
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
- Eight-way power driver seat
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
2016 Honda Civic Touring
Finally, the top-spec 2016 Honda Civic is definitely the most luxurious and has the most robust features list. It adds a ton of great stuff as standard, too, like:
- 17-inch wheels
- Heated rear seats (sedan)
- Integrated navigation system with voice controls
- 10-speaker audio system
- Automatic wipers
- Honda Sensing safety package which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-departure intervention, and forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking
2016 Honda Civic Price Ranges
The 2016 Honda Civic offers quite a bit of equipment across its various trim levels. It all comes at a pretty reasonable price as well. All of the prices below use Kelley Blue Book‘s “Fair Market Range” value. It ranges from just over $13,000 for a base LX coupe, up to just over $25,500 for the well-equipped EX-L Sedan.
2016 Civic Sedan
- LX Sedan: $18,640 – $20,440
- EX Sedan: $21,040 – $22,040
- EX-T Sedan: $22,200 – $23,200
- EX-L Sedan: $23,700 – $24,700
- Touring: $16,616 – $19,765
2016 Civic Coupe
- LX Coupe: $13,159 – $15,760
- LX-P Coupe: $13,154 – $15,725
- EX-T Coupe: $15,211 – $18,072
- EX-L Coupe: $15,957 – $18,964
- Touring Coupe: $16,149 – $19,208
Powertrain Options
Naturally, each 2016 Honda Civic model comes with a front-wheel drive. They also come with a variety of engine and transmission options.
- The LX and EX trims come standard with a 2.0L four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and 138 lb.-ft. of torque. You can choose between a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or a six-speed manual
- On the higher EX-T, EX-L, and Touring trims, you’ll get an upgraded 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder pumping out 174 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque. (This engine is only available with the CVT transmission.)
Fuel Economy
The miles-per-gallon rating of the 2016 Honda Civic depends on the engine, transmission, and body style combination. The more fuel-efficient 2.0L four is rated an EPA-estimated 30/40 mpg city/highway in the Civic sedan, when mated to the CVT and 27/38mpg when mated to a six-speed manual transmission. For the Civic coupe (seen above), you’ll get an EPA-estimated 30/39 mpg with the CVT and 26/37 mpg with the six-speed manual.
The more performance-focused (but CVT-only) 1.5L turbo engine provides an EPA-estimated 31/42 mpg in the sedan body style and 31/41 mpg in coupe form.
Performance
For 2016, it appeared that Honda discontinued the only performance trim, the Civic Si. However, there was a bit of speed in the lineup. The base 158 horsepower engine clocked a 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds and a quarter-mile of 15.9 seconds at 88.0 mph.
The 1.5L turbo powered Civic, however, pulled an impressive 7.2-second trip to 60 mph, and a quarter-mile time of 15.5 seconds at 92.4 mph, which bests the previous-version Civic Si. Top speed is estimated at a (manufacturer limited) 125-130 mph.
Dimensions & Cargo Space
The 2016 Honda Civic coupe is 176.9 inches (14.74 feet) long, 70.8 inches (5.9 feet) wide, and 54.9 inches (4.58 feet) tall. This is technically not quite as long or tall as the previous-generation Civic. It has a total interior volume of 100.5 cubic feet and a cargo capacity (with all seats in place) of up to 11.9 cubic feet, which is also a bit smaller than the 2015 Civic Coupe.
The coupe weighs a scant 2,888 pounds, which helps it handle lane changes and backroad driving with a nimble grace.
The sedan has the highest cargo capacity at 14.7 cubic feet, with a total interior volume of 112.9 cubic feet, both of which are significantly larger than the 2015 Civic sedan. The Civic sedan weighs in at 2,923 pounds and is 182.3 inches long (15.19 feet), 70.8 inches wide (6.9 feet) and 55.7 inches tall (4.64 feet).
While the Honda Civic coupe and sedan are both a compact car, it is still quite roomy. All Civic models, including both two- and four-door layouts, have seating for five. The Civic coupe has the least front headroom with 36.5 inches. Front legroom is consistent across all layouts at 42.3 inches, as is the front shoulder room measurement of 56.9 inches. Most of those numbers are up over the 2015 Honda Civic.
The rear of a Civic coupe (seen above) is a bit cramped compared to the sedan. Rear headroom is 34.5 inches for the coupe, compared with 36.8 inches in the sedan. Rear legroom in a Civic coupe is 35.9 inches, which is a huge improvement over the 2015 coupe.
If you need more space, however, the sedan offers 37.4 inches of rear legroom. Rear shoulder room is 53.3 inches in the sedan, and slightly less (52.6 inches) in the coupe. And all Civics have a 12.4 gallon gas tank. How does all of this stack up to the competition? We’ll show you in a bit.
Honda Civic Safety Rating
Both the coupe and sedan version of the 2016 Honda Civic has a five-star (out of five stars) overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, the 2016 Civic is once again an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “Top Safety Pick” in the small-car segment.
Crash ratings were all rated as “Good” for most categories, including small overlap front driver-side; moderate overlap front, side; roof strength; and head restraints and seats.
The impressive Honda Sensing safety package is standard on the Touring and optional on all other models. It adds lane-departure warning and lane-departure intervention, plus adaptive cruise control and forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking. Honda’s Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control is standard across all trim levels.
According to Honda, VSA “helps sense oversteer or understeer, and brakes individual wheels and/or reduces engine power to help keep you on your intended course.”
Additionally, the Honda Civic has front side airbags feature “SmartVent” technology designed specifically to help protect the driver’s or front passenger’s upper torso in the event of a side-impact collision. Additionally, the Advanced Compatibility EngineeringBody Structure is part of each 2016 Civic trim. Again, Honda claims that it is “intended to ensure that occupants are protected in frontal crashes using the latest crash energy dispersion structures.”
Finally, all 2016 Honda Civic trim levels come standard with front side airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, antilock disc brakes, and a rearview camera. There is also a handy right-side blind-spot camera (LaneWatch) that is also standard.
Child Seat Details
The 2016 Civic has two rear-seat configurations — on the driver and passenger side — that come with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware. Additionally, the center position provides an additional seating position with an upper tether anchor only. This means that a seatbelt plus tether anchor is the only installation method for a seat to be placed in the middle.
The overall evaluation of the Civic’s child seat capacity by the IIHS was “Acceptable,” which is the second-highest rating out of four possible options. Individual testing was done specifically on a 2016 Civic LX with a cloth interior to determine just how easy it is to put a child seat into a 2016 model year Civic.
The IIHS concluded that the tether anchor (typically at the top of the seat) was in an easy-to-find location and that no other hardware could be confused for the anchor. The lower anchors were found to be too deep in the seat, which can hinder the installation. However, they noted that there was not much force needed to attach the anchors, and that it was easy to maneuver around them once installed. This was the case for both driver-side and passenger-side LATCH installs.
Technology Features
The 2016 Honda Civic saw the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (on EX and higher trim levels) there is no shortage of additional technology integrated throughout the lineup. The optional seven-inch display (EX+) allows you to touch, pinch, and swipe your way through your own music, podcasts, and more. There is also a cool optional driver-information interface, which consists of a color screen right behind the steering wheel that provides the driver with a quick look at what’s playing, who’s calling, and almost anything else that derives from the infotainment display.
For music fans, there is a standard 160-watt audio system with four speakers. However, each trim ups the ante with new stereo systems. The EX adds a 180-watt audio system with eight speakers (sedan) while the Touring sedan and EX-T coupe maxes out the tunes with a bumpin’ 450-watt premium audio system with 10 speakers, including a subwoofer.
If you want to make a bit of a visual statement, there are plenty of available accessories, including soft illumination for the center console, door sill, and interior.
Exterior Color Options
The 2016 Honda Civic comes in a choice of 10 exterior paint colors, from the bold Energy Green Pearl to the subdued Lunar Silver Metallic.
Interior Color Options
The 2016 Honda Civic comes in a choice of 10 interior color options:
- Gray Fabric (LX, EX, EX-T Sedan)
- Ivory Fabric (LX, EX, EX-T Sedan)
- Black Fabric (LX, EX, EX-T Sedan)
- Gray Leather (EX-L, Touring Sedan)
- Ivory Leather (EX-L, Touring Sedan)
- Black Leather (EX-L, Touring Sedan)
- Black/Gray Fabric (LX, LX-P, EX-T Coupe)
- Black/Ivory Fabric (LX, LX-P, EX-T Coupe)
- Black/Gray Leather (EX-L, Touring Coupe)
- Black/Ivory Leather (EX-L, Touring Coupe
2016 Honda Civic Reviews: Then & Now
What Critics Said about the Honda Civic in 2016
When David Zenlea from Road & Track reviewed the 2016 Honda Civic coupe, he noted that the “standard, naturally aspirated 2.0-liter has bragging rights of its own [as] the first base Civic engine with dual overhead cams and is the starting point for the 300-plus-hp monster in the upcoming Civic Type R.” He continued the praise, saying that the “old Scrappy-Doo spirit also inhabits the suspension. Variable-ratio steering is light but quick and sharp, and the neural pathways between the front wheels and the driver’s fingers have regenerated.”
Over at Motor Trend, reviewer Christian Seabaugh noted that the 2016 Car-of-the-year finalist was “Bigger, flashier, and more technologically advanced than ever, the new Civic impressed us.” Another well-known Motor Trend writer noted, “There’s little question,” Jason Camissa said, “that this is the best car in its class.”
Over at Edmunds, they thought that this felt like the “best Civics of yore, the new one feels sporty and fun when you’re driving it on winding back roads.”
The praise continued with “2016 Honda Civic has a sharpness on the road that’s been absent in recent years. Steering response is lively, and there’s notably less body roll than in the previous Civic. That’s also true for the Civic coupe, which has a slightly sportier suspension tune for crisper handling. At the same time, though, the Civic’s ride is eminently comfortable, and there’s less noise inside than Civic drivers have come to expect.”
Current Reviews: What Owners Say Today
Overall the 2016 Honda Civic has been well reviewed by owners.
- Here at Vehicle History, the Civic has received a 4.59 rating (out of five) across 1,109 customer reviews.
- Edmunds has posted 284 customer reviews, and the Civic has a 4.2 out of 5 rating.
Maintenance & Reliability
The Honda Civic has a Repair Pal Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5, which ranks it third out of 36 for compact cars. The average annual repair cost comes in at $339, which means it has “excellent” ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are much lower than other vehicles, so the Civic is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road according to Repair Pal‘s research.
J.D. Power gave the 2016 Civic a reliability rating of 74 out of 100. This score is noted as “average” compared to all cars on the road. Meanwhile, U.S. News ranked it second out of 20 for 2016 Compact Cars and ranked its reliability at 3.5 out of five.
Honda’s warranty for the 2016 Civic was a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. Check out the HondaTrue Certified program, which includes the 2016 Civic, and will extend coverage to seven years and 100,000 miles.
Known Issues & Problems
There are four reported problems with the 2016 Honda Civic, according to Repair Pal, with the most common issue being: “Airbag Light Due to Failed Occupant Position Sensor.”
Here is the full list:
- Airbag light due to failed occupant position sensor. The average mileage of the issue is around 112,325.
- Power window switch may fail. Average mileage is 116,589.
- Low rumbling sound when in Reverse (Also due to bad engine mounts). Average mileage is 78,596.
- AC evaporator may leak on Honda Civic. Average mileage is 111,001 miles.
There were three identical safety recalls issued from the NHTSA for the two-door and four-door 2016 Civic Always check for open recalls for all used car purchases.
- Piston wrist pin circlip issue (February 2016) – If a circlip (fastener or retaining ring) is missing or incorrectly installed, the piston wrist pin may not be secure and may drift and damage the engine cylinder causing the engine to seize, and increasing the risk of a crash or a fire.
- Side marker lights may not function (July 2016) – A side marker light may not function, vehicle visibility can be decreased to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Electronic parking brake issue (October 2016) – If the electronic parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Value & Depreciation
The original MSRP for the 2016 Honda Civic was $18,640 to $26,500 ($22,570 average). Meanwhile, if you compare the current used-car price range of $13,154 to $19,765 ($16,460 average), you’ll see that the Civic has depreciated on average $6,111 since it was new.
Edmunds estimated that the 2016 Civic would depreciate a total of $8,179 over five years. The trim they tested was a 2016 Civic Sedan LX four-door Sedan (2.0L 4-cylinder CVT). Testing over five years means that for the first year there was an estimated $3,448 lost to depreciation, $1,408 for year two, $1,239 for year three, $1,098 for year four, and $986 for year five.
The 2016 Honda Civic was named an “Overall Best Buy” by Kelley Blue Book. The 2016 Honda Civic was also awarded KBB’s “Best Buy: Small Car” for 2016.
Civic Competitors
The 2016 Honda Civic is a great car. However, there are a lot of great options out there. Each of the compact competitors below come in a variety of two- and four-door variants. Some have a handy hatchback layout.
We will go into detail on each car’s trim, engine, transmission, mile-per-gallon rating, and overall dimensions and cargo space in comparison to the Civic.
2016 Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet’s compact Cruze was updated for the 2016 model year with more power and better fuel economy. While the Civic has two- and four-door layouts, the Cruze is only available as a sedan. For the 2016 model year, you could find one in six trim levels: L, LS, LT, LTZ, Eco, and Premier.
Engine offerings included only one: a 1.4L inline four-cylinder with 153 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. It has an EPA-estimated 28/39 mpg city/highway rating (manual) and 30/40 mpg (automatic).
The Cruze is slightly larger than the Civic for 2016 in some dimensions. The 2016 Civic compares more favorably to the Cruze in its tenth generation. With a length of 183.7 inches (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches), a width of 70.5 inches (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches), a height of 57.4 inches (Civic sedan: 55.7 inches), and a wheelbase of 106.3 inches (Civic sedan: 106.3 inches), the two sedans are pretty close in size.
Cargo space is almost identical. The Cruze has a max cargo space of 14.8 cubic-feet, which is very close to the Civic’s 14.7 cubic feet.
Pricing ranges from $9,955 to $18,341 for the 2016 Chevy Cruze.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2016 Ford Focus
Ford discontinued the compact Focus in 2018, but it was going strong in 2016. You could choose between S, SE, Titanium, Electric, ST, and RS trim levels. Power comes from a standard 2.0L four-cylinder engine with 160 horsepower and 146 lb.-ft. of torque. There is also a much smaller turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder engine with 123 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque.
Two performance versions of the Focus are available as of the 2016 model year. The ST comes with a 2.0L EcoBoost inline-four making 252 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. with a standard six-speed manual that is also the only transmission. Meanwhile, the top-spec RS gets 350 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual.
Those looking for the best mpg should probably steer clear of the 2016 ST and RS. Although, even the base 2.0L is rated an EPA-estimated 31 mpg combined (27 city/40 highway) with the automatic transmission. It gets 30 mpg combined (26/36) with the manual transmission.
Fuel economy estimates for the three-cylinder come in at an impressive 33 mpg combined (29/40). There is even an electric option of the 2016 Ford Focus that will deliver 143 horsepower (107-kilowatts) through an electric drive motor with a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Expect up to 75 miles of pure electric range.
The Focus sedan is 178.5 inches long (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches) and has a wheelbase of 104.3 inches (Civic sedan: 105.1 inches). However, most other measurements are higher, including width at 71.8 inches (Civic sedan: 70.8 inches), and height at 57.7 inches (Civic sedan: 55.7 inches). The Focus sedan has more overall cargo space at 13.4 cubic feet (Civic sedan: 12.5 cubic feet). Of course, if you go with the practical Focus hatchback, you’ll get an even more impressive 23.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
Prices range from $9,143 to $32,137 for the 2016 petrol-powered Focus, and $11,224 to $13,073 for the 2016 electric version.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2016 Kia Forte
Kia definitely takes its compact Forte seriously. It’s the only car in our compact comparison that is available as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan, and four-door hatchback. The 2016 Forte debuted as a sedan in LX, EX, and SX trim levels. The two-door coupe (called “Koup”), as well as the four-door hatchback (Forte 5), are available in EX and SX trims. Standard power in the base LX comes from a 1.8L four-cylinder engine making 145 horsepower and 130 lb.-ft. of torque.
For more standard power, check out the EX, which gets a 2.0L four-cylinder with 173 horsepower and 154 lb.-ft. of torque. Max power comes from the SX versions of the Forte Koup and Forte 5. They come with a powerful turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque.
From an mpg perspective, there is a wide variety of options to meet your needs.
The base Forte LX sedan gets an EPA-estimated 31 mpg combined (26 city/39 highway) with an automatic transmission. With a manual transmission, it’s rated at 30 mpg combined (25/37).
The EX with the larger engine gets an EPA-estimated 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway), while EX hatchbacks and automatic-equipped EX coupes come in an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined. The Forte EX coupe comes in at 27 mpg combined (24/33) with the manual tranny.
Kia Forte SX hatchbacks get a rating of 24 mpg combined (21/29), which is the same for both transmissions. For the “Koup,” you can expect 25 mpg combined (22/29 for manual as well as automatic).
The two-door Kia comes in slightly longer than the Civic coupe at 178.3 inches long (Civic coupe: 176.9 inches). It’s about the same width at 70.1 inches (Civic coupe: 70.8 inches), and slightly taller at 55.5 inches (Civic coupe: 54.9 inches).
Cargo capacity for the Forte coupe is superior as well at 13.3 cubic feet (Civic coupe: 11.9 cubic feet). The Kia Forte sedan isn’t quite as long as the Civic at 179.5 inches (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches). It is slightly narrower at 70.1 inches wide (Civic sedan: 70.8 inches), and a bit taller at 56.3 inches (Civic sedan: 55.7 inches).
From a cargo perspective, the Forte sedan has 14.9 cubic feet of space, which is comparable to the Civic sedan’s 14.7 cubic feet. Obviously, for max cargo capacity, check out the Forte hatch and its 23.32 cubic feet of space.
Pricing ranges from $11,708 to $17,546 for the 2016 Kia Forte.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2016 Mazda3
For the 2016 model year, Honda released the Mazda3i and Mazda3s. Trims included: i Sport, i Touring, i Grand Touring, s Touring, and s Grand Touring. Check out the “i” models, which are powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower and 150 lb.-ft. of torque. Mazda “s” models get an upgraded 2.5L four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines can be optioned with an automatic or manual transmission.
The Mazda3i sedan and hatchback both get an EPA-rated 34 mpg combined (30 city/41 highway) with the automatic transmission and 33 mpg combined (29/41) with the manual. Meanwhile, the Mazda3s get an EPA estimated 29 mpg combined. Specifically, that comes out to be 25/36 (manual sedan) and 25/34 (manual hatch). And with the automatic transmission, it increases to 32 mpg combined (28/39) for the sedan and 31 mpg combined (27/37) for the hatchback.
The Mazda3 isn’t quite as long as the Civic for 2016, coming in at 180.3 inches long (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches), but it measures about the same width at 0.7 inches (Civic sedan: 70.8 inches), and it’s taller at 57.3 inches (Civic sedan: 55.7 inches).
However, the Mazda3 sedan comes in short on cargo space at 12.4 cubic feet, significantly less than the Civic sedan’s 14.75 cubic feet. As with the Forte and Focus, the hatchback version of the Mazda3 has much more space with 20.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity.
Average price for the 2016 Mazda3 is $14,070 to $18,671.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2016 Toyota Prius
For 2016 the Prius was all new! You can opt for six great trim levels including Two, Two Eco, Three, Three Touring, Four, and FourTouring. The 2016 Prius is powered by a 1.8L four-cylinder engine mated to a pair of electric motors for a total output of 121 horsepower via a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT). Most 2016 Prius models have an EPA estimated 52 mpg combined (54 mpg city/50 highway), while the Eco trim has an EPA estimated 56 mpg combined (58/53).
Dimensionally, the Prius is smaller in some areas, and larger in others, compared to the Civic for 2016. It isn’t quite as long at 178.7 inches (Civic sedan: 182.3 inches), not quite as wide at 69.3 inches (Civic sedan: 70.8 inches), but it is taller at 58.1 inches (Civic sedan: 55.7 inches). However, the Civic sedan’s 14.7 cubic feet is way smaller than the hatchback Prius’ 27.4 cubic feet.
Prices for the 2016 Prius average a bit higher, and range from $16,170 – $20,970.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
2016 Volkswagen Golf & GTI
The 2016 Golf can be had in two or four-door hatchback layouts in four trim levels including regular gas-powered (TSI) Limited Edition, SE, and SEL (each with a “Sport” version) as well as the same trim levels which are available in diesel-powered (TDI) versions. Meanwhile, the more performance-focused 2016 GTI comes in S, SE, and Autobahn trim levels (each can be had with a “performance package”).
The standard engine is a turbo 1.8L four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque. The TDI models get a peppy 2.0L four-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque.
The GTI is a bit quicker, with a standard 210 horsepower 2.0L engine (220 horsepower with the performance package) while the top-spec Golf R gets standard AWD and 292 horsepower. The EPA estimates for this engine are 29 mpg combined (automatic) and 30 mpgcombined (manual) for the base 1.8L engine. EPA estimates come in for the diesel at 36 mpg combined (automatic) and 36 mpg combined (manual).
The two-door Golf and GTI are each 167.5 inches long (Civic coupe: 176.9 inches). However, it is about the same width at 70.5 inches (Civic coupe: 70.8 inches), and taller at 57.2 inches (Civic coupe: 54.9 inches). The cargo capacity for the hatchback two-door Golf and GTI is higher at 22.8 cubic feet.
If you want performance but don’t want to lose size, the four-door Golf and GTI have similar measurements, with only a slightly shorter overall length, and identical cargo capacity behind the second row of seats.
Prices range from $10,648 to $18,264 for the 2016 Golf, and $17,076 to $20,566 for the 2016 GTI.
To see a more detailed side-by-side comparison between these vehicles, check out this Vehicle History coverage.
Why You Should Trust Us
The Honda Civic continues to impress with each generation, and the 2016 model wears the legendary nameplate well, giving buyers an updated, tech-focused, compact coupe and sedan.
To adequately cover this popular car, Vehicle History reached out to seasoned automotive journalist William Byrd, who graduated with a Master’s from Johns Hopkins University and has been a professional automotive journalist for over 10 years. He has produced high-profile content for popular auto websites like Jalopnik, Hooniverse, and others.
Over 25 hours was spent researching the 2016 Honda Civic (and its competitors) and talked to multiple Civic owners, which provided a very keen, unbiased, and insightful opinion of the 2016 Honda Civic overall, including its power, performance, and price range.
Any model will eventually be involved with recalls or some mechanical or technical issues, and the Honda Civic is no exception. But after reviewing the stats, specs, and details about the 2016 Honda Civic from reliable sources like Edmunds, Car and Driver, Vehicle History, and other solid sources that did quality research and/or testing of the vehicle, we found that the 2016 Honda Civic is a capable and reliable vehicle.
When all is said and done, the 2016 Civic seems to be an ideal pre-owned option that anyone looking for a quality used car can feel confident owning.
Photos: Honda; Kia; Ford; Volkswagen; Nissan; Toyota; Mazda and Chevrolet
