Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Honda Civic, 2006-2011

[Autos_Editor]

On the whole, the reliability of the eighth-generation Honda Civic has been good, earning the Civic inclusion on Consumer Reports' list of used car 'good bets.'  'It's not without fault, however, particularly the hybrid model,' says Chris Chase.

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[overtakeyouintheleftlane]

Had one as a rental for 2 weeks (2008 model), it seems like the interior plastics are cheaper than the 2005 model my dad has.

The part of the car I couldn't stand was the digital speedometer. Hard to read in daylight and seemed slow to catch up and it was like a videogame display.

Power and fuel economy were decent, seats were good, but it's the driver's dash...

Sorry Honda, can't get me to buy a Civic yet.

[JohnM]

I'm a Honda fan but find the problems on the Civic Hybrid to be disturbing.  It seems Honda has a problem with both the design and implementation of hybrid models.

In a very un-Honda like manner, these cars seem to lag behind the Toyotas.

Did the original Insight and the Accord Hybrid have these problems?  I never heard about it.

Cheers,
John Meyer

[hemusbull]

Of course, Honda had hybrid's problem previously. The public forgot very soon there was 05-06 Accord Hybrid with wrong concept and even worse performance as low fuel consuption vehicle. Frankly talking Honda is ten years behind Toyota in hybrids' development. I am Honda fan but will not buy any of their hybrids for now. Regarding Civics, the double dash is what trows me away. Let see the 9th generation this spring...   

[Sival]

Of course, Honda had hybrid's problem previously. The public forgot very soon there was 05-06 Accord Hybrid with wrong concept and even worse performance as low fuel consuption vehicle. Frankly talking Honda is ten years behind Toyota in hybrids' development. I am Honda fan but will not buy any of their hybrids for now. Regarding Civics, the double dash is what trows me away. Let see the 9th generation this spring...   

To be fair to Honda, the Accord Hybrid wasn't built as a fuel-miser but as a performance hybrid that had a V6 and was even faster than the normal Accord V6. Though it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient, just a bit more than the 4-cylinder Accord of the time, it was much more efficient than the normal V6 Accord. Unfortunately for Honda, the concept of an hybrid as permitting V6 performance with 4 cylinder fuel economy didn't have many takers.

[IK]

I have a 2008 4 door.  Great car, never had a minutes trouble with it.  Good Fuel economy, Sharp, direct handling, Nice engine, Good inerior quality.  Not sure I would like it so much with the Auto transmission as with the standard I can rev it up into the power band and get the best out of the Vtec engine.  A 6th gear for highway cruising would be a good addition for the next gen.

I dont get the fuss over the split dash, it works great for me, no need to take my eyes off the road to see my speed, never had any visibility issues with it.  I would miss it to be honest if (when?) they drop it.

Only other problem other than lack of 6th gear is the engine is so efficient it takes forever to generate any heat in the cabin in the winter.... probably about 20 minutes on the cold days.

Dont know why the review focusses on the Hybrid, they hardly sold any so they are like hens teeth on the used market compared to the thousands and thousands of regular ones.  Buying a used hybrid without warranty, given the relatively new battery technology and lack of data on the effect of Canadas climate on battery life is surely a mugs game, regardless of brand.

[ArticSteve]

The 2006-2011 gen is a giant leap from the 2001-2005 Civic.    Other than needing a bit more sound insulation it's hard to criticize and still so much better than the domestic stuff which by year 10 and 250k km are essentially worthless money pits.   

[TroyGLS]

I own a 2007 Civic EX Coupe (75,000kms).  It has (knock on wood) been reliable and only been to the dealer for regularly scheduled mainteance.  The two-tiered/digital dash took some getting used to, but I love it now and now actually prefer it to the 'normal' layout.  I also love the styling of the coupe (inside & out).

However, the car rattles like no car I've ever driven.  Rattles from every corner.  The ride is so harsh, that I've had passengers actually yell in pain when hitting some bumps.  And the biggest gripe is the fuel consumption which is nowhere near what Honda claims.  In the winter its seeing 11.5L/100km... and the summer averages about 10L/100km.  Which is about on par with my parents' V6 Hyundai Sonata (which has nearly 100 more horses).

I like the car; but cannot love it.  It will be my last Honda product.

[Sival]

I own a 2007 Civic EX Coupe (75,000kms).  It has (knock on wood) been reliable and only been to the dealer for regularly scheduled mainteance.  The two-tiered/digital dash took some getting used to, but I love it now and now actually prefer it to the 'normal' layout.  I also love the styling of the coupe (inside & out).

However, the car rattles like no car I've ever driven.  Rattles from every corner.  The ride is so harsh, that I've had passengers actually yell in pain when hitting some bumps.  And the biggest gripe is the fuel consumption which is nowhere near what Honda claims.  In the winter its seeing 11.5L/100km... and the summer averages about 10L/100km.  Which is about on par with my parents' V6 Hyundai Sonata (which has nearly 100 more horses).

I like the car; but cannot love it.  It will be my last Honda product.

Before blaming Honda, I suggest you analyze where you drive your car and how you drive it. Most of what I hear from people who have Civics is nothing but praise about the fuel economy (and I am no Honda fanboy, I am not the least interested in the Civic). I have a Saturn Ion with a scangauge that tells me my fuel consumption accurately and I can vouch that where you drive a car makes a LOT of difference. On the highway, I can get around 6 l/100Km in summer, add 10% for winter. In city driving with lots of stops, I can see 9 to 15 l/100 Km depending on a lot of factors including temperature, number of stops, idling at traffic lights, etc...

I see you live in Toronto according to your profile, do your car ever leaves the city in your commute or are you doing only small, urban trips? In comparison, are your parents retired? Can they avoid congestion with their car and drive it mostly on the highway?

[Jacko]

when buying a honda/acura - stick to their manual tranny cars, buy extended warranty. that's all i can say.

i personally know about 7 honda/acura vehicles that have all sorts of problem, from the famous honda automatic transmission problems to check engine lights. out of those 7 honda/acuras, i'm one of them.
after 3 yrs, i got sick and tired of my honda - got rid of it and went back to toyota. 

[triuman]

09 Civic sedan owner. I really enjoy the 2 tier dash, I hope Honda keeps it w/9th gen. Excellent fuel economy, quick steering and good ride. Has some road noise, but I kinda like that...Bottom line is I like it, I'll have to see what the 9th gen is like, may have to trade the 09 in    I kinda of equate my Civic to the Dodge Neon. With both cars, I could put the boot to them and they drive like a roller skate  Civic handling is a bit sharper than those Neons tho 

[vaff3]

I own an 08 with 5spd. Great gas mileage, great transmission.  I think it's a great looking car.  I take it to the shop to change the oil.  That's about it for repairs.  I like the two tear dash; easy to read, and I can adjust the steering wheel without losing sight of the speedo.  The flat floor in the back seat is great for hauling items or a third passenger.

My biggest complaint is the A Pillar; it really cuts into visibility, almost to the point of being blind on certain turning angles.  The trunk is a good size, but I wish they would redesign the hinges to allow the space to be maximized. 

We intend on buying ours when it comes off lease.  I admit to being a Honda guy, but I would recommend this car, new or used, to shoppers in the compact market.

[mmret]

Fiance had one of these for a while. 07 model, automatic. It was really quite a good car. Needs more sound proofing but all Hondas do (and some Acuras for that matter).

The steering was really sprightly, great fun to drive. Kind of slow so ultra-smooth to the redline that I would actually enjoy winding it out. Very solid fuel economy too. Low 6 to mid 6s in highway driving.

Don't mind the 2-tier digital speedo. Got used to it after a while. Did seem to have a few rattly moments sadly.

Unlike another poster in this thread I had never found the suspension setup to be harsh. Thought it was pretty well balanced actually.

[coast]

"Though it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient, just a bit more than the 4-cylinder Accord of the time, it was much more efficient than the normal V6 Accord":

That's good in theory but in reality the Accord hybrid got worse mileage then regular V6 Accords in normal driving.

Honda has never got knack for building a good hybrid.

[vdk]

My GF has a blue one - an 08. She drives it whenever she doesn't feel like driving my car into a pole, that is when we're not fighting. So the little Honda doesn't get used very often. 

Just kidding. I like it, quite a bit actually. My 3rd choice in the segment.

[Sival]

"Though it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient, just a bit more than the 4-cylinder Accord of the time, it was much more efficient than the normal V6 Accord":

That's good in theory but in reality the Accord hybrid got worse mileage then regular V6 Accords in normal driving.

Honda has never got knack for building a good hybrid.

What's your basis for that affirmation?

Going by the reported fuel economy on fueleconomy.org, the 2005 Accord Hybrid has 31 examples, ranging from 22 MPG (10,7 l/100 Km) to 43 MPG (5,5 l/100 Km) with an average of 29,4 MPG (8,0 l/100 Km).

The Accord V6 of the same year has 25 data points, ranging from 18 MPG (13,1 l/100 Km) to 33 MPG (7,1 l/100 Km) with an average of 26,3 MPG (8,9 l/100 Km).

The Accord I4 manual has 11 reported fuel economies, ranging from 26 MPG (9,0 l/100 Km) to 34 MPG (6,9 l/100 Km), with an average of 29,4 MPG (8,0 l/100 Km).

I'm aware of some people saying they get bad fuel economy, but how can we know for certain these people would really get the same with the normal V6 version? Maybe their commute just sucks for fuel economy and they are awful drivers and they would get much worse if they did have the other car.

[cruzzer]

Own an '09 Civic EX-L with 5 speed manual. Excellent car for intended purpose. Fun to drive, excellent shifter, decent back seat and long road trip comfort in the front seats, great fuel economy, doesn't feel like an economy car. Zero problems aside from uncertainty over effectiveness of the VSA. The VSA cost a lot, as it was only available on the the EX-L. The digital/two tier dash is excellent and I don't like driving cars without such a good system. Our dealer has been outstanding as well. This is our fourth Civic or EL. Looking forward to the 2012.

[Gamefreak]

Own an '09 Civic EX-L with 5 speed manual. Excellent car for intended purpose. Fun to drive, excellent shifter, decent back seat and long road trip comfort in the front seats, great fuel economy, doesn't feel like an economy car. Zero problems aside from uncertainty over effectiveness of the VSA. The VSA cost a lot, as it was only available on the the EX-L. The digital/two tier dash is excellent and I don't like driving cars without such a good system. Our dealer has been outstanding as well. This is our fourth Civic or EL. Looking forward to the 2012.

I came close to buying the exact same one in B.C. a couple of years ago (currently have an 01 DX 5-speed, being traded in next week).  It was a solid deal but I didn't like Honda's repositioning of the e-brake from beside the driver's seat (on my car) to beside the gear shifter, which really cut down on knee room.  Admittedly, I'm a tall guy, so that wouldn't be a concern for everyone.  Also, I didn't really like the two-tiered dash with digital speedometer, and the mileage was only marginally better than the 01.

[Gamefreak]

Natural Resources Canada’s fuel consumption ratings for the 2006 Civic were 7.8/5.7 L/100 km (city/highway) for the 1.8-litre model with manual transmission, or 8.2/5.7 with the automatic. The Hybrid was rated at 4.7/4.3, and the Si at 10.2/6.8. These figures would remain the same through the eighth-gen Civic’s run, to 2011.

And before I forget, Chris, the consumption on the manual dropped to 7.4/5.4 as of 2008.

[rob]

I test drove a 2007 Acura CSX. I thought it suffered in comparison with the 2005 Mazda 3 we already owned. Like one other poster here, I found the parking brake lever was a real pain for leg room (and I'm only 6'1"). I thought the ride comfort, noise level, power, and handling were all considerably better in our Mazda. I'm sure the CSX/Civic gets better mileage, though.
I have a 2009 Honda Accord 4 cyl that I think is quite a nice car and it gets great mileage so I'm not a Honda basher. But I'm surprised the Civic outsells the Mazda 3.