Best and worst Honda Civic years — which to avoid

The Honda Civic is one of the most highly-regarded Honda models ever made across five decades of production, but it’s tough to decide on which to buy without knowledge about years to avoid. Even though it stands for a reliable model overall, there were some model years deemed worse than the others.

In this guide, our team of automotive experts will discuss all the details of the best years to buy and worst Honda Civic years to avoid based on available driver experiences, complaints, and Honda Civic recalls. We’ve scoured the main databases of renowned organizations like NHTSA to bring you updated information on worst-rated years and their problems, so stand by for a complete breakdown of the main details.

Why you can trust REREV’s advice on which car model years to avoid: Our car experts look at official data, ask real drivers what they think, and talk to experienced mechanics to make sure our list is useful. This reliable info can make buying a car easier for you. Want to know how we do it? Find out more about our research methodology.

How we rated the best and worst Honda Civic years

To evaluate the best and the worst Civic years, our team used information from credible sources and automotive agencies including NHTSA reports, as well as Honda Civic reviews and ratings by Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and similar authoritative sites.

We wanted to round up our reviews and opinions by using professional automotive agencies on one hand, and the personal experiences of drivers and former Civic owners on the other hand. So, we also visited a couple of the most popular Honda Civic forums along with Consumer Reports ratings, and common complaints to give you a clear perspective.

We primarily put our focus on Civic models produced from 2000 onward so we could base our research on recent models, keeping in mind that the model has been in production since the 1970s.

Most common Honda Civic problems

Although the Civic has been one of the most popular and reliable hatchbacks and compact cars, it’s been out there for a long time, and naturally, there are some common issues with it. Our research took us through the NHTSA complaint reports, as well as the user reports on Car Complaints platform, and these turned out to be the most common Honda Civic problems:

1. Transmission faults

The worst thing you can expect when buying a used car is to get a transmission slipping issue and harsh shifting that would eventually lead to a transmission rebuild. Sadly, this happened to most Civic owners who purchased a 2001 to 2002 model year Civic with a 4-speed or 5-speed automatic transmission.

There were official recalls issued eventually, but if you happen to go through this problem, you can expect an average pay of around $2000 to $2600 for a rebuild. There were also issues reported with 2010 to 2015 Civic models affected by a software issue of the CVT transmission.

2. Airbag system recalls

One problem that wasn’t particularly related to the Civic as a model, but the type of airbags used is a Takata airbag issue. This problem eventually resulted in official recalls of 37 million cars and different models that used these airbags due to a safety hazard risk.

Namely, pressure building up in the airbags as well as the accumulated dirt and moisture resulted in the inflator bag exploding as the airbags went off. In this case, the explosion would cause metal fragments to be released into the cabin at high pressure, so the whole inflator bag had to be replaced to prevent this deadly scenario.

3. Engine problems

One problem that older Civic enthusiasts probably never expected to occur is the engine fault that was common for the eight-generation model. Particularly, it was an issue with the R18 engine that suffered from coolant leaks and a blown engine situation, as we’ve learned first-hand from driver experiences on Honda Civic forums.

This was partially triggered by the defective engine block which was prone to cracking in both R18 displacements, so 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter engines suffered serious damage. Eventually, most of these engines had to be rebuilt and Honda extended the warranty to 10 years and unlimited mileage as an early solution.

There was never an official recall for these engines, so it’s better to avoid the R18 altogether and go with an SI engine which proved to be much more reliable. Also, there was an oil dilution problem for Civic models from the tenth generation equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine.

4. Electrical failures

The low battery charge issue on a used Honda Civic turns out to be much more serious than on some other models. It completely messes up the car’s systems, including the A/C unit malfunctions, and interior light problems. and eventually even the speedometer not working.

The 2012 to 2013 model year also suffered from Bluetooth connection problems and the majority of other electrical failures. So, it’s wise to inspect the battery and always have it recharged or replaced in case of a discharge to prevent these issues from occurring.

Worst Honda Civic years to avoid

Apart from some regular maintenance issues, the older Civic generations up to the seventh generation were rather reliable and required only small investments into parts that had worn off. However, more serious issues started with the seventh generation and the 2001 to 2002 model years according to driver ratings on Edmunds and similar sources.

Because of this, we’ve heard a lot of drivers with a common question – what are the worst Honda Civic years to avoid? The worst Honda Civic years to avoid are 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2007 Civic, but here’s a complete list:

• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2012
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017

We’ll also tell you why those years are so badly rated to help you decide on which one you should buy, so let’s see what the main issues are by generation and model years.

Seventh-generation Honda Civic (2001-2005 model years)

If you are buying a used Civic, it’s best to avoid the seventh generation altogether. This generation was in production from 2000 to 2005, and some of the worst years include the 2001 and 2002 production years. These models suffered from transmission faults, airbag faults, and paint issues.

The clear coat was also quite disappointing when it comes to longevity, and there were even some throttle body problems. With this generation of Civic, Honda also launched the first Civic hybrid coupled with a 1.3-liter engine, and these hybrid batteries were also prone to failure.

The most reliable model year of this generation is the 2005 model year, but it still had a lot of these issues unresolved. On the other hand, 2001 was the worst-rated year with over 2,000 complaints while the 2002 model year had more than 1,000 complaints.

Eighth-generation Honda Civic (2006-2008 model years)

The eighth-generation Honda Civic faced some serious issues with the 2006 to 2008 model years and even some early 2009 model years. The worst-rated eighth-gen Civic is the 2007 Civic with more than 2,000 complaints. These were mostly associated with low coolant and coolant leaks that eventually led to a blown engine with a cracked engine block.

The issues were mostly related to the R18 engine, and it’s best to avoid these model years and the mentioned engine altogether. There was also a problem with the peeling paint during these production years, and there were some interior material issues and dashboard cracks as well.

Ninth-generation Honda Civic (2014 model year)

The ninth generation of Honda Civic is one of the most reliable modern generations and this especially goes for 2011 to 2013 models. However, drivers have faced a fair share of issues with the CVT transmission introduced with the 2014 model.

This issue eventually led to seized transmission and drive pulley shaft issues and was somewhat sorted out with the recall. It turned out to be more of a software mistake than a mechanical transmission fault, but there was an optional 5-speed automatic at the time which proved to be much more reliable.

Tenth-generation Honda Civic (2016-2018 model years)

The tenth generation picked up where the previous generation left things, and there was just one major issue – the oil dilution problem. However, this issue proved to be quite serious, since it wasn’t a small oil dilution that the engines are designed to take and burn.

Instead, it was a bigger issue with the 1.5-liter turbocharged EarthDreams engine. Due to this problem, engine oil had large amounts of fuel reaching the oil case and it all mixed up which led to oil losing its lubrication properties. Concerning these, we have to mark the 2016 Honda Civic as the most unreliable one with over 1,000 complaints, mostly related to electrical issues, A/C problems, and interior accessories.

After a while, this issue could turn into an engine fault, and Honda acknowledged the matter and extended the warranty for the 2016 to 2018 models, as well as issued a software update for later models.

What are the best Honda Civic years to buy?

Some of the best Honda Civic years are all the model years up to the sixth generation Civic equipped with a 1.6-liter VTEC engine that has proven to be practically indestructible.

Since quite a lot of model years were equipped with that engine, you may be wondering – what are the best Honda Civic years to buy? The best Honda Civic years to buy are 2000, 2005, and 2020 Civic, but here’s a complete list of positively-rated years:

• 1995 Honda Civic
• 1996 Honda Civic
• 1997 Honda Civic
• 1998 Honda Civic
• 1999 Honda Civic
• 2000 Honda Civic
• 2005 Honda Civic
• 2011 Honda Civic
• 2012 Honda Civic
• 2013 Honda Civic
• 2019 Honda Civic
• 2020 Honda Civic
• 2021 Honda Civic

It’s best to go with the 2005 model year if you are willing to risk it with a seventh-generation Civic and avoid the 2001 and 2002 years of the time. Also, it’s worth skipping the years that had issues with the R18 engine and going with a SI version from 2010, but we’ll address each of the best-rated years in detail.

2000 Honda Civic

The 2000 Honda Civic is one of the best-rated models overall and the most reliable seventh-gen Civic out there. The fact it received just around 400 complaints vouches for that and although it sounds like a lot, unreliable models often have over 2,000 complaints, so that one is pretty good.

In terms of common issues, it only had some minor reports regarding the exhaust system and a few issues on the body and paint. The 2000 Honda Civic received an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 on KBB.

2005 Honda Civic

For the next-generation model, the 2005 Civic seems like the most reliable option with around 500 complaints, mostly concerning body/paint issues, interior accessories, and some transmission problems. The next best-rated Civic model from this generation received 1,000 complaints, so 2005 is a decent option.

It also earned an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5, so it makes sense to go for this one if you wish to avoid having to bother with coolant leaks and engine block cracks that the following model years featured.

2020 Honda Civic

Finally, we have to recommend the 2020 model year as the best Honda Civic among all the tenth-generation models. It only had about 100 complaints so far and we realize it’s still a fairly new model, but for now, it seems like a pretty solid option.

It also earned a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Kelley Blue Book and the most common problems that this model has had include interior accessory malfunctions like computer blacking out while driving and some gear lever damage. Also, it had a few reports made to NHTSA related to the windows and windshield, but the good thing is – there were only a few reports made, so it’s still not considered a widely-spread issue.

Is the Honda Civic worth buying?

Ultimately, Honda Civic is worth buying as long as you avoid the worst model years like 2001, 2002, and 2006 Civic. Having in mind the long period of production, it’s a model that deserves respect from every car enthusiast out there.

With that being said, this guide will hopefully help you mitigate the problems by avoiding the problematic model years, and going for the best years of production like the 2010 to 2012 model years. It’s also worth checking all those recalls and whether the model you’ve got your eyes on had gone through any before the purchase.

Looking for a solid ride? We dove into the feedback and common issues to spotlight the best and warn you about the rest. Get all the details on Toyota Corolla years to avoid, Mazda 3 years to avoid, and VW Jetta years to avoid with our straightforward guides, making your car choice easy.