The 2005 Civic can reach over 250,000 miles with some transmission and head gasket issues. At $2,937 – 7,430, it’s a bargain for a daily driver that shoppers can count on.
Is the 2005 Honda Civic a Good Used Car?
- Yes, 2005 is a good year. Owners praise the Civic’s responsive engine, good fuel efficiency, and affordable maintenance costs.
- Reliability ratings are great. Avoid Civics from 2006–2009 which have more serious mechanical problems.
- Performance is weak from the base engines, but the Si model is a bit more fun to drive.
- The Civic is reasonably safe, getting 4 out of 5 stars in government crash tests.
- Fuel economy is good at up to 34 MPG combined.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the Civic?
- Consumer Reports finds the Civic to be very well-made and spacious with high owner satisfaction scores.
- Edmunds gives the Civic a 4.6/5 liking the durability of the engine, but notes the interior is full of cheap materials.
- Kelley Blue Book users rate the Civic 4.5/5 and like the fun driving experience, but suspension is light and loose.
What Common Problems Does the 2005 Honda Civic Have?
Problems with the 2005 Civic include transmission noise, paint failures, and blown head gaskets.
Excessive transmission noise shows up on some vehicles at around 100,000 miles. Replacing the input bearing solves the problem, but prices are high at about $1,300.
Peeling and chipping paint is a complaint from owners at roughly 80,000 miles. The only way to fix the problem is to repaint the affected areas, which costs about $1,000 per panel.
Blown head gaskets are mentioned by some owners at nearly 160,000 miles. Replacing the head gasket is a fairly labor intensive process, costing around $1,300.
There are 15 relatively minor recalls, with the vast majority of them being for airbags and side reflectors on the car.
How Long Will the 2005 Honda Civic Last?
A properly maintained 2005 Civic will last about 250,000 miles, similar to top competitors including the Toyota Corolla. Repair Pal estimates the annual maintenance costs to be affordable at $320 per year.
Most 2005 Civics will have over 100,000 miles, so buyers should prepare to replace radiator fans for $600, clutch master cylinders costing $400, and sunroof switches which cost $225.
It has been very reliable but we have been careful to keep up the maintenance. The car has over 160,000 and has been in the shop for a relatively small amount of time.
Yes, it is very reliable and I have had no problems with it as of yet. I am definitely proud to own my car. Cheap to repair as well.
Very reliable. We've had it since about 2013 and have never had any major issues. Got the spark plug replaced once. The paint is peeling, but it still drives very well. And our car has nearly 300,000 miles on it.
It is super reliable. . It doesn't have any problems. No problems. Its great. The heating is great. The breaks are great. Everything is great.
I bought the car used just this year and so far it has been very reliable. It has a small oil leak and the check engine light is on because of the o2 sensor, but all in all it is been great.
Very reliable no problems. We've had to do some work on it but it wasn't necessary. I never have any concerns that it will not get me where we need to go.
Yes it is reliable. I just wish it had more power and was an automatic transmission. It does have four doors which I like to have for people in the back seat.
As I was saying previously no it is not reliable and yes it had a lot of problems besides the mechanical problems which I mentioned earlier the head gasket, the fuel assembly they exhaust manifold and the brakes it has cosmetic problems too like the lock on the drivers side is broken and the cloth on the ceiling is falling off.
How Much Is the 2005 Honda Civic Worth?
Blue book values range from $2,937 – 7,430, making the Civic close in price to a Mazda3 or Ford Focus. When new, the price range was $13,660 to $21,760. Depreciation is better than average, only losing around 5% of its current value per year.
What are the Different Models of the Civic?
There are four main versions of the Civic available. Technology is very dated, with a complete redesign coming for the 2006 model.
DX is the entry-level model with:
- 14-Inch Steel Wheels
- Cloth Seating
- AM/FM Stereo System
LX is a step up adding:
- 15-Inch Steel Wheels
- Air Conditioning
- Keyless Entry
- Cruise Control
- Power Windows
EX is a popular choice and has:
- 15-Inch Alloy Wheels
- Premium Cloth Seating
- Anti-Lock Brakes
- Moonroof
Si is the performance model and has:
- 16-Inch Alloy Wheels
- Unique Cloth Interior
- Performance Suspension
What Engines Come In the Civic?
- The base engine is a relatively weak 1.7L 4-cylinder with 115 horsepower that gets up to 34 MPG combined.
- The Si model comes standard with a more powerful 2.0L 4-cylinder making 160 horsepower, which gets up to 25 MPG combined. Performance is decent for a compact car, taking 8 seconds to go from 0-60 MPH.
What Colors Does the Civic Come In?
How Big Is the Civic?
The 2005 Civic is an average size compact car offered as a sedan, coupe, and hatchback similar to the Hyundai Elantra and Mazda3. Passenger space is cramped across the lineup, with limited legroom in the backseats.
Cargo space is average with a 12.9 cubic foot trunk. The hatchback is a bit better with 15.7 cubic feet of room behind the seats, and up to 35.7 when they’re folded flat.
How Does the Civic Compare to the Competition?
The Toyota Corolla is one of the top competitors, costing only $500 more. Where the Corolla stands out is with better long-term reliability, but the Civic is more engaging to drive. We recommend the Corolla given the age of the cars since it will last a bit longer.
The Honda Accord is another rival in the same price range. Passenger room and performance are both better in the Accord, but reliability ratings are higher for the Civic. We recommend the Civic, which is more affordable to own.
Do Owners Recommend the Honda Civic?
Yes. It has been a wonderful car. It gets great gas mileage and has, overall, had very few major problems. It is a nice-looking car except for some issues with deterioration of the clear coat. Very roomy for a medium-sized car. It also came with a great stereo system. I just love this car.
Yes, it is very reliable, easy to repair, and cost efficient. It is been my favorite car I have ever owned. Wouldn't trade it for the world.
Yes! Very reliable and lasts a long time. It is comfortable and sturdy and gets excellent gas mileage.
Yes it is. Its super reliable. It's a manual. It runs super good. But not all cars will run the same. But this one runs great even though we didn't buy it in 2005.
Yes it is. It has 235,000 miles and runs very good. It has a small oil leak but for the year and the miles, it is a dependable vehicle.
Yes it gets great gas mileage and is super reliable. Basically all I have to do is put gas in it and change the oil. Super easy.
Yes great gas mileage because it is a hybrid. It just needs more power. It is a standard which I wish was an automatic though.
No it had a lot of recalls and I had to put a lot of money into it to fix the head gasket, the brakes and the fuel assembly it also uses a lot of gas and it failed the emission test so I had the get a new exhaust manifold cause it cracked.
