Used car tests

Used Honda Civic (Mk11, 2022-date) buyer’s guide: solid, spacious but not cheap

Name: Honda Civic
Brand: Honda

A full used buyer's guide on the Honda Civic covering the Civic Mk11 that's been on sale in the UK since 2022

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By:Richard Dredge

3 Feb 2026

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Verdict

The Honda Civic e:HEV and Type R are very different beasts, but they share the same usability and reliability, even if the driving experiences are so unalike. The Civic is one of the biggest cars in its class, and that helped us to fall in love with both long-termers that we ran: an e:HEV and a Type R, both of which were superb. In fact, we were so impressed by the Civic that the Type R won Best Hot Hatch three years in a row (2023-2025) in our New Car Awards, while the regular hybrid edition scooped Best Hybrid in our 2023 awards as well as our sister title Carbuyer’s 2024 rundown. With so much silverware from elsewhere also under its belt, that tells you all you need to know.

Within a month of the 11th-generation Honda Civic arriving, this longest-standing model in Honda’s range celebrated its 50th birthday. By this point Honda had sold more than 27 million Civics around the world, and as you’d expect, it’s a car that has come a long way over the past half a century.

While the original Civic came with an 1,169cc engine and produced around 50bhp, the latest iteration in Type R form packs more than 300bhp and is one of the most exciting cars in its class on the road. But most 11th-generation Civics are much more mundane to drive, so does that mean this is a family car that isn’t worthy of your consideration? Far from it.

History

The Civic Mk11 went on sale in June 2022, in e:HEV five-door hatchback form, priced from £25,595. A 2.0-litre petrol engine with full hybrid tech was the only powertrain, giving 181bhp and a claimed fuel economy of around 65mpg. Only a CVT automatic transmission was available, and all cars were front-wheel drive.

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2021 Honda

Civic

37,554 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £9,995

View Civic

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2017 Honda

Civic

38,371 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £10,531

View Civic

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2021 Honda

Civic

33,761 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £13,257

View Civic

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2018 Honda

Civic

30,936 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £12,500

View Civic

For those wanting something a bit more exciting, the Honda Civic Type R arrived in November 2022, some 25 years after the original Civic Type R had gone on sale in Japan.

The first Type Rs were delivered to buyers in January 2023, each with a 324bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. A minor facelift for the Civic e:HEV in August 2025 brought some interior and exterior design updates, but no mechanical changes.

Which one should I buy?

All Civic Mk11s were five-door hatchbacks, so it’s just a question of choosing between hybrid or Type R editions, which should be pretty easy, because they’re at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Equipment levels are generous, with even the entry-level Civic Sport having front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, LED headlights, four driving modes, half-leather seats, wireless phone charging and 18-inch alloy wheels. Advance trim adds an opening panoramic glass roof, full-leather trim, a 12-speaker Bose hi-fi, adaptive headlights, electric front-seat adjustment and a heated steering wheel.

Later, the Elegance kicked off the range and featured most of the Sport’s equipment, but with cloth seats and 17-inch wheels. The Sport sat above this and the Advance continued as before.

The Type R came in one spec only, with an optional Carbon Pack (rear spoiler, carbon sill trim and console panel); the Illumination Pack added ambient lighting.

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Prices

There aren’t many of these cars about on a 22-plate; most early Civics are on a 72-plate. There also aren’t many Civic Type Rs on the market at all and most have seen very little use; it’s not hard to find a delivery-mileage example. You can buy a used Honda Civic Mk11 through our Buy a Car service for as little as £20,000, while you can buy a used Honda Civic Type R for around £40,000.

Check the price of a Honda Civic with our free car valuation tool...

On the road

The driving experience was the low point for the Civic in our 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, but we reckon the Civic is actually pretty good, even if it’s ultimately a bit bland dynamically. In the e:HEV the engine generally acts as a generator to power the front wheels, and only drives them directly at motorway speeds. The result is great throttle response, with sharp steering, absorbent suspension and impressive refinement.

The Type R is very different dynamically because it’s fast and exciting, although it’s quite busy (and thirsty) on a motorway, because of its short gearing. But on B-roads there are few cars that are more thrilling to drive.

Alternatives to the Honda Civic

The mid-sized family segment is quite diverse, so it encompasses cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla, plus the Skoda Octavia, which is even more roomy than the Civic.

Other rivals to the Civic e:HEV include the Vauxhall Astra, along with its cousins, the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4, while you should also consider the SEAT Leon. The Mazda 3 is an often overlooked option, while the Kia Ceed and Hyundai i30 aren’t short of talent.

If you want something more premium, check the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class. If you’re considering a Civic Type R, the VW Golf R, Audi RS 3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45 should all be in your sights as well.

What to look for

Common problems

Hondas are renowned for their reliability, and it’s no different here. Some owners have found that the paint chips a bit too readily, and the infotainment software needs to be kept up to date. But that’s about it.

Type R issues

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Type R might be less reliable, with its highly strung turbocharged engine, but this halo model is just as durable as the hybrid. Just check for signs of abuse.

Peace of mind

The Civic comes with a warranty that lasts for three years or 90,000 miles, but this can be extended at extra cost up to the 11-year mark. The Civic’s hybrid system has a five-year/90,000-mile guarantee.

The ultimate

The Type R Ultimate Edition went on sale in June 2025 to mark the end of the Type R. Just 40 were available globally, with 10 for the UK. The changes over the standard car were cosmetic only.

Interior

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There's no avant-garde design in here, but that’s a good thing, because by Honda playing it safe, the dash and infotainment are user-friendly, and the materials excellent; even the harder plastics don’t look cheap. Rear legroom is superb, but headroom is a little tight, while boot space is an impressive 415 litres, or 1,220 litres with the back seats folded down.

Running costs

There's a big gulf between e:HEV and Type R running costs. Although the former sits in insurance groups 26-28, the latter is in group 43. Also, while the hybrids aren’t generally liable for the expensive-car VED supplement, the Type R is. That means £620 annually until the car’s sixth birthday, compared with just £195 for the hybrid. The Type R is also pegged at 34mpg; you’ll see closer to 60mpg in the hybrid.

All Hondas have a service interval of 12 months or 12,500 miles. The first three hybrid services cost £285, £355 and £335; those for the Type R cost £300, £370 and £350. After that, maintenance alternates between Minor and Major, at £240 and £350 (e:HEV) and £255/£365 (Type R). There are no cambelts to replace, but fresh brake fluid is needed every two years, at a cost of £85.

Recalls

Honda has recalled the Civic four times so far. The first came in November 2024, because some Civics made in October 2023 had faulty software for the adaptive cruise control and intelligent speed assistance. The second came a month later, because of electrolyte leaks on hybrid batteries. Cars made up to January 2023 were affected; the fix was to replace the batteries for a redesigned unit.

Recall three came in December 2024, because some Civic hybrids made up to August that year had faulty fuel pumps that could leak, so the pumps were replaced. The most recent campaign affected some hybrids and Type Rs built up to August 2024. These were recalled in March 2025, because of problems with the electric power steering.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The Civic Mk11 made its Driver Power debut in our 2025 survey, in which it came 19th out of 50 entries. That put it ahead of the BMW 5 Series (26th), Kia Sportage (45th) and VW Golf (49th), with owners especially liking the low running costs, boot space, quality and reliability, all of which ranked in the top 10.

However, most aspects of the driving experience scored very poorly, as did the exterior design, front-seat comfort and the usability of the touchscreen.

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