2025 Honda Civic

Our highest-rated compact car receives a revamp for 2025. We’ve been longtime fans of the Civic. Especially this generation, which debuted for the 2022 model year and is the reigning Kelley Blue Book Best Buy among compact cars. We like the space, how it drives, its strong resale values, choice of body styles, and decent fuel economy. With Honda improving on this unbeatable combination for 2025, the Civic looks set to retain its title as one of the best-selling compact cars in the United States.

The biggest story for 2025 is that the Civic Hybrid rides again, which Honda suggests will account for 40% of total Civic sales. The new-for-2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is more powerful and more efficient than the all-gas version, and is reviewed separately.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact cars, including the Honda Civic.

Behind the revised styling lies a change of approach for the Civic. By introducing a Civic Hybrid model, Honda is following the Accord script of offering combustion-only drivetrains in just the lower trims, the exceptions being sportier variants like the Civic Si and Civic Type R. There are some new paint choices as well.

The Civic tends to be pricier than its rivals. The Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Subaru Impreza, Hyundai Elantra, and new Kia K4  all start a thousand or two lower, while the Nissan Sentra only just breaks the $20K barrier to start. Before buying a new Civic, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.

Class-Leading Resale Values

Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one, and the Civic enjoys the best resale values in its class.

Combustion-only 2025 Civics have 150-horsepower engines. That’s hardly any more muscle than Hyundai Elantra and Kia K4 counterparts, and noticeably less than the equivalent Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. The Civic will trot from standstill to 60 mph in about nine seconds. The Corolla and Mazda3 are at least a second quicker.

That doesn’t tell the whole Civic story, though, because we like its responsive nature, which makes it feel quicker than the numbers might suggest. The ride quality, meanwhile, is supple yet with a certain sportiness. We’ve found that highway miles pass quickly, particularly when the standard adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance take on some of the work. Although our owner reviews lean heavily toward the positive, some have mentioned road noise at highway speeds. Honda has given the new hybrid Civic extra noise reduction measures, but not this combustion-only version.

The Civic is easy around town. Its small size and nimbleness allow it to slot into parking spaces that would be challenging for cars just one size class larger. Enthusiasts seeking greater thrills can choose either the 200-horsepower Civic Si, or the 315-horsepower Type R with seriously impressive performance.

Fuel Economy

Honda has improved the 2025 Civic’s fuel economy by one mile per gallon. It now achieves up to 36 mpg combined city/highway driving (sedan), matching the Hyundai Elantra. The Toyota Corolla is just one mile per gallon shy, while the more powerful, more sport-tuned Mazda3 manages up to 31 mpg combined.

The Honda Civic’s interior has a tasteful simplicity. The understated design uses clean lines and a handsome honeycomb-style mesh strip across the dash. We like how it all works from an ergonomic point of view as well. Cabin materials are impressive for the class. One feature we found particularly useful in our long-term test model is the storage pad in front of the gear shifter, where we were able to conveniently set and charge a phone.

The front seats are roomy, even for taller adults, but we do wish there was adjustable lumbar support. There’s enough space for adults in the back as well. It would be better if those rear passengers had climate vents, but those aren’t available even in the highest trim.

The sedan’s trunk is big for a compact car (14.8 cubic feet) and the wide opening makes it easy to load and unload. The Civic hatchback has almost 10 cubic feet of extra cargo space compared with the sedan, and even more when the back seats are folded down. For example, in our long-term hatchback test model, we were able to fit a mountain bike in the back without having to detach the front wheel.

The Civic’s revamp for 2025 includes a new look. It’s an evolved, matured style that reminds us of the larger Accord, which is no bad thing. Many buyers will gravitate toward the Civic sedan, but we think it’s wise to at least consider the hatchback. It offers attributes comparable to a compact SUV — like an already spacious cargo area that expands when the rear seats are folded down. Yet the hatchback retains a stylish exterior design that many of our reviewers prefer over the sedan. New colors this year are Solar Silver Metallic, Urban Gray Pearl, Blue Lagoon Pearl (sedan only), and Sand Dune Pearl (hatchback only).

Two body styles 
The Honda Civic is available as a traditional sedan or a highly versatile hatchback with the cargo flexibility to accommodate, for instance, a bicycle.

Honda Sensing 
Every Civic comes standard with this array of safety tech features. It includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition.

Drive modes 
Driving conditions can change from moment to moment. With these Normal, Sport, and Econ modes, Civic drivers can adapt to those conditions however they wish.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay 
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are handy phone connectivity features that bring apps, maps, music, and more into the car’s infotainment system. They both come as standard in every Civic.

Performance models
Every Honda Civic is enjoyable to drive, but the sporty Civic Si and ferocious Civic Type R pump up the adrenaline. The Civic Si is affordable fun, and the Type R is a track-ready blast.

Both the LX and Sport versions of the 2025 Civic use a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine developing an adequate 150 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque. That’s 8 hp and 5 lb-ft down from last year. The Civic Si and Type R also use a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, but it’s turbocharged. In the Si, it makes 200 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. The Type R is the most powerful Civic ever, endowed with 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Most Civics use a continuously variable automatic transmission, with the sporty Si and Type R variants offered with manual transmissions exclusively. Front-wheel drive is the sole configuration across the 2025 Civic lineup.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Honda’s new-vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. These terms are typical among mainstream manufacturers. Free scheduled maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles is also included.

Safety Ratings

This generation of Civic has earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).