Cars/Honda/Civic

Honda Civic — Buyer's Guide

Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.

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Honda Civic overview

With 257,370 currently licensed in the UK, the Honda Civic is one of Britain's most popular cars.

Euro NCAP awarded the Civic 5 stars in 2022, with 96% adult occupant and 82% child protection scores.

It has a 81.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, brakes, tyres.

Annual running costs are estimated at £3,199 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £267/month or 40p/mile.

Theft risk is rated low at 2.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles.

NCAP Safety

2022

MOT Pass Rate

81.5%

280,000 tests

Monthly Cost

£267

est. annual total

New From

£34,000

Safety rating

Euro NCAP tested the Civic in 2022 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.

Adult Occupant

96%

Child Occupant

82%

Pedestrian

75%

Safety Assist

86%

Safety recalls

There are 63 known DVSA recalls affecting the Honda Civic. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.

R/2025/024

On affected vehicles ​due to decrease of the grease amount in the worm wheel gear meshing area of the EPS gear box during use the sliding resistance at the meshing area increases and the torque fluctuation when turning the steering becomes larger resulting in an abnormal noise or a dangerous sticking occurs when turning the steering.​

Build dates: 2021-10-20 to 2023-09-21

R/2025/024

On affected vehicles ​due to decrease of the grease amount in the worm wheel gear meshing area of the EPS gear box during use the sliding resistance at the meshing area increases and the torque fluctuation when turning the steering becomes larger resulting in an abnormal noise or a dangerous sticking occurs when turning the steering.​

Build dates: 2023-10-09 to 2024-05-27

R/2025/024

On affected vehicles ​due to decrease of the grease amount in the worm wheel gear meshing area of the EPS gear box during use the sliding resistance at the meshing area increases and the torque fluctuation when turning the steering becomes larger resulting in an abnormal noise or a dangerous sticking occurs when turning the steering.​

Build dates: 2022-10-07 to 2023-09-05

R/2025/024

On affected vehicles ​due to decrease of the grease amount in the worm wheel gear meshing area of the EPS gear box during use the sliding resistance at the meshing area increases and the torque fluctuation when turning the steering becomes larger resulting in an abnormal noise or a dangerous sticking occurs when turning the steering.​

Build dates: 2023-10-26 to 2023-10-28

R/2025/024

On affected vehicles ​due to decrease of the grease amount in the worm wheel gear meshing area of the EPS gear box during use the sliding resistance at the meshing area increases and the torque fluctuation when turning the steering becomes larger resulting in an abnormal noise or a dangerous sticking occurs when turning the steering.​

Build dates: 2024-08-01 to 2024-08-20

+ 58 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.

Reliability & MOT

Based on 280,000 MOT tests, the Civic has a first-time pass rate of 81.5% above the UK national average of 72%.

This is a positive sign for reliability. The Civic is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.

Running costs

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Honda Civic are estimated at around £3,199 per year, or £267 per month.

Fuel

£1,101

/year

Road Tax

£195

/year

Depreciation

£1,373

/year

MOT

£55

/year

Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.

Fuel economy

The Civic achieves a combined fuel economy of around 47.9 mpg (37.2 mpg urban, 57.6 mpg extra-urban).

VariantFuelCombinedEngine
CIVIC 06PETROL47.9 mpg1.3L
CIVIC 06PETROL44.1 mpg1.8L
CIVIC 06DIESEL55.4 mpg2.2L
CIVIC 1.7 DIESELDIESEL56.5 mpg1.7L
CIVIC 1.7 DIESEL (2002 YM)DIESEL56.5 mpg1.7L
CIVIC 2018PETROL42.2 mpg1.0L
CIVIC 2018PETROL42.2 mpg1.5L
CIVIC 2018DIESEL53.3 mpg1.6L

Depreciation

Starting from £34,000 new, a Honda Civic typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.

AgeRetainedEst. ValueLost
1 year75%£25,500−£8,500
2 years64%£21,700−£12,300
3 years56%£19,050−£14,950
4 years50%£17,150−£16,850
5 years46%£15,800−£18,200
6 years43%£14,700−£19,300
7 years41%£13,800−£20,200
8 years39%£13,100−£20,900
9 years37%£12,450−£21,550
10 years35%£11,850−£22,150

Theft risk

The Civic has a theft rate of 2.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.

How common is the Civic?

There are currently 257,370 licensed and 44,961 SORN Civics in the UK (302,331 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Honda Civic reliable?

The Civic has a 81.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 280,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.

How safe is the Honda Civic?

Euro NCAP awarded the Civic 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2022. It scored 96% for adult occupant protection, 82% for child occupant protection, 75% for vulnerable road users, and 86% for safety assist features.

How much does a Honda Civic cost to run?

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Civic are estimated at around £3,199 per year (£267/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.

Are there any recalls on the Honda Civic?

There are 63 known safety recalls affecting the Civic. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.

Is the Honda Civic likely to be stolen?

The Civic has a theft rate of 2.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.

How much does a new Honda Civic cost?

A new Civic starts from around £34,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.

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