Honda Civic Review--STILL GREAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

The Honda Civic is one of the best selling cars ever and now it is sold as a sedan, coupe and hatchback. It is loaded with advanced tech, especially Honda Safety Sense. There are several engines to choose from and the turbo can even be matched to a CVT or manual.
Competitors to the Honda Civic are the mazda3, the Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Kia Soul, Nissan Versa, Chevy Sonic, Chevrolet Sonic, Kia Rio, Honda Fit, Honda HR-V, Toyota Yaris, Chevy Spark, Chevrolet Spark, Chevy Cruze, Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Forte, VW Jetta, VW Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Golf, Dodge Dart, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Fiat 500, Fiat 500X, Mazda3, Mazda2, Mazda6, Scion iM and Mitsubishi Lancer.The Honda Civic has won the North American and Canadian Car of the Year awards and for good reason. This compact sedan has grown in size, it has a more powerful base engine and now can be ordered with a turbo. The Civic has seating for 5-passengers and is a comfortable car. Honda equips the car well including available advanced safety systems like Honda's Sensing system.

[@Radnally]

My '98 civic coupe has 245k miles and still gets 38mpg. Brakes, tires and batteries are all I've ever had to replace. Fun to drive and cruises the freeway at 75mph with ease.

[@drwho534]

Have owned and loved CIVIC's for my last four vehicles since 2003, quality, driving performance and silky-smooth 6-spd. transmissions are superior to other compacts. Never a problem. Have never bothered to look at anything else since.

[@Oldmansland1]

Honda's commitment to fun reliable driver's cars with manual gearboxes (as well as auto) while many other companies are taking easy road is commendable. Its one of the reasons they have been on top for such a long time.

[@antoniocognato5023]

Oldmansland1 yeah but toyota and lexus and mazda are the top 3. i love the civic, just notvthe rest of honda. i loved the 2 door accord, thats it.

[@stereomtl9001]

I am from Canada currently working in the EU, Eastern Europe - my 2018 Executive (Touring in North America) is arriving this weekend from a German Honda Dealer ....and with manual to boot. Between Honda & Acura this is my 9th - Honda forever !

[@King_Kenny66]

I have a 17 LX sedan for almost a year now and it's been great.

[@TheKaranEdition]

thank you so much for giving a canadian perspective! love from toronto

[@BigKWS]

I'm glad I waited and bought the 2019 LX, which came with the Honda Sensing package. So far I really love the way the car drives compared to my old '96 Civic EX 2 dr. It's almost like going from a Pinto to a Porsche.

[@Motormouth...]

We own the same car as you, good choice

[@songthirtyone]

A 10 year old Honda with over 200,000 K's is at half life.

[@Dziricani]

My Civic EX (stick shift) just passed the 130,000-mile mark. It's a 2003 :)

[@raaja_int651]

What a satisfied review, I saw many you're the best way of talk, thumbs up

[@Angela-uc5nq]

I just bought 2020 Honda Civic ex yes the volume button is back. I love my car! Happy with my purchase

[@tonythan1806]

You are not Living in Canada if you dont have a single friend driving a Civic currently.

[@JulezWinnfield]

Tony Than What if you're Canadian and have no friends?

[@Jack_D1]

Lol so true ill be that one friend soon..haha

[@danielfazilov7047]

@@JulezWinnfield then youre not canadian eh

[@JulezWinnfield]

@@danielfazilov7047 South Canadian.

[@kellingtonlink956]

Excellent review Zack. Exceptionally well done, ...given the topic (the Civic) and in ‘under’ 7 minutes! Amazing. This is why you are so great.

[@BanBiofuels]

Good review and you made some logical arguments.

[@chargersrt10]

A bought a Civic in 2016 because of your review. I love my 2016 EX-T.

[@kelvinbanikikadjama4052]

How is the cvt on the civic? I want to get one for my wife but the cvt is putting me off 😩

[@CedarPark604]

You should do a review of the 2019 Insight. It shows where the Civic interior is headed in the next couple of years, including the return of the volume knob.

[@nickr3441]

I have to agree with you on how big they got. I was at a red light and I was behind a older civic and the lane beside me was what looked like a 2016+ year. I was shocked how much bigger it looked

[@runforit420]

It's because the Civic is now the biggest car Honda sells in Europe, so it had to be made bigger. The European and JDM Accord (which were the same) have been cancelled - it was similar to the old Acura TSX. Asia Pacific and North American markets always had the same Accord.

[@Fadic4]

Oceanic Flight they're the smallest in their segment though. It's smaller than the Mazda 3.

[@chrismurphy4569]

I love Honda cars. Very strong and reliable. Less faults and durable parts

[@DannyzReviews]

I've got a 2016 EX, it's been fantastic. A reliable commuter car, great fuel economy, and has plenty of features like Android Auto.

[@martinwhetter6041]

And the gas mileage with the 1.5L turbo with CVT is incredible. On long road trips, I can get 5.2L/100km (~54 mpg), with normal driving, not too fast not too slow. I think the Civic hits the sweet spot with good fuel economy, fun to drive, reliable and reasonable price. It's worth a look.

[@igorkarpov809]

I still can’t decide for myself what colour I would buy it in. I think this car looks great in black but in white it looks gorgeous too.

[@houston750007]

Great video. Lots of info packed in

[@seheyser]

As usual an excellent and very honest review! Keep the good work! 👍

[@revnto7k]

I'm on my 2nd Civic.. Currently a 2010 SI sedan, same color as the blue one in this video. I will more than likely end up in an EX-T within the next year or 2, not until the volume knob comes back, because I like the rest of the masses, hate the lack of knob, and all touchscreen silliness. I cross shopped with an Elantra Sport, but still undecided if I want to risk going with a Hyundai since Honda has given me such flawless service. I think the 1.5T/CVT actually works awesome. Have test driven a few. Loved both my CIvics past and current... Great cars.

[@whosdondada]

Craig Chevalier or wait for the refresh with the 8 speed auto

[@moeanthony9308]

Asphalt No way you will see 8 speed auto. This was all relative to weight and not needed for Civic. Since Trump is regressing on Obama's cafe regulations. No need for this now. The cvt works just fine and no issues. I do agree about the upcoming refresh. I would think rear lights will be very Accord like.

[@whosdondada]

Moe Anthony they release the 8 speed in the UK why not in North America?

[@moeanthony9308]

Asphalt the reason for 8th speed in North America is for cafe regulations. Look it up. Trump has decided against reaching 53mpg by 2025 or at least will be, so to me this was all a waste with trying to reach that goal with new technology other than a few mpgs for fuel consumption . 8 speed in North America is found with Honda s Acura line and I believe now Accord so you pay a bit more. The Cvt in Civics are working just fine for Honda, I just can't see any reasoning for 8 speed at this time . Ilx which is on the 9th Gen civic platform would be the way to go if you want 8 speed. . Different regulations here than UK to begin with.

[@moeanthony9308]

Asphalt btw 8th speed for Honda has been released here. Iam referring to Civic. There is no 8 speed, Iam sure its to keep cost down too. Not needed.

[@noahhonda5180]

The design has a sporty aspect at the outside, the interior is quite a few enhancements of the car as fantastically.

[@tonytanti8138]

For the price of a civic touring you can by an accord sport 1.5

[@NaveenKumar-oj7xh]

The catch is that you will spend 15% more on petrol.

[@davidjym]

So true, it's not always about the purchase price.

[@youngblood23rb]

Tony Tanti Owned a 2014 Accord Sport now have a 2016 Civic EXL. 50+mpg on the hwy yet the car is surprisingly quick and fun to drive.

[@deviouslaw]

it's a different option but twice the car? that might be stretching it a bit

[@Limitbreak09]

Teenagers and females for Civi. Accord for more mature person Camry for gramas and grampas.

[@omarbagent9829]

Him: No body buy coupes anymore. Me: Have a 2018 Honda Civic Coupe Ext.🤦🏿‍♂️

[@alisadiq7595]

One of the best cars that no body think about it.

[@TriniGamerGirl7]

The hatch back reminds me of the Prius. I love the design of the sedan, don’t get me wrong.

[@JulezWinnfield]

I'm digging the Turbo badge sticker below the rear passenger door. Canadian market only from what I've read.

[@raffymytaffy]

One of the best cars I have own

[@accordwhip3467]

3:22 You can't in Canada? Surprising. That availability of the 1.5T w/6spd manual is present for the 2018 Civic in the USA and I don't think it would change with the refreshed 2019 either.

[@RCGJR_]

Who does your detailing? Those cars are cleaaaaaaaaan 🤤

[@sunildayal740]

How about when u compare it with Jetta and Elantra?

[@shemmy7302]

I’m always #CivicNation 🔥

[@evanleo1947]

Excellent review, honestly have been stuck between getting a car like that or getting a cross over SUV living in Texas.

[@moviejose3249]

Go for the civic. SUVs are rollover risks plus mileage not as good and Texas is a big state so good mpg is impt.

[@ZakElbas]

Great review. Has the weekly Live Q&A been cancelled for good?

[@muneebk97]

Zak cancelled? Why

[@ZakElbas]

Muneeb K I am not sure. I have not seen the Live Q&A for a few weeks. That's why I am wondering if the show has been cancelled

[@Motormouth...]

Taking a break over the summer, back in September

[@ZakElbas]

Motormouth Ok. Thank you Zack for the reply. We miss the show. Enjoy the beautiful weather with the family.

[@davereimer1797]

Agreed. What has happened to the Sunday Q&A??!!

[@Motormouth...]

It's back in September

[@youngblood23rb]

The beauty of the Civic Turbo CVT, load the car up and mash the gas, a bit of turbo lag then off to the races, Never have I experienced a factory Honda 4cylinder pull as hard with 3 or so people on board.

[@skifree0]

it's even better with real gears..That "pulling" feeling turns into a peppy and responsive jolt responding to any pedal movement.

[@Shankovich]

I have a 2017 EX-T and I really need to add this: There's a HUGE issue brewing with the front bumper grille, especially in hot climates. The grille near where the Honda wings start going up pops out after breaking the tabs that the clips slide into. These tabs are about 1mm deep....and they're part of the main bumper. I got it warranty serviced as a repair last week and the grille popped out again yesterday. The main fix right now is to...replace the entire front bumper. Repair tech told me that two 2018's are coming in next week and he's going to escalate it to a Honda company rep. I love this car, but just want people to be aware of this since it's a terrible design choice that trickled into the car. Love my EX-T and I really don't think there's a better car in the segment except for maybe the Elantra sport, but I have to say Honda's initial quality is not that great in bodywork (gaps, steps, I have a rattle under the dash that has a TSB out for it).

[@moeanthony9308]

Shankovich all true. Last Gen had better build quality hands down. Current Gen has too many body gaps. More noticeable at the back end. I do see several civics missing that silver piece at the front you just mentioned

[@cococly]

Zack, aren't they doing minor facelift in for 2019 Model Year?

[@Hawkeye53]

I bought a 2017 Civic LX 2.0 and it’s honestly better than the Nissan it replaced.

[@imlatinoguy]

I heard the 2018 have engine issues and other issues compared to their younger counterparts is that true?

[@soumenb22]

Hi, one query, how do you rate Skoda Octavia 1.8 Litre TSI and Honda Civic. I am confused, which one is better, though Skoda Octavia with L&K version is having more tech like hands-free parking compared to Civic

[@brattberg]

Good review & i loved that car! Touring version is the best! When it comes to a civic sedan...love it in whitell!

[@mikea8998]

Hey guys is the 18 lx, 6 speed manual a good choice? Ive hada tlx and rdx and that 2.0l turbo has had rear main seal leak problems. On 8 different acuras ive had is the 18 lx 2.0 NA a different motor?

[@thefoatmedia]

Nice review!

[@sergevivier2861]

Good review, is the light interior available in Canada?

[@jonathanleung4046]

In Black exterior only, and good luck actually finding one

[@randybehm5731]

Best reviews ever…..

[@feefeee]

I don't understand the point of a sedan/saloon. Why not opt for the larger boot and hatch?

[@ChristopherCarReviews]

Great review.

[@AndriyKogutCrunchy]

It's funny everyone thinks S mode on shifter stands for "Sport", in the manual it basically explained as a [S]econd gear emulation.

[@DerekJamesMandy]

No matter how I try. I just cannot get past the looks of this car. The accord was a step in the right direction but I still think Mazda and VW make the cleanest rides in the mainstream market.

[@Mo.Jo.]

Will have to respectfully disagree with you on that one. The new accord is not easy on the eyes for me, i applaud its overall performance and features though.

[@DerekJamesMandy]

M J oh no I totally agree, it’s still ugly...it’s just LESS ugly than the civic lol

[@andysp8845]

Hyundai is better looking!

[@cybertroy2]

civic is ugly from the back.

[@IngCesarJimenez]

We love Zack

[@phuot1]

In Quebec a DX is $17,810. For an LX it's $20710. add $1300. for auto. The Touring is $28,710. All those price include transport. Just add the taxes

[@ncg8224]

Car I really want.

[@wilshirewarrior2783]

Is the extra cost of a VW GTI worth the price compared to a Civic SI?

[@matrix0683]

Elantra sports any day

[@A_guan]

Would you rather buy a top spec mazda3 hatch or top spec civic hatch? I'm not sure which I want since both are so good. (excluding styling) Civic has more space, turbo, tech Mazda looks better, has blind spot monitoring, a real auto transmission, heated steering wheel. I'm not sure if I should sacrifice some space in the mazda for a few more features or sacrifice said features and get more room in the civic.

[@markgrossmann2375]

Mazda and Honda look very differently and handling is very different too. It's 100% a matter of personal preference. I tried both and strongly prefer Civic, but I can perfectly understand why one could love 3 and hate Civic.

[@AlexTrain5249]

Finally a place where people aren’t ripping on Civics. Ricer boys give these cars a bad reputation.

[@alliejr]

Correction: Toyota, not Honda, were the first to offer advanced safety features (more or less) throughout the line up and on all trims. Honda (quickly) followed, but it did not lead.

[@weaponx40]

upgraded to a 17 civic from an 05 and i prefer the old one. anyone know of any new cars similar to the 05 civic? i find that the new ones are more bulky and don't offer as good road view and visibility as older modles.

[@quintana831jj]

I love my honda civic EXL

[@crazyone1067]

Consumers and Car Reviewer's hate Nissan CVT's, but will excuse Honda for having one. At the end of the day, it's still a CVT.

[@cybertroy2]

that hideous rear design is such a put off for me.

[@kuttapanaalumoodu9032]

It's pretty neat

[@tmckinney3055]

The 2019 Jetta is a better purchase. Digital dash, more options, plus a 6 year 72,000 mile warranty in the USA.

[@TanvirAlif]

16K Canadian ?

[@moeanthony9308]

9th Gen was far better looking and less issues than 10th. I would wait for the refresh in 2020 for those who can't get past the looks.

[@Joaquin-227]

I've had 0 issues with my 2016 and it's better looking than any previous Civic.

[@moeanthony9308]

Joaquin Fernandez count your blessing. Still like 9th Gen over this. Glitchy info systems I hear on new.

[@icantw8]

9th gen civic owner spotted.

[@cj1613]

Um issues for 10 gen plz i think ur talking out ur aaa

[@birdchoyce1268]

@@moeanthony9308 what year is the 9th gen Civic?

[@matthewgrayson8]

Very nice car

[@Yubuzka3774]

Awesome review and it is a great car

[@emerak_22]

What do you think honda civic or chrysler 200s

[@Motormouth...]

200s for sure

[@xikefocus]

From my experience, premium fuel is recommended with Honda cars. Marketing doesn't say it, but their engines don't perform well with regular gas.

[@crafter505]

I thought there engine where the best

[@zaroonkhan9075]

When New model of civic iz posible to coming in markit

[@nickr3441]

Zack do you think one day they'll do AWD?

[@skifree0]

Oceanic Flight probably not. There are some downsides to putting awd. It makes the Center hump even higher to clear the driveshaft. And it’s also significantly heavier. Honestly I would rather keep the civic in fwd. it certainly won’t have the traction of a awd but I would give that up to keep its lightweight and nimble handling.

[@nickr3441]

skifree I don't even think the accord has AWD either. Just there SUVs

[@TanvirAlif]

Car prices are so cheap in other countries. For regular cars the price is almost life how much they are in Singapore but sport cars are super expensive here, I don't think they cost higher in any parts of the world.

[@yongutsa]

Hope they update infotainment system with better resolution screen and the knob some of people complain about weak performance of air conditioning in the states it is absolutely abnormal summer weather this year civic s one doesn’t function as it should

[@DerekJamesMandy]

Elon Y. Kim the AC comment is why I’ll never own a engine smaller than a 2.0L. I had a dart with a 1.4L turbo and man was that thing a dog with AC on. I can only imagine what it’s like with other tiny turbo engines.

[@Gunzberg]

My 1.0 Turbo Fiesta has no problem with full blast AC when it's 35 C outside....

[@yongutsa]

I think you are right on that. Today, I tested the AC of my Tuscon 1.6T Turbo at 108 (42C) here in TX. At level 2 setting out of 4, the AC worked flawlessly.

[@DerekJamesMandy]

Elon Y. Kim it’s a known issue that electronics and AC cause parasitic power loss...

[@moeanthony9308]

Derek Mandy Civic base is a 2.0. The last Gen was 1.8 and blows air colder than an ice box and not as many issues as Gen 10

[@alluurpo]

The sedan starts at around 16k dollars? Damn why is it almost 10k more in Finland

[@alluurpo]

It actually starts here at 27694 euros which is around 32k US dollars, insane!

[@moviejose3249]

Because of VAT, the Civic is made in Canada but Civic is not made in Finland lol

[@justindavis5983]

it's aged so well!

[@MrShelange]

hope honda make a AWD sedan

[@OrganicWheat]

where do i get a brand new civic here in Canada for 16k? the civic lx starts at 23k

[@jacobchapman9525]

DX

[@moeanthony9308]

NeATaNDtURdy with or without tax?

[@billyhughes9776]

Love the hatchback, although the looks for me are love/hate.

[@andysp8845]

Billy Hughes ugly, ugly,ugly...........!!

[@mulljacob]

Why did Honda go to weak CVT's? Disappointing..

[@RecicledCanadian]

Zoom Zoom.

[@davidjym]

Zoom zoom = doom doom ....

[@RecicledCanadian]

HAHAHA. Zoom, Zoom. Definitely.

[@davidjym]

Valdi str8shaver ... Yeah, just kidding. I like Mazda's just as equally :)

[@RecicledCanadian]

We area o the same page then. All the best. :)

[@faizmisrak7776]

Civic is great but voice control and front sensor hella annoying

[@ashishpatel350]

Hatchback>sedan.

[@andysp8845]

True ashish but uglier!

[@thatdudewelove8498]

I personally own a sedan, I'll admit it's not the slickest looking design but I've grown accustomed to the big booty on the new generation civics.

[@lucifersonsco.230]

the reason there are too many hondas in canada is there are too many asians here.

[@bobriemersma]

Honda has programmed the CVT controller to present simulated shift-thunks. This is silly, awkward, and impacts fuel economy but in order to appease the Fred Flintstone set it was deemed necessary. CVTs are the future, and auto makers have to get people into them now. Sadly Honda doesn't offer any setting I have found to turn off the simulated thunks yet for grown-up drivers. We may be just a few years out from a time when passenger vehicles with manual transmissions are no longer street legal in most jurisdictions. Maybe they'll answer that with a fake shifter too, hmm? If they need to focus on anything though it would be to find a way to improve driver visibility, and I don't mean more cameras. Blind spots are getting huge in the attempt to improve passenger rollover survival. All makes and models seem to be failing at this.

[@skifree0]

regarding the first statement. there goes a lot be said about maintaining the rpm rather than mimicking shifts. Yes the civic does mimic shifts to mimic the sound of a geared tranny. but the constant "drone" of static RPM accelerations has plenty of downsides. For one thing think of how much strain you put the CVT under when doing so. constantly moving the belt under MAXIMUM load from the engine. A lot of CVT's even in their non sport mode still wind out the engine a fair degree just to lessen the strain on the belt. secondly Turbo engine's do not build power linearly as their power comes as a feedback loop. Say you start accelerating and it goes straight to 3000 rpm... As the engine builds exhaust gasses the turbo in affect crams more air than before and the make more efficient use of that air you need to spin at a faster rpm. If you have seen a torque curve for a turbo engine they don't have a "peak", rather a fairly flat plateau. and to gain full use and therefore maximize efficiency in terms of power an engine should be allowed to rev out from the start of that plateau to the end (ie when turbo kicks in to when it falls off). thirdly very few engines are designed to take that kind of constant high rpm duty. Using a CVT to keep yourself in the high rpm may be the most efficient way of making power, econoboxes just can't last when they are forced to go 2/3 of their redline just because someone has a heavy foot. where in a geared system only a fraction of that time is spent at high rpm. also why should manual transmission be illegal? in the US market they are not that common but on a global scale (where international car makers operate in), the manual transmission is still dominant. see here: www.statista.com/statistics/204123/transmission-type-market-share-in-automobile-production-worldwide/ And what's the downside to a manual? they are very efficient transmission units as they are direct drive units (no fluid coupling). I can understand the dislike towards them (they are more involved than a auto) but to make them illegal? In a way i've actually noticed most manual drivers are much less prone to distracted driving simply because driving stick is so involved.

[@pauloch.21]

The Civic is the mom sedan and the accord the dad sedan but the crv is the mom suv and the pilot is the dad suv

[@johncorlinmarak986]

OKAY..

[@potatopotato8360]

"Compact car" LOL. 15 year ago this would have been a mid size sedan.

[@rookierider2096]

Make it full led

[@btat7767]

Be careful, my 2016 CIVIC EX needs a new AC compressor. Just out of 3/36000 warranty. Other have the same or similar problem. The dealer is asking for $1,600. Please please do your research before buying.

[@lightningsmokerXx]

No Thanks. CVT & Turbo. Bound to break sooner than naturally aspirated engine. CVT more likely to shudder & fail than traditional gear style transmission. Honda CRV have shudder issues with the CVT.

[@skifree0]

I really don't think the CVT is that big of a deal. We are talking about HONDA here. None of their transmissions are reliable, the dreaded "5AT rebuild" was such a common occurrence that people switching off a civic to the new one should not be any more worried than they are previously.

[@moeanthony9308]

lightningsmokerXx Shudder issue was for 2015 crv refresh moving over to cvt tranny and tsb covered the issue. New Gen no vibration issues reported.

[@legesupra4275]

start your sentences with "NO" NO it doesn't have any charismatic alpha look NO it is not a ghetto gangster but you can uber and it's fuel efficient not to mention cheap to fix

[@treciamccarthy5277]

I don't want any gare every minute

[@azimaziz2573]

Elantra Sports much better

[@UncleYohta]

i do believe it's a great car but big & bloaty with a crosstour silhouette...no thanks.

[@Mr.Worf63]

Base price is country a mile off , $20,236 DX 5Spd , $ 24,982 Civic DX CVT & Touring $ 32,553 . Type R $48,445 . All for 2018 Civic .👎

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Just came from the Canadian website. Base MSRP for a 2018 DX is $16,790. You have to pay freight & PDI on top of that, as well as AC & tire tax, minus current Honda rebate of $750. Total before tax is $17,820. Not sure where you got your numbers from.

[@Mr.Worf63]

OMGWTFLOL Oops !! Read the fine print it does come to $17,820 !! Still the other models are expensive .

[@lucifersonsco.230]

cheesy that's the word

[@whosdondada]

The refresh will get an 8 speed automatic

[@moeanthony9308]

Asphalt No need for 8 speed. Cafe regulations will certainly change that now. Cvt serves the purpose and this would also increase the cost.

[@syedraza3580]

please