Used Honda Civic 2017-2022 review

It’s fair to say that Honda threw the kitchen sink at this 10th-generation Honda Civic in 2017, having been stung by criticism that the previous 2012-2017 Honda Civic was not competitive with its rivals in a number of key areas.

Hence this car was longer, lower and wider than the ninth-generation car, with more room between the front and rear wheels for passengers, as well as a range of new engines and a more sophisticated rear suspension.

Engines & Performance: There's a range of three turbocharged petrol engines: a punchy and efficient 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit, a strong 1.5-litre four-cylinder or the super-sporty 2.0-litre engine in the explosive Honda Civic Type R hot hatch.

In 2018, Honda also introduced a frugal 1.6-litre diesel, however, it was dropped as of 2020 model updates. You could match any of these engines, with the exception of the 2.0, with an automatic gearbox, should you wish to. For the 1.0 and 1.5 petrols, it's a CVT while the diesel got its own nine-speed 'box.

On the road, the 124bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine is very impressive; the Civic delivers perfectly adequate acceleration from low revs and will complete the 0-60mph dash in a reasonable 10.7sec. However, despite having more power than equivalent 1.0-litre versions of the Audi A3 and VW Golf the heavier Civic is actually slightly slower than those rivals.

Naturally, with 180bhp, the 1.5-litre offering is faster and has more low-down pulling power – although it doesn’t actually feel dramatically quicker on the road. Likewise, the 1.6 diesel has just 118bhp so its acceleration doesn’t feel particularly strong. All engines give you the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox that's both light and positive, but the automatic version in petrol models tends to hold the engine at high revs even when you aren't accelerating particularly hard.

Ride & handling: The Civic rides well, with a largely settled ride comfort, and its neutral handling is safe, secure and, helped by its quick steering and slick gear change. The Civic borders on the good fun.

Only in the area of refinement is it let down, with quite a lot of engine noise and some road noise making itself known at higher speeds. The former is exacerbated in the automatic version.

Interior & Practicality: The interior is more than spacious enough for four or even five for occasional journeys, while the boot is a good size in either hatch or saloon and has a useful false floor. The low driving position is excellent, the dashboard is clear and logically laid out and the controls are pleasingly weighted and feel of a high quality – as do most of the interior plastics. Only the Civic's dated infotainment system lets it down, with old-fashioned graphics and a slothful touchscreen.

In 2018 the Honda Civic hatchback was joined by the four-door Civic saloon. The Civic saloon’s swooping roofline was lengthened to create a tail and a style that’s a neat alternative to the hatchback. Another happy result is an increase in boot capacity from 478 litres to 519. The engineers also took the opportunity to soften its suspension.

Trims & equipment: The model range kicks off with the entry-level S version, which is very basic; this version was dropped soon after it was launched, though, due to slow sales. The SE is much more appealing, with a DAB radio, air conditioning and front and rear parking sensors.

SR then adds a automatic wipers and a reversing camera, while EX gives you a package of extra safety equipment, keyless go and a leather interior. Then there's the Sport version, which adds heated seats, a sportier bodykit and LED headlights, and also a Sport Plus with adaptive suspension, while top-of-the-range Prestige gives you a full leather interior and heated rear seats.

Interested in buying a used Honda Civic? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Prices for this generation of Civic start at around £10,000, this for an early 2017 model with an average mileage for the year and a full service history. It'll probably be a 1.0-litre version in the popular SR trim. Expect to pay between £10,000 and £12,000 for a 1.5 version.

Pay between £12,000 and £14,000 for a 2018 or early 2019 car, and £14,000 to £16,000 for a 2020 car. At the top end, 2021 and the last 2022 examples can often rise above £24,000.

The hottest Civic – the Type R – is covered in a separate review that you can read here.

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MPG: On paper, the most economical Civic will be the 1.6 diesel at 64.2mpg, according to the newer WLTP tests (although this drops quite a lot to 54.3mpg with the nine-speed auto). Both manual versions of the 1.0 and 1.5-litre petrol engines manage at 46.3mpg and drop to 43.5mpg and 42.8mpg, respectively, for the CVT auto versions. The Honda Civic Type R, obviously, is the thirstiest at 33.2mpg.

Road tax: Most Civics will be registered after the tax changes of April 2017 came into force, so will be charged at the current flat rate rather than on CO2 emissions, as before. This is currently £180 per year. To find out more about the current road tax system, click here.

Insurance and servicing: Insurance groups range between 15 and 22 for the regular cars, but the Type R is in group 40, so expect high premiums.

Servicing costs are reasonable and a number of plans are available for spreading the cost. If your example is more than three years old, you can buy a service from Honda for £240.

Reliability

The Honda Civic boasts a solid reliability track record, according to our annual What Car? Reliability Survey. Owners highlight its dependable engine and gearbox, along with nearly flawless electrical systems, including the infotainment and dashboard displays.

However, dealership service experiences vary. While some owners report quick and efficient service, especially for minor warranty repairs, others express frustration over slow response times and prolonged repair processes, indicating an area where Honda could enhance its customer service consistency.

Discover more about used Honda Civic reliability and common problems on our dedicated reliability page

Engine: In everyday use, the 1.0-litre petrol is all the engine you'll ever need, which is handy because it's also the easiest engine to find in the Civic; there are plenty around on the used market.

We'd look elsewhere if you want an automatic Civic, though; there are better gearboxes out there than the CVT you'll find on petrol versions.

Specification: We'd pay the extra you'd need to get into an SR model too. It gives you a decent amount of equipment, without costing quite as much as the top-end Civic versions.

Our favourite Honda Civic: 1.0 VTEC SR

In a hotly contested class, it’s the VW Golf that perhaps stands out as the Civic’s biggest rival. It’s brilliant to drive, well equipped, refined and comparatively cheap to buy and run, even as a used car.

The Skoda Octavia is also a great family car. It features a spacious and classy interior and some punchy and economical engines. It’s great to drive and competitively priced new and used. If that weren’t enough, its boot is a class-leading 590 litres.

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If you're interested in finding a used Honda Civic, or any of the other family cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.