Reviews honda civic hatchback

The Honda Civic hatchback is an excellent buy. It offers admirable performance, a refined and roomy cabin, and plenty of connectivity and safety tech to please most buyers. While it's slightly more expensive than most competitors, you'll find that it offers great value due to the number of standard features for the price.

Pros

Sharp handling makes the Civic fun to drive
Better-than-average fuel economy and cargo space
Many easy-to-use tech features

Cons

Noticeable road noise on the highway
Lack of front-seat lumbar support
Occasional false alarms from safety features can be distracting

What's new

No changes for 2024
Part of the 11th Civic generation introduced for 2022

Overview

The current-generation Honda Civic is one of the automaker's best yet. In fact, our test team named the Civic the Edmunds Top Rated Car for 2023. Just about everything you'd want from a small sedan or hatchback is here, including plenty of interior room, pleasing performance, and nearly all of the latest technology and driver assist features Honda has on offer. There's even the high-performance 315-horsepower Type R version to satisfy driving enthusiasts.

Edmunds spotlight: Civic sedan or hatchback?

We like that Honda offers the Civic as a sedan or hatchback. The main difference between the two is, as you can likely guess, is cargo space. The sedan has a traditional trunk that can hold 14.8 cubic feet of stuff. That's a respectable amount of space for a small sedan. But pick the hatchback, which has a slightly more bulbous profile and a lift-up rear hatch, and you get 24.5 cubes of space behind the rear seats. The lift-up hatch also makes it easier to load bulky items in the back. The Civic hatchback does cost more than the sedan but we think having a more versatile cargo area is worth it.

Competitors to consider

Overall, the 2024 Honda Civic is a great pick for a small car. But it can be worth your time to check out a few alternatives. Besides the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, we also recommend the value-packed Kia Forte or the refined Mazda 3. Be sure to read our Expert Rating below for our test team's take on what you can expect regarding the Civic's performance, comfort and more.

What’s it like to live with?

Not only did we name the Honda Civic our Edmunds Top Rated Sedan for 2022, but we also added one to our long-term review fleet. We opted for the Civic Si so that we could row through the manual transmission's gears for 20,000 miles and 12 months and learn what we like and dislike about one of our top picks.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

8.0/10

How does the Civic Hatchback drive? We tested a Civic Sport Touring hatchback, which has the turbocharged four-cylinder engine. At our test track, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, a little quicker than the small-hatchback class average. It feels a little lazy from a stop, but power grows steadily and quickly. Unlike the base engine, you never really feel the need to floor it. The Civic's continuously variable automatic transmission is well tuned and responsive when you need a burst of speed. The available manual transmission has an excellent clutch, making it easy to use and buttery to shift.

Around turns, the Civic is stable, sporty and entertaining to drive. The tires make a lot of squealing noise but otherwise maintain a surprising amount of grip on the road. Braking performance is strong too. Ultimately, this Civic is easy and effortless to drive, which is precisely what we'd want from an affordable sporty hatchback.

Comfort

7.5/10

How comfortable is the Civic Hatchback? The Civic's suspension does a pretty good job of smoothing out bumps in the road. It doesn't ride as comfortably as some other small cars, but given the car's sporty handling, we think it's an acceptable trade-off. The front seats are supportive, and the leather upholstery breathes well to help keep you cool on hot days. But note that the seats lack adjustable lumbar support, which could be an issue for people with sensitive lower backs.

The climate control layout is a clear improvement over the previous generation's setup, with great vent coverage for the cabin. Road noise is noticeable at any speed and can be rather intrusive on coarse surfaces. Wind noise is thankfully more subdued, and the rest of the interior feels solidly constructed and free of vibration.

Interior

8.0/10

How’s the interior? The Civic hatch has an attractive cabin design. All controls are within easy reach and intuitive to use. It's also roomy — the front can comfortably seat taller and shorter passengers equally well. While there's plenty of rear shoulder room and legroom, the sloping roof means taller passengers may find headroom lacking. Otherwise, you won't have much trouble with space in the Civic.

Outward visibility is aided by narrow front roof pillars and sideview mirrors that are mounted on the doors, freeing up your view out front. The roofline causes you to double-check over-the-shoulder views, and the back window is a bit short, but the multi-angle rearview camera helps you spot anything that might be behind you.

Technology

8.0/10

How’s the tech? The Civic's infotainment screen is mounted near the top of the dash, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road for too long to adjust the radio or available navigation. It's intuitive to use and quick to respond.

The graphics look a little dated, but the map functions just fine. Our Sport Touring hatchback trim had the larger 9-inch screen, while lower trims get a smaller 7-inch version. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard. While both systems are wireless on the Sport Touring trim, we found using a USB cable provided quicker connection speeds.

Honda's advanced driving aids work well for the most part. We did experience a few false alarms and overzealous systems when lane markings were poor, but these occurrences were infrequent. The adaptive cruise control sometimes brakes a little late, but it generally works well to reduce the burden of driving in stop-and-go traffic.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? The Civic hatchback's trunk can hold up to 24.5 cubic feet of cargo, which is above average for the class. The hatch offers plenty of space since the wheelwells don't intrude too much into the cargo area. You can fold down the rear seats to provide more space. Unfortunately, the surface isn't completely flat due to a mild hump that leads into the rear seating area.

One thing we really liked about the previous Civic was its clever interior storage. Honda implemented more traditional storage spots for this new Civic, a small step back in our opinion. Still, the center armrest bin can hold a good amount, the cupholders are large, and a rubberized charging pad in front can help keep your phone from sliding around as it's charging.

If you've got kids, the Civic offers three anchor spots for front-facing child safety seats, and the main lower anchor points are easy to access. Larger rear-facing infant carriers will likely compromise front passenger space a little, but this is true for most cars in this segment.

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

How economical is the Civic Hatchback? The EPA estimates the Civic Sport Touring hatchback (which has the turbocharged engine) will get 35 mpg in combined city/highway driving. This is a few mpg better than what most other rival hatchbacks get. However, we observed just 30.6 mpg from our Civic Sport Touring test car on our mixed-driving evaluation route. This isn't as high as we hoped given the EPA's numbers, but it's still a good result.

Value

7.5/10

Is the Civic Hatchback a good value? The Honda Civic hatchback may cost a bit more than the competition, but its pleasing performance and many standard features justify the added cost. In interior quality, it comes close to matching the Mazda 3, the class benchmark. It has the kind of refinement that we would have expected from the more expensive Honda Accord. We recommend stepping up to at least the EX-L trim for the hatchback since it comes with the more powerful and efficient turbocharged engine.

Honda's warranty, which lasts for three years/36,000 miles (basic) and five years/60,000 miles (powertrain), remains fairly unremarkable compared to what other manufacturers offer. But the company builds a good product that generally holds its value well. Roadside assistance, available for the first three years/36,000 miles, is standard fare for this class.

Wildcard

8.5/10

This little Honda hatch has a good amount of performance. The sporty handling lets more spirited drivers actually have some fun rather than feeling soft or disconnected. Usually, these abilities are reserved for the more performance-focused models like the Civic Si and Type R, which tells you how good this car is.

This Civic replaces its predecessor's youthful design with a simpler and more elegant style inside and out, eliminating a lot of the clutter and fake vents, which makes it more appealing to a broader audience. The interior also has a better, more premium feel to it than previous years.

Which Civic does Edmunds recommend?

For most shoppers, the midlevel EX (sedan)/EX-L (hatchback) trim will offer the best value in the Civic lineup. It includes more standard features than the base Sport and a more powerful yet fuel-efficient engine for not much more money.

Honda Civic models

The 2024 Honda Civic is available as either a sedan or hatchback. There are five trim levels for the sedan: LX, Sport, EX, Touring and Si. The hatchback comes in similar LX, Sport, EX-L and Sport Touring trims (there is no Si equivalent for the hatch) and then tops the lineup with the high-performance Type R trim. Keep reading for our breakdown of the Civic's key features by trim level.

LX
This base trim starts you off with:

2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (158 horsepower, 138 lb-ft)
Continuously variable automatic transmission
16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers
LED headlights
Automatic climate control
Push-button ignition
Height-adjustable driver's seat
7-inch infotainment touchscreen
Partial digital instrument panel
Four-speaker audio system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

Every Civic also comes with these advanced driver aids:

Forward collision warning with automatic braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping assistance (steers the Civic back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the Civic and the vehicle in front)
Traffic sign reader
Automatic high beams

Sport
Builds off the LX with:

Available manual transmission (hatchback only)
18-inch alloy wheels
Remote ignition via the key fob (CVT only)
Keyless entry and ignition
Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
Eight-speaker audio system

EX/EX-L
Has more power and several added convenience features that include:

1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (180 hp, 177 lb-ft)
CVT-only
17-inch alloy wheels
Heated mirrors
Sunroof
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Heated front seats
Power-adjustable driver's seat (EX-L only)
Leather upholstery (EX-L only)
60/40-split folding rear seat with armrest
Blind-spot warning (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)

Touring/Sport Touring
Comes fully loaded with:

Available six-speed manual transmission for the hatchback
18-inch alloy wheels
Automatic wipers
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Leather upholstery
Power-adjustable driver's seat
9-inch infotainment touchscreen
Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Integrated navigation system
Wireless device charging pad
12-speaker Bose premium audio system
Two rear USB ports
Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your path while you're in reverse)
Low-speed automatic braking (automatically applies the brakes to avoid a collision when traveling between 1 and 6 mph)

Si
Standard features for the Si are similar to those of the Touring. Features specific to the Si include:

Sedan body style only
More powerful version of the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine (200 hp, 192 lb-ft)
Six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching downshifts (CVT not offered)
Limited-slip front differential (helps maximize available traction during hard acceleration)
Sport-tuned suspension
Bigger brakes
High-performance all-season tires (summer tires are optional)
Manually adjustable sport front seats with additional bolstering

Type R
Cranks up the performance beyond the Si's capabilities by way of: