Used Honda Civic 2022-present review
Category: Family car
Few family cars are as polished and well-versed as the Honda Civic. It's good to drive, efficient and generously equipped.
What's the used Honda Civic hatchback like?
The Godfather and the Honda Civic: what do they have in common? Well, the answer is they've stood the test of time, having both been initially released in 1972 and still appreciated to this day.
The Civic has undergone many changes over the years, though. This is the eleventh-generation model and it's a thoroughly modern family car. In fact, it's only available as a fuel-sipping hybrid – unless you go for the Honda Civic Type R hot hatch, that is.
Engines: As part of the hybrid set-up, you get a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a healthy 181bhp. You'll see 0-60mph in 6.8sec, which is quicker than a lot of family cars (the Ford Focus, for example) can complete the sprint.
The engine keeps itself very hushed most of the time, due to the Civic's ability to run on electric power at low speeds. The single-speed automatic gearbox always maintains smooth progress, too. Fairly prominent road noise is really the only thing that somewhat spoils the serenity.
Ride & handling: There are more comfortable riding cars out there as well – the Volkswagen Golf being one of them. The Civic is never crashy or tiring to drive, though, so we'd call its ride firm but fair.
An upside of its suspension being quite dialled in that the Civic handles well. It isn't as playful or sharp as the Focus is, but the Civic is very capable in the bends, nonetheless. It has little body roll to speak of and its meaty, precise steering gives you confidence.
The performance-focused Type R version is on another level, but we'll leave its brilliance to its own, bespoke review.
Interior & practicality: You sit fairly low down in the Civic, allowing for a sporty feel. The comfortable driver's seat has electrically adjustable lumbar support, too. Adjusting the angle of the backrest is a bit more fiddly than in most family cars, because you have to pull a lever and shift your weight back or forth.
Trims & equipment: On entry-level Sport trim, the Civic has a 7.0in digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel accompanied by an analogue speedometer. Range-topping Advance has a full 10.2in display, which has sufficient clarity but can't show you a full-width sat-nav map like the digital display in the VW Golf can.
Both versions get a 9.0in touchscreen infotainment screen with built-in sat-nav in the centre of the dashboard. It’s not as user-friendly as the infotainment system in the BMW 1 Series or Mazda 3 but it's more intuitive than the Toyota Corolla and Golf systems.
You get wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, plus two USB ports up front and an eight-speaker sound system. Wireless phone-charging is standard on all trim levels, while top-spec Advance trim gets a 12-speaker Bose stereo upgrade.
Advance trim also gets a heated steering wheel, synthetic leather upholstery and a panoramic glass roof. Sport trim has all the essentials, though, including climate control, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, privacy glass, 18in alloys and parking sensors. Elegance trim initially sat below Sport as the entry-level trim – it doesn't get a lot of kit and it was swiftly taken off sale.
The driver and front-seat passenger get plenty of space in the Civic, so even those measuring over six-feet tall won’t need to worry about head or leg room.
Two six-footers sitting behind similarly tall front-seat occupants won’t have any complaints about rear leg room, but they might wish they had more head room. If you regularly carry tall adults in the back, you might want to consider the roomier Focus or Seat Leon.
Seating flexibility is nothing special, with 60/40 split-folding rear seats. The Civic has a bigger boot (410 litres) than the current Corolla and Golf with space for six carry-on suitcases below its flexible load cover (which pulls out from the wall of the boot). It matches the Leon and beats the Vauxhall Astra by one case.
If you're interested in finding a used Honda Civic or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
Ownership cost
What used Honda Civic hatchback will I get for my budget?
Prices start at around £24,000 for a used 2022 Civic. This will often be one bought from a franchised Honda dealer, too, with all the back-up that entails. Spend between £24,000 and £26,000 if you want a higher trim, or over £26,000 on a 2023 or 2024 car. That still represents a good saving over the price of a new car.
Check the value of a used Civic with What Car? Valuations
How much does it cost to run a Honda Civic hatchback?
MPG
The hybrid tech helped the Civic average around 60mpg in official tests. We saw a respectable 49.5mpg when we put it through our True MPG test.
Road tax
Because it's a hybrid, the Civic currently attracts road tax of £180 per year.
Insurance and servicing
Bar the Type R, all Civics fall into insurance group 28 (out of 50).
Honda will sell you a service of the Civic for £285.
Our recommendations
Which used Honda Civic hatchback should I buy?
The e:HEV hybrid set-up is the only engine available in the regular Civic, but that's no bad thing, because it's great. The most affordable used Civics feature the Sport trim – there are barely any Elegance cars for sale, let alone for less money. Sport is well equipped, but we believe you'll still appreciate the extra creature comforts of Advance for a reasonable £2000 more.
Our favourite Honda Civic: e:HEV Advance
Alternatives
What alternatives should I consider to a used Honda Civic hatchback?
The Toyota Corolla is another family car and one available with a similar hybrid set-up to the Civic. It isn't as quick or as fun to drive, plus it's interior isn't quite as plush as the Civic's, but you can find used examples from 2022 for as little as £18,000, making the Corolla considerably cheaper to buy.
There are a lot of cheaper rivals to the Civic, actually. A 2022 Ford Focus will set you back similar money to the Corolla, as will a 2022 Seat Leon. Furthermore, you can even pick up a (2020) Leon plug-in hybrid for around £18,000.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter
If you're interested in finding a used Honda Civic or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.
